Abstract
This chapter raises the central question the book is trying to answer – Can Jewish life in the United States flourish in the future? – and presents the main ideas that frame the answer. Jewish life will flourish if there is concerted and effective action to create vibrant local Jewish communities. The chapter then goes on to explore why local communities are so important for Jewish life in the United States and presents the elements of a vibrant local Jewish community.
After a set of definitions of key terms, such as “community,” “communal,” “policy,” and “strategy,” the focus shifts to what this book is about. It is a road map to the use of data, analysis, and strategic thinking to inform Jewish communal policies at the local level. It uses case studies to analyze similarities and differences among American Jewish communities for 11 important strategic issues and offers policy options. It also includes an exploration of policy-making in general and local Jewish communal decision-making in particular. The chapter concludes with a description of the approach to community study used in the nine case studies that are the focus of the rest of the book.
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Notes
- 1.
Thomas B. Morgan “The Vanishing American Jew,” 28:9, Look Magazine (May 5, 1964), pp. 42–46.
- 2.
For example, Alan M. Dershowitz, The Vanishing American Jew (New York: Little, Brown and Company), 1997; Leonard Saxe, “The Sky Is Falling. The Sky Is Falling,” Tablet Magazine (December 2, 2014).
- 3.
Steven M. Cohen, “Reason for Optimism,” The Quality of American Jewish Life – Two Views (New York: American Jewish Committee, 1987), pp. 3–32; Charles S. Liebman “A Grim Outlook,” The Quality of American Jewish life – Two Views (New York: American Jewish Committee. 1987), pp. 33–55; Steven Bayme (ed.), Facing the Future (New York: American Jewish Committee and Ktav, 1989); Manfred Gerstenfeld and Steven Bayme American Jewry’s Comfort Level (Jerusalem: Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and the American Jewish Committee, 2010); Steven M. Cohen and Charles S. Liebman “The Quality of American Jewish Life,” in Arnold Dashevsky and Ira Sheskin (eds), American Jewish Yearbook 2018 (Springer, 2019), pp. 3–49; Arnold Dashefsky, Ira M. Sheskin, Steven Bayme, Mijal Bitton, Carmel U. Chiswick, Steven M. Cohen plus 16 others “Forum on Contemporary American Jewry: Grounds for Optimism or Pessimism?,” in Arnold Dashevsky and Ira Sheskin (eds), American Jewish Yearbook 2018 (Springer, 2019), pp. 51–111.
- 4.
Daniel J. Elazar, “The Geography of American Jewish Communal Life,” Congress Bi-Weekly (Jan. 26, 1973), p. 10.
- 5.
For a critique of quantitative research in Jewish life, see Michal Kravel-Tovi and Deborah Dash-Moore (eds), Taking Stock: Cultures of Enumeration in Contemporary Jewish Life (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2016).
- 6.
See Daniel Cohen. Implementing Analytics in the Nonprofit World. HUC-JIR School of Jewish Nonprofit Management Masters Theses. (2016). #https://www.bjpa.org/search-results/publication/22571
- 7.
For a perspective on using population data to inform Jewish communal policy in the world, Israel and the Diaspora, see Sergio DellaPergola Jewish Demographic Policies (Jerusalem: Jewish People Policy Institute, 2011).
- 8.
For additional perspectives on using community studies in planning and decision-making, see Bruce A. Phillips “Designing Community Population Studies that Are Used: A Model for Decision-Making,” Journal of Jewish Communal Service 61:4 (June 1985), pp. 289–294; Ira M. Sheskin, “Local Jewish Community Studies as Planning Tools for the American Jewish Community,” Jewish Political Studies Review 21:1/2 (Spring 2009), pp. 107–135; Ira Sheskin “The Usefulness of Local Jewish Community Studies in Examining the American Jewish Future,” American Jewry’s Comfort Level: Present and Future (Jerusalem: Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, 2010), pp.160–169; Leonard Saxe and Fern Chertok, “AAA: Guide to Developing and Using Knowledge to Drive Jewish Communal Policy,” Journal of Jewish Communal Service 88:1/2 (Winter/Spring, 2013), pp. 120–127.
- 9.
For a full description of the rational action model, see Sidney Schoeffler, “Towards a General Definition of Rational Action,” Kyklos 7:2 (August 1954), pp. 245–271. For a sophisticated and thoughtful exposition, see C. West Churchman, Prediction and Optimal Decision (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1961). For a more recent adaption of this model, see Carl V. Patton, David S. Sawicki, and Jennifer J. Clark, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning, 3rd Ed. (London and New York: Routledge, 2016). For the classic presentation of the incremental model, see Charles E. Lindblom, The Intelligence of Democracy (New York: The Free Press, 1965).
- 10.
For another approach to a “middle way,” see Yehezkel Dror Public Policy-making Re-examined (Scranton, PA, Chandler, 1968).
- 11.
For a different interpretation of the difference between policy analysis and policy research, see David Weimer and Aidan Vining, Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practice, 6th Ed. (Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2017).
- 12.
The classic description of policy-making in the Jewish communal arena is to be found in Charles S. Liebman, “Leadership and Decision-Making in a Jewish Federation: The New York Federation of Jewish Philanthropies,” American Jewish Yearbook (American Jewish Committee, 1979), pp. 3–76. See also Susan L. Shevitz, “Communal Planning in a Nonrational World: A Shift in Paradigm and Practice,” in Lawrence I. Sternberg, Gary A. Tobin, and Sylvia Barack Fishman (eds.) Changing Jewish Life: Service Delivery and Planning in the 1990s (New York: Greenwood Press, 1991), pp. 187–210.
- 13.
Deborah Fishman, “Network Weavers: How to Weave Together Jewish Communal Life,” Journal of Jewish Communal Service 88:1/2 (January 2013), pp. 38–44.
- 14.
For a comprehensive review of the state of Jewish community studies in the USA see Harriet Hartman (ed) “Special Issue: Jewish Community Studies” Contemporary Jewry 36:3 (October 2016). See also Leonard Saxe and Sergio Della Pergola (eds) “Special Issue: Jewish Demography in the United States,” Contemporary Jewry 33:1,2 (July 2013); David Dutwin, Eran Ben Porath, and Ron Miller “U.S. Jewish Population Studies: Opportunities and Challenges,” in Uzi Rebhun (ed) Science and Ideology in Jewish Social Research (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014); David A. Marker, Shelley Brock, Darby Steiger, Jill DeMatteis and Hanna Popick “Jewish Community Studies in the Twenty-First Century” Contemporary Jewry 41:2 (June 2021) pp. 349–368. For an earlier view of the field see Steven M. Cohen, Jonathan S. Woocher, and Bruce A. Phillips (eds.), Perspectives in Jewish Population Research. (Boulder: Westview Press, 1984).
- 15.
For a critique of community studies and advocacy of market-research instead, see Susan J. Levine, “Have demographic studies of the Jewish community outlived their usefulness?” www.eJewishPhilanthropy.com, (November 2015). See also the rejoinder on the importance of Jewish community studies, Steven M Cohen and Ira Sheskin, “Jewish Community Studies Remain Vital for Planning and Policy-making www.eJewishPhilanthropy.com, (November 2015).
- 16.
- 17.
For a comparison of data from communities that have had a “scientific” Jewish community study, see Ira Sheskin, How Jewish Communities Differ (North American Jewish DataBank, 2010); Ira Sheskin, Comparisons of Jewish Communities: A Compendium of Tables and Bar Charts (Berman Jewish DataBank, 2015).
- 18.
2005–2006 Jewish Population Study of Greater Atlanta; 2010 Greater Baltimore Jewish Community Study; 2010 Chicago Jewish Population Study; 2008 Cincinnati Jewish Community study; 2011 Greater Cleveland Jewish Population Study; 2013 Portrait of Jewish Columbus; 2007 Metro Denver/Boulder Jewish Community Study; Jewish Community Study of New York: 2011; 2014 St. Louis Jewish Community Study. Documentation of each of these studies, including final reports and data files, can be found on the Berman Jewish Data Bank. https://www.jewishdatabank.org/databank/local-studies.
- 19.
Of the nine communities Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Denver/Boulder have had more recent studies done, which made use of definitions and methods which differ from those used by UAI. Thus, it has not been feasible to incorporate these later findings into this book.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Appendix
Appendix
Jewish Community Population Studies Conducted by Ukeles Associates, Inc., 1996–2014
Place | Study title | Date | Sponsor | Principal investigators | Research partners | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlanta | 1996 Metropolitan Atlanta Jewish Population Study | 1996 | Atlanta Jewish Federation | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ira Sheskin, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | NA | 1 |
North Metro Atlanta Population Survey | 2004 | Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta; Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | Sundel Research, Inc.; Marketing Systems Group | ||
2005–2006 Jewish Population Study of Greater Atlanta | 2006 | Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | International Communications Research; Marketing Systems Group | ||
Baltimore | Baltimore Jewish Community Study 2000 | 2000 | The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | Jewish & Community Research, Inc.; Sundel Research, Inc.; Marketing Systems Group | |
2010 Greater Baltimore Jewish Community Study | 2010 | The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | Social Science Research Solutions | ||
Chicago | 2010 Chicago Jewish Population Study | 2010 | Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | Social Science Research Solutions | 2 JPAR |
Cincinnati | 2008 Cincinnati Jewish Community Study | 2008 | Jewish Federation of Cincinnati; Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati; Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | International Communications Research; Marketing Systems Group | |
Cleveland | 2011 Greater Cleveland Jewish Population Study | 2011 | Jewish Federation of Cleveland | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD; Pearl Beck, PhD | Social Science Research Solutions | 2 JPAR |
Columbus | 2013 Portrait of Jewish Columbus | 2013 | Columbus Jewish Federation; Columbus Jewish Foundation; The Wexner Foundation | Steven M. Cohen, PhD; Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD; Pearl Beck, PhD | Social Science Research Solutions | 2 JPAR |
Denver/Boulder | 1997 Greater Denver/Boulder Jewish Community Study | 1997 | Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado; Council of Jewish Agency Executives; Rocky Mountain Rabbinical Council; Rose Community Foundation | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | Sundel Research, Inc.; Marketing Systems Group | |
2007 Metro Denver/Boulder Jewish Community Study | 2007 | Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado; Rose Community Foundation | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | International Communications Research; Marketing Systems Group | ||
Howard County, MD | 1999 Jewish Population Survey of Howard County, Maryland | 1999 | The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore with the Jewish Federation of Howard County | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | Jewish & Community Research, Inc.; Sundel Research, Inc.; Marketing Systems Group | |
2010 Howard County Jewish Community Study | 2010 | The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore with the Jewish Federation of Howard County | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | Social Science Research Solutions | ||
New York | Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 | 2002 | UJA-Federation of new York | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | International Communications Research; Marketing Systems Group | |
Jewish Community Study of New York: 2011 | 2011 | UJA-Federation of New York | Steven M. Cohen, PhD; Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD; Pearl Beck, PhD | Social Science Research Solutions | 2 JPAR | |
Palm Springs | Coachella Valley Population Study | 1998 | Jewish Federation of Palm Springs and Desert Area | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD; Gary Tobin, PhD | Sundel Research, Inc.; Marketing Systems Group | |
Philadelphia | Jewish Population Study of Greater Philadelphia 1996/1997 | 1996 | Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD; Adele Simon Egon Mayer, PhD;Gary Tobin, PhD | International Communications Research; Marketing Systems Group | 3 |
Phoenix | The 2002 Greater Phoenix Jewish Community Study | 2002 | Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | International Communications Research; Marketing Systems Group | |
Pittsburgh | 2002 Pittsburgh Jewish Community Study | 2002 | United Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh; Jewish Healthcare Foundation | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | International Communications Research; Marketing Systems Group | |
St. Louis | 2014 St. Louis Jewish Community Study | 2014 | Jewish Federation of St. Louis | Steven M. Cohen, PhD; Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD; Pearl Beck, PhD | Social Science Research Solutions | 2 JPAR |
San Diego | Demographic Study of the San Diego Jewish Population 2003 | 2003 | United Jewish Federation of San Diego County | Jacob B. Ukeles, PhD; Ron Miller, PhD | International Communications Research; Marketing Systems Group |
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Ukeles, J.B. (2022). Introduction. In: Illuminating the Path to Vibrant American Jewish Communities. Studies of Jews in Society, vol 4. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07642-8_1
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