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Caring for others is the bedrock of Judaism, without which nothing else stands. A beautiful painting cannot be made from one color. We all have something special to offer that no one else can, and emphasis on community life is essential in Jewish tradition.
That said, there is also an acute focus on the importance of the individual. One of the most powerful illustrations of this in Jewish life is in the following scenario: If an enemy laid siege to a town and demands that one individual be surrendered to be executed, or they threaten to wipe out the whole town, are we allowed to surrender that one individual to save the community? The answer in Jewish law is an unequivocal no.
Why? Because life is immeasurable. The value of one person is not a number. Each life is a world unto itself and has an infinite worth.
Our mission in life is to beautify our world with acts of goodness and kindness, Torah and Mitzvot. That mission is accomplished by lighting up the world one small candle at a time. One coin in a homeless man's cup. One visit to a patient in a hospital. Lighting Shabbat candles one time. Keep on lighting those small candles. When you turn around after a while you'll see a tremendous light behind you, comprised of all those good deeds.
--Rabbi Avraham, Community vs. Individual, a Jewish perspective, Chabad of Scarsdale
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