Our communities' socio-economic concerns are serious. Kehillah Solutions understands how important it is for communities to understand them...
THE FOLLOWING IS A SAMPLE OF ALREADY EXISTENT DATA ON CONCERNING JEWISH COMMUNAL TRENDS
Jews Are Marrying Later in Life, Reproducing Less, and Endangering Population Replacement:
The 2000-01 National Jewish Population Survey confirms that Jews marry later than other Americans, with the greatest disparities occurring in the age group between twenty-five and thirty-four. In addition to the serious psycho-social implications of this fact for Jewish singles, there are demographic implications. For Jewish women in particular, late marriage means lower rates of fertility compared with other Caucasian women... The fertility gap is especially enormous among Jewish women under the age of thirty-five; even though the gap narrows considerably over the course of the next ten years, at no point do Jewish women attain the fertility levels of their non-Jewish peers or bear children in numbers sufficient to offset population losses from natural causes. "Remarkably, there has been little inquiry... into why so many in the Jewish community are remaining single, or are having smaller families, or are intermarrying. In light of the pain expressed by many Jews about what has happened within their own families, this willed ignorance is in itself shocking." Dr. Jack Wertheimer, Joseph and Martha Mendelson Professor of American Jewish History at The Jewish Theological Seminary. http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/jews-and-jewish-birthrate/.
Jewish Education is Increasingly, Prohibitively Expensive:
"Jewish day schools in Southern California and across the nation face an economic crisis that is prompting calls for major education reforms and increased support from the wider Jewish community... Jewish schools are suffering many of the same economic pressures as secular prep schools and parochial campuses, but many shoulder the added expense of a religious-training curriculum that requires additional staff... "About 200,000 students attend more than 700 Jewish day schools in the United States. Tuitions at the schools average about $14,000 and in the past five years have typically increased about 7% per year, outpacing wage increases for most families," shares Rabbi Saul Zucker, Director of Educational Services at the Orthodox Union. Los Angeles Times, May 18, 2009 http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/18/local/me-schools18?pg=1
Synagogue Membership and Attendance Rates are Falling as Financial Solvency Is Being Challenged:
"Shifting denominational affiliations and larger numbers of interfaith families are challenging synagogue growth and rabbis keenly recognize their role is not just about increasing ongoing membership participation, but reaching out beyond current congregants by attracting a more diverse community," Rabbi Hayim Herring, STAR executive director, quoted by The Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Additionally, says Gary Tobinas, the president of the Institute for Jewish and Community Research in San Francisco: “There is no way that synagogues are going to be financially solvent as we go forward in the next 25 years if they just depend on dues.” Moreso, Gary Tobinas, the president of the Institute for Jewish and Community Research in San Francisco, states “There is no way that synagogues are going to be financially solvent as we go forward in the next 25 years if they just depend on dues.” http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3451646,00.html
Jews Are Marrying Later in Life, Reproducing Less, and Endangering Population Replacement:
The 2000-01 National Jewish Population Survey confirms that Jews marry later than other Americans, with the greatest disparities occurring in the age group between twenty-five and thirty-four. In addition to the serious psycho-social implications of this fact for Jewish singles, there are demographic implications. For Jewish women in particular, late marriage means lower rates of fertility compared with other Caucasian women... The fertility gap is especially enormous among Jewish women under the age of thirty-five; even though the gap narrows considerably over the course of the next ten years, at no point do Jewish women attain the fertility levels of their non-Jewish peers or bear children in numbers sufficient to offset population losses from natural causes. "Remarkably, there has been little inquiry... into why so many in the Jewish community are remaining single, or are having smaller families, or are intermarrying. In light of the pain expressed by many Jews about what has happened within their own families, this willed ignorance is in itself shocking." Dr. Jack Wertheimer, Joseph and Martha Mendelson Professor of American Jewish History at The Jewish Theological Seminary. http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/jews-and-jewish-birthrate/.
Jewish Education is Increasingly, Prohibitively Expensive:
"Jewish day schools in Southern California and across the nation face an economic crisis that is prompting calls for major education reforms and increased support from the wider Jewish community... Jewish schools are suffering many of the same economic pressures as secular prep schools and parochial campuses, but many shoulder the added expense of a religious-training curriculum that requires additional staff... "About 200,000 students attend more than 700 Jewish day schools in the United States. Tuitions at the schools average about $14,000 and in the past five years have typically increased about 7% per year, outpacing wage increases for most families," shares Rabbi Saul Zucker, Director of Educational Services at the Orthodox Union. Los Angeles Times, May 18, 2009 http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/18/local/me-schools18?pg=1
Synagogue Membership and Attendance Rates are Falling as Financial Solvency Is Being Challenged:
"Shifting denominational affiliations and larger numbers of interfaith families are challenging synagogue growth and rabbis keenly recognize their role is not just about increasing ongoing membership participation, but reaching out beyond current congregants by attracting a more diverse community," Rabbi Hayim Herring, STAR executive director, quoted by The Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Additionally, says Gary Tobinas, the president of the Institute for Jewish and Community Research in San Francisco: “There is no way that synagogues are going to be financially solvent as we go forward in the next 25 years if they just depend on dues.” Moreso, Gary Tobinas, the president of the Institute for Jewish and Community Research in San Francisco, states “There is no way that synagogues are going to be financially solvent as we go forward in the next 25 years if they just depend on dues.” http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3451646,00.html