Heroes Too, Need to Connect. A Hero/Heroin’s Journey to Community Belonging and Cohesion

The research discusses partial findings from the “Hero’s Journey” intervention program conducted in Jerusalem from October 2023 to June 2024 across three senior citizen clubs, with 39 women and one man participating. Based on Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” model with contemporary adaptations, the 12-session program exposed participants to myths from around the world and their cultures. Participants shared personal stories and created artwork related to the meeting themes. The intervention sought to bring together personal stories and community narratives, using myths and legends to create positive change for individuals and communities. Out of the three parameters the study aimed to influence, the article focuses on two: a sense of belonging and social cohesion. Utilizing quantitative and qualitative data, the article addresses only the quantitative findings, which show a significant change in participants’ sense of belonging and group cohesion.