According to just-released data, the Washtenaw County area Jewish community is much larger than previously thought.
Estimates from the past 20+ years had suggested the local Jewish population was approximately 8,000 Jews, in 3,000 households.
But with a population of 11,000 households, and 20,000 Jewish individuals – including 3,900 Jewish children – the unexpectedly large size of the community is one of the most significant and exciting data points in the 2022-2023 Washtenaw County Area Jewish Community Study: A Data-Driven Collaboration.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, in partnership with local Jewish communal organizations and congregations, commissioned this study and presented its results publicly at a community Town Hall on April 15. At the Town Hall, attendees heard a presentation of the study’s key findings and discussed questions, opportunities and challenges raised by the data. In addition to the community-wide conversation, small-group meetings with community leaders were conducted, allowing for deeper exploration of topics like social services, congregational life, community engagement and youth/teen education and engagement.
The goal of this Community Study was to provide a current portrait of the local Jewish community and to give needed insight to build the most welcoming, innovative, and vibrant Jewish community possible.
Board President of the Jewish Federation, Jessica ‘Decky’ Alexander, noted the significance of this effort. “The Community Study,” she says, “is an important start to discovering and/or re-discovering the backgrounds, beliefs, values, and priorities of Jewish individuals in Washtenaw County.”
The Jewish Federation is pleased to share some key findings of the below. It is important to note that data for this study were collected from November 2022 to January 2023, well before the October 7, 2023 attacks and ensuing war in Israel and Gaza. It is possible that some results might have differed if they had been collected after October 7, especially in the areas of antisemitism and Israel.
A Few Key Findings
Who and Where we Are
- 20,000 Jews in 11,000 households, representing 5% of the total local population. Undergraduate students were not included in the study.
- 88% of Jewish adults feel connected to the Jewish people; only 35% feel connected to the local Washtenaw County Jewish community
Congregations and Jewish Ritual
- 20% of Jewish households belong to a congregation, minyan or chavurah
- 83% report lighting Hanukkah candles in the last year, 80% attended a seder, and 67% attended at least one synagogue service.
Antisemitism
- When data were collected, 69% of respondents indicated they are concerned about antisemitism in the US
- 22% had experienced antisemitism in the previous year
Connection to Israel
- When data were collected, 58% of respondents reported feeling some level of emotional attachment to Israel
- About 50% of respondents feel their views about Israel are not welcome in Jewish settings
Health & Human Services & Financial Well-being
- 23% of Jewish households include someone with a chronic health issue, special needs, or disability
- One in six households say they are struggling financially
What’s Next
While the study itself is complete, the community’s work to translate data into action is just beginning. This report – the entirety of which is available for viewing at jewishannarbor.org/communitystudy – is the starting point for introspection, deeper conversation, and collaborative strategic planning.
A Community Visioning and Strategic Planning Committee, chaired by Robin Pollak and Megan Bernard, has begun to meet to develop a new community vision and strategic plan. This plan will be generated over the course of many months, using the valid data of the study as a foundation to identify a set of communal values and goals, and a strategic plan to enhance local Jewish life.
The planning process will be conducted in partnership with volunteer leaders, community organizations, program providers, and the community writ large to explore the data, identify new questions, and continue to learn about communal needs and desires.
Federation Board President Decky Alexander emphasizes that the next steps are a necessary continuation of the process started by the study. “As with other communities across the US who have engaged in data-driven planning, I hope that the study gives us, if not a roadmap, a light on how to best engage, serve and support each other now and in the future,” she says.
The Players
A diverse group of over 60 volunteer and professional leaders served on the Community Study Planning, Implementation, and Next Steps Committees, chaired by Barry Nemon and co-chaired by Randy Milgrom.
The research team was a collaboration of two preeminent research institutions: the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS) at Brandeis University and NORC at the University of Chicago. This team, led by Dr. Janet Aronson and Professor Leonard Saxe at Brandeis University, and Dr. David Dutwin and Evan Herring-Nathan at NORC, combined CMJS’s extensive experience conducting dozens of Jewish community studies over the last two decades with NORC’s expertise using the most advanced research methodologies.
This study was made possible by the foresight and strategic vision of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, which recognized the importance of convening this project, and by the community partner organizations who understood how crucial this data and analysis would be, and will be, to the future of our community. Generous financial support was received from Beth Israel Congregation, JCC of Greater Ann Arbor, Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Ann Arbor, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County, Jewish Federations of North America, and Temple Beth Emeth. The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation provided a significant grant to understand the racial and ethnic diversity of our community and to collect data about financial insecurity.
Additionally, the following communal organizations provided valuable input and encouragement throughout this process: Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan, Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Chabad House of Ann Arbor, Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor, Jewish Communal Leadership Program at UM, Jewish Cultural Society, and Pardes Hannah.
Finally, this study would not have been possible without the participation of the over 900 households who responded to the survey to provide data on a diverse and thriving Jewish community in Washtenaw County.
The full Community Study and a document containing major highlights are available at www.jewishannarbor.org/communitystudy. For more information, contact Eileen Freed at eileenfreed@jewishannarbor.org.