Washtenaw County Area Jewish Community Study:

Data-Driven Collaboration

 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor is pleased to announce the launch of the 2022-2023 Washtenaw County Area Jewish Community Study, the first such comprehensive study of our Jewish community ever conducted.

The Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University, in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, an independent research institution, has launched the study and will be conducting it on our behalf. This project has been commissioned by the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, in partnership with local Jewish communal organizations and congregations. It is made possible by Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Ann Arbor, The Jewish Federations of North America Research Benchmarking Project, with support from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County, Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor, Temple Beth Emeth, Beth Israel Congregation, and other funders.

The Washtenaw County Area Jewish Community Study serves a number of important functions. The data it yields will provide us with a dynamic understanding of who comprises our Jewish community, how they identify, where they are located, and how many Jewish families and individuals call Washtenaw County home. Most importantly, the study will help us learn about the gaps in Jewish communal programming and services and barriers to affiliation and participation in our Jewish institutions.

This study will inform a formal visioning and strategic planning process, to be launched once the results are released in mid-2023, that will allow Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor and our local partners to serve the broadest possible cross-section of our community with greater impact than ever before. All area congregations, agencies, and Jewishly-focused organizations will receive both the final report and the raw data generated by the study. It is our hope that this project raises the tide for every local Jewish institution in fostering Jewish identity and continuity for generations to come.

If you have received an invitation to participate in the survey research associated with this study, any information you provide is completely confidential. Individual responses will not be shared outside of the research team at Brandeis and NORC, and you will not be asked to donate money during the survey or as a result of your participation.

Stay tuned for more specifics about the study when it becomes live. If you have questions, please contact McKenzie Katz, Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor administrative manager at Mckenzie@jewishannarbor.org or (734) 773-3535.

We look forward to sharing the results of this exciting process with the community.