Summary Report - St Louis 1995

Transcription

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IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE FOR THE COMMUNITY MARKETING &
RESEARCHIDEMOGRAPHIC STUDY
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Chairman
Morris Sterneck
Members
Richard Stein
Rabbi Jeff Bienenfeld
Rabbi Zalrnan M. Stein
Rabbi Eric Cytryn
Dr. Arlene Stiffman*
Sheldon Enger*
Judy Taylor
Marianne Esser*
Betsy Zimbalist
Elynor Flegel
F-
Judy Gall
Ex Oficio
Daniel Bindler
Aurelia Goldstein*
Terry Bloomberg
Linda Kraus
Michael N. Newmark
Paul Kravitz," Chair
Fran Leve
Federation Staff
Jeffrey Pernikoff
Dr. Stephen Cohen
Stanley Raskas
Lori Kabrun
David L. Rich*
Barry Rosenberg
Dr. Joseph Sosna
Consultant to Federation
Dr. Barbara Shamir
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* Technical Adviso y Committee
Knowledge and action are twins -each glorifying the other.
J. Kimhi, Shekel HaKodesh
I
t is with sincere pride and pleasure that we present you with the long-awaited results of
our Jewish community demographic study. Jewish Federation of St. Louis commissioned a n d
funded this extensive project t o benefit the entire community. T h e results of this
demographic study provide invaluable insights into the make-up of our community and will
have a profound effect o n our ability t o plan wisely for our future.
lnformation contained in this study will have an impact o n every aspect of Jewish communal
life in St. Louis. Please carefully review the study; it is our hope that our community's
institutions will utilize the data t o more effectively target resources, and better understand
a n d serve their constituents.
Jewish Federation wants t o thank all those w h o helped oversee and underwrite this
demographic study. Thank you t o the donors t o the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign
which was t h e primary source of funding. O u r sincere appreciation t o T h e Jewish Hospital
of St. Louis which played a major role in funding and designing the study, a n d t o the
following donors: United Way of Greater St. Louis, Mark Twain Bank; Lubin-Green
Foundation; MRCA lnformation Service; A.C. Nielsen Co.; Westgate Research; Integrated
~ e s e a i c hAssociation; Acker, Capozzi & Petersen; and T h e Pretesting C o .
W e also wish t o thank our Implementation Task Force and extend our deepest appreciation
t o Dr. Gary A. Tobin and his team of dedicated professionals at the Center for Modern
Jewish Studies/lnstitute for Community and Religion at Brandeis University. Through their
hard work and commitment t o this project, we have a document that provides a thorough
a n d accurate reflection of our community.
Morris H. Sterneck
President
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THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS
President
Morris H. Skrneck
)rib Presidents
Teny Bloomberg
Planning
Julian 1. Edison
Endowments
Marlyn Essman
NatimallInternational
Agency Relations
Sanford Goffskin
Campaign
J. David Levy
Agency Relations
Mont S. Levy
Financial Planning
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Myma Meyer
Women's Diuisim
Heschel Raskas, Ph.D.
Allocations
Nancy Siwak
Human Resources
Mark H. Zodneky
Special Projects
%asurn
Jack Deutch
Assistant Treasurer
Charles A. Newman
S e mt a y
Marilyn Fox
Assistant S e m t a y
jay Sarver
Executive Vice President
Bany Rosenberg
Board of Directors
Judy Abrams
IlseAltman
Edward Balk
Lisa Graivier Barnes
Edward M. Becker
Terry Bloombe%
Marc Boguslaw
David Bohm
Lee Bohm
Milford M. Bohm
Rosalie Brasch
Robert A. Brod
Harvey M. Brown
Gary N. Chervitz
Charles J. Cook
Ellen Deutsch
Jack Deutsch
Helen Drazen
John Dubinsky
Melvin Dubinsky
Julian I. Edison
Harry Epstein
Alyn V. Essman
Marlyn Essman
irvin Fagin
Alfred Fleischman
Richard Flom
Marilyn Sox
Harris J. Frank
Henrietta Freedman
John Fudemberg
Judy Gall
Harvey S. Gerstein
Sanford Goffstein
Yetra Goldberg
Alvin Goldfarb
Joel Goldstein
Samuel R. Goldstein
Louis Golman
Sam I. Golman
Thomas R. Green
Sheila Greenbaum
Harold Guller
Siegmund Halpern
Ronni Handelman
Harvey A. Harris
Irwin B. Hoffman
Joyce Hoffman
Eugene Horwitz
William Kahn
Jerome Kalishrnan
Craig Kaminer
Michael M. Karl, M.D.
Meyer Kopolow
J a p e Langsam
Fran Leve
Norman Leve
J. David Levy
Mont S. Levy
Leslie Litwack
Alexander S. Loeb
Lucy Lopata
Stanley L. Lopata
Lynn Lyss
Julian L. Meyer
Myrna Meyer
Rabbi Mordecai Miller
1.E. Millstone
Saul N. Mirowit.
Rosalind Neuman, Ph.11.
Charles A. Newman
Joan M. Newman
Barbara Newmark
Michael N. Newmark
Martin Oberman
Lenore Pepper
Rabbi Stephen Pinsky
Maury B. Poscover
Heschel Raskas, Ph.D.
Richard S. Rosenthal
Brad Sandler
Harold Sarner
Jay Sarver
Robert L. Scharff, Jr.
Karen Schechter
Harvey G. Schneider
Carole Simon
Miriam Rogers Singer
Stephen A. Singer
Nancy Siwak
Leslie Small
Richard W. Stein
Thomas A. Stem
Morris H. Sterneck
Rosalie Stemeck, Ph.D.
Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman
M.L. Strauss
Stan Towerman
Lee H. Wagman
Marcia Weiss
Eugene C. Weissman
Rabbi Aaron Winter
Lynn Wittels
Leo Wolf
Stuart H. Zimbalist
Jeanne Zorensky
Louis 1. Zorensky
Mark H. Zorensky
Mary G. Zorensky
Milton L. Zorensky
Vivian Zwick
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lewish Federation o f St Louis
Preface
..................................................................1
..............................................................3
Methodology .............................................................3
Inbduction
MajorFindings
...........................................................5
..................................................10
Policy Recommendations
.................................................14
Population and Household Distribution .....................................15
Demographic Profile .....................................................16
Religious Identity and Practice .............................................42
St.LouisStudyAreaMap
Community Involvement
Israel
..................................................60
...................................................................65
............................................................66
Human Service Delivery ..................................................68
Antisemitiem
Philanthropy
............................................................69
l e w i s h Federation o f St . Louis
Figure 1
Jewish Federation of St. Louis Demographic
Study Population Areas ......................................................................................14
Figure 2
Distribution of the Jewish Population by Area ...............................................-16
Figure 3
Age Distribution
Figure 4
Generation in the United States
Figure 5
Number of Persons in Household
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..................................................................................................20
........................................................................
22
Figure 6
....................................................................24
Place of Birth ........................................................................................................26
Figure 7
Family Composition ............................................................................................28
Figure 8
Current Marital Status
Figure 9
Secular Education
........................................................................................29
................................................................................................32
Figure 10 Disabilities by Age ................................................................................................34
Figure 11 Employment Status ..............................................................................................35
Figure 12 Household Income
..............................................................................................40
Figure 13 Jewish Denomination by Age
-?
............................................................................42
Figure 14 Ritual Observance ................................................................................................
46
Figure 15 Number of Close Friends Who Are Jewish by Age ........................................
49
Figure 16 Importance of Jewish Traditions ........................................................................
50
Figure 17 Percent Who Say That Being Jewish Is Very Important
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and Somewhat Important in Their Lives .........................................................
Figure 18 Percent of Adults Who Received Formal Jewish
52
Education by Age and Gender ..........................................................................
Figure 19 Percent of Children Under 18 Currently Enrolled
in Jewish Education by Age and Gender..........................................................
53
54
Figure 20 Synagogue Membership by Age ........................................................................
56
Figure 21 Synagogue Attendance by Age ..........................................................................
Figure 22 In-married b.y.
Married ..................................................................................
CI
Jewish Federation of St . Louis
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Figure 23 Mixed Married by Year Married ........................................................................
58
Figure 24 Type of Marriage by Age .................................................................................. 59
Figure 25 Involvement in the Jewish Community.........................................................
60
Figure 26 Percent Who Volunteer by Age ..........................................................................64
Figure 27 Percent Who Have Been to Israel
One or More Times by Age ................................................................................65
Figure 28 Percent Who Have Experienced Antisemitism
in the Past Year by Age ......................................................................................66
Figure 29 Percent Who Very Much Prefer/Somewhat Prefer
Jewish-Sponsored Services................................................................................. -68
Figure 30 Percent Who Give to Jewish Causes/Organizations
in 1993 by Age ...................................................................................................... 69
Figure 31 Percent Who Give to Jewish Federation or UJA
in 1993 by Age ......................................................................................................
71
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Figure 32 Reasons Affecting Decision to Contribute
to Jewish Organizations ..
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Household Population and Distribution...........................................................15
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Table 2
Geographic Distribution: 1981 vs. 1995..............................................................17
Table 3
Plans to Move in Next Three Years: 1981 vs. 1995............................................18
Table 4
Jewish Composition of Neighborhood: 1981vs. 1995......................................19
Table 5
Age Distribution: 1981vs. 1995 ..........................................................................21
Table 6
Generation in the U.S. Comparison with Other Communities ......................23
Table 7
Average Household Size Comparison
with Other Communities......................................................................................25
Table 8
Place of Birth: 1981vs. 1995
................................................................................27
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Jewish Federation of St . Louis
Table 9
Marital Status by Age and Gender......................................................................30
Table 10 Marital Status: 1981 vs. 1995 ................................................................................ 31
Table 11 Setular Education by Age by Gender ................................................................
33
Table 12 Employment Status by Age. Male ......................................................................36
Table 13 Employment Status by Age. Female ..................................................................
37
.................................................................................... 38
Occupation by Age. Female ................................................................................ 39
Household Income by Age .................................................................................. 41
Religious Identity: 1981 vs. 1995..........................................................................43
Table 14 Occupation by Age. Male
Table 15
Table 16
Table 17
Table 18 Denomination Comparison
with Other Communities...................................................................................... 45
Table 19 Ritual Observance: 1981 vs. 1995 ........................................................................47
Table 20 Respondents Who Have a Christmas Tree
Comparison with Other Communities .............................................................. 48
Table 21 Synagogue Membership
Comparison with Other Communities ..............................................................55
Table 22 Synagogue Attendance
Comparison with Other Communities .............................................................. 57
Table 23 Jewish Involvement and Experience: 1981 vs. 1995
........................................62
Table 24 Jewish Community Center Membership
Table 25 Perceptions of Antisemitism: 1981 vs. 1995 ......................................................67
Table 26 Contributions to Philanthropies
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Jewish Federation of St. Louis
This study is a labor of love, a project I
undertook over 10 years after I completed the 1981 demographic study of
the St. Louis Jewish community.
Although I now am at Brandeis
University and no longer live in St.
Louis, all of my family and closest
friends live in St. Louis, including my
mother. St. Louis remains special to me.
The 1981 study was my first major project in the Jewish community. It was the
beginning of my deep involvement in
the study of Jewish life in America. It
was intriguing to take another look at
the community in which I grew up and
could now see through more experienced eyes.
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The 1995 study has involved the hard
and dedicated work of many people.
The staff of the Jewish Federation has
been deeply involved in every phase of
the study most notably Lori Kabrun,
Director of Planning and Allocations,
and Barry Rosenberg, the Executive
Vice President. Their care and concern
have ensured the excellence of the
study.
The Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center
for Modern Jewish Studies/Institute for
Community and Religion team has
been equally dedicated. Dr. Gabriel
Berger was instrumental in every phase
of the study, including the questionnaire development, sample design and
statistical analysis. I could not have
completed the study without his devo-
tion and expertise. Other Brandeis
University faculty and staff were
involved in other phases of the project.
Bruce Aguirre and Gretchen Stellman
were dedicated to the project and
played a key role in the final production. My co-author, Dr. Joel Streicker,
was as usual a pleasure to work with
and completely committed to ensuring
a high-quality research project.
Special thanks also go to Dr. Terry
Jones, Dean of the Arts and Sciences at
the University of Missouri, St. Louis.
He was diligent in his work to see that
the highest standards of survey
research were met.
Jay Bycer of Market Solutions in
Phoenix, Arizona, completed the random-digit dialing portion of the study. I
have worked with him on a number of
Jewish demographic studies. He is not
only an excellent survey research professional, but deeply committed to the
Jewish community as well. He always
provides the extra effort with humor
and generosity.
The Demographic Study Committee
provided key insight and assistance
along the way as did the Technical
Advisory Committee. Each member
brought wisdom and caring to the project, especially Paul Kravitz, who
chaired the Technical Advisory
Committee.
I would also like to thank Joel Cohen,
Assistant Provost for Research at
Brandeis University. He helps in many
ways in making the work of Cohen
Center for Modem Jewish Studies/
Institute for Community and Religion
run more smoothly, and I appreciate all
the support he and his staff provided,
including Roberta Nary and Gordon
Simons.
I want to express two final notes of
thanks. Morris Sterneck chaired the
Demographic Study Committee. I am
optimistic about the future of the
Jewish community because Morris represents all that is good and wonderful
about Jewish life. His devotion and love
of the Jewish community guide him to
spend precious hours and days serving
the Jewish people. He has been a wonderful partner in this project. His constant faith in my work was the most
gratifying aspect of the entire project.
Diane Tobin is my partner in every
phase of my work. She is integrally
involved in the preparation of all the
publications at Cohen Center for
Modem Jewish Studies/ Institute for
Community and Religion and brings
brilliance and creativity to the simple
and difficult components of these projects. I am grateful for every idea and
hour she provides, and the joy she adds
to my continued commitment to the
study of American Jewish life.
Gary A. Tobin
Iewish Federation of S t . Louis
INTRODUCTION
St. Louis continues to be a diverse and
dynamic Jewish community. It is evolving with new and vibrant forms of
Jewish expression and identity. The
study shows a community in geographic, generational and ideological transition. Most Jews remain attached to the
Jewish community, even as levels of
intermarriage rise and more Jews live
outside of Jewish neighborhoods. The
community remains more cohesive than
most, and seems to be ready to meet the
challenges of the future. The portrait of
Jewish life in this study can help guide
that future as the Jewish community
continues to develop and grow.
Jewish Federation of S t . Louis
METHODOLOGY
The study is based on 1,455 telephone
interviews conducted in 199495. A
sample frame was utilized that included names drawn from the list of the
Jewish Federation of St. Louis, distinctive Jewish surnames, and randomdigit dialing. Professional interviewers
were used to conduct a survey that lasted about 45 minutes. Special tests were
also conducted to examine non-contact., refusals and differences between
the three sample sources to produce a
weighted sample that accounts for any
statistical variations. As is typical with
such reports, such as the U.S. Census,
the data were collected two years
before the release of the report. These
time differences are normal and do not
impinge on the quality or usefulness of
the data.
POPULATION SIZE AND
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
An estimated 60,000 Jews and their
families live in 24,600 Jewish households in St. Louis City St. Louis
County and St. Charles County.
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LENGTH OF RESIDENCE AND
MOBILITY
The Jewish community of St. Louis is
moderately stable. Fifty percent have
lived in the St. Louis area their entire
lives.
Jewish households represent approximately 4% of all households in these
geographic areas.
Thirty-four percent of the households have changed their address
since 1990,another 22% between
1985 and 1989,and 11% between
1980 and 1984,a total of 68% since
1980.
The median age of the Jewish population is about 40.
About 21% of the population is
under the age of 18 and about 17% of
the population is over 65.
Of all household members included
in the survey, 49.5% a= male and
50.5% female.
Twenty-seven percent of the households have someone over 65.
HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURE
Sixty-one percent of the households
are one- and two-person households.
The average household size is 2.5.
: -=
About 7% of the population was
born in another country.
While nearly 80% of the Jewish population still resides in a central corridor, the population has become
much more dispersed since 1981.
GENDER AND AGE DISTRIBUTION
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FOREIGN-BORN
About 18% of households say that it
is very likely that they will move in
the next three years, another 17%
somewhat likely, and 60% not at all
likely.
INCOME
About 21% of the households have
annual incomes of $25,000 per year
or less, and about 20% make more
than $100,000 per year. The median
income is $50,000 per year.
MARITAL STATUS
About 67% of adult individuals are
currently married, 20% have never
been married, 7% are divorced or
separated, and 6% are widowed.
INTERMARRIAGE
There are about 6,000 individuals,
spouses and children who are not
currently Jewish, but who are part of
Jewish families.
Ninety-two percent of the population
over 65 who are married are in-married (two born Jews); that percentage
drops to 61% of those 25 to 34.
One third of the marriages celebrated
between 1990 and 1995 involved two
Jews. Sixteen percent were conversionary marriages (self-defined), and
47% were mixed marriages.
Of those who converted to Judaism,
42% of conversions took place after
the wedding ceremony, and 58%
before the wedding ceremony.
Nine percent of households say that
they have an immediate family member who belongs to a church or other
non-Jewish religious organization.
There is strong support for a child
marrying a non-Jew if the person
converts. Eighteen percent oppose a
mixed marriage without a conversion; their opposition drops to 6%
with a conversion. About 38% would
support a marriage without conversion, 66% with a conversion
SECULAR EDUCATION
The Jews of greater St. Louis are
well-educated; 70% over age 25 have
a four-year college degree or
advanced education.
About 33% of all Jewish students are
in private school and about 67% are
in public schools.
JEWISH EDUCATION
Almost three of every four adults,
73%, have had some formal Jewish
education. Of these, about 58% have
had eight years or more of formal
Jewish education.
Only 37% of the adults say that they
have had a bar/bat mitzvah. Nine
percent say that they attended a
Jewish day school.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of the
children aged 6 to 13 are currently
receiving a Jewish education, including 51% of those who are 14 to 17.
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JEWISH IDENTITY
Eighty-seven percent of the respondents say that being Jewish is important in their lives, including 54%
who say that it is very important.
Synagogue affiliation and income are
highly associated, with 43% of those
with income under $25,000 belonging to a synagogue, as opposed to
65%of those with incomes over
$100,000.
While 83%of the respondents say
that they feel close to other Jews, the
feeling of closeness drops to 45%for
Israelis, less than the 50%who say
that they feel close to Protestants and
the 58% they feel close to Catholics.
In-married households are more likely to belong to a synagogue than
other household types: 74%of inmarried, 61% of conversionary, and
35% of rnixed-married households
belong to a synagogue.
DENOMINATION
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The Jewish community of St. Louis is
predominantly Reform (60%),with
21% Conservative, 3% Orthodox, and
the remainder some other category.
RITUAL OBSERVANCE
Sixty-eight percent always attend a
Passover Seder, while 65% always
light Hanukkah candles. Only 9%
use separate dishes for meat and
dairy; 13%have a Christmas tree.
SYNAGOGUE INVOLVEMENT
Fifty-six percent of the households
currently-belongto a synagogue.
These figures tend to be over-reported in Jewish population studies.
Three quarters of the households
either currently belong or formerly
belonged to a synagogue.
Synagogue affiliation ranges from
74%of in-married households to
35% of mixed-married households.
Among Jews 25 to 34, the practices
that are most important are celebrating Jewish holidays (63% ranked it
very important); keeping Jewish traditions (57%ranked it very important); and working for social causes
(51% ranked it very important).
PHILANTHROPY
About 72% of households say that
they give to Jewish organizations,
and 58% say that they give to the
Federation. These figures tend to be
over-reported.
Thirty-three percent of those who do
not give to the Federation say that
they like the organization.
INVOLVEMENT IN JCCA
About 24% of individuals say they
are members of the JCCA.
There are four primary reasons why
people do not belong to the JCCA:
20% say that it is too far, 21% that it
is too expensive, 17% say that there is
nothing at the JCCA of interest, and
15% say that they are too busy.
Fifteen minutes is the maximum
amount of time 52% of the households will drive to the JCCA, including 30% who will drive no more than
10 minutes. Only 17% say that they
will drive 20 minutes or more.
VOLUNTEERISM
About 30% of the households say
that they volunteer for Jewish organizations and 47% for non-Jewish organizations.
JEWISH SERVICES
Most Jews, 58%, say that the need for
local Jewish programs is greater than
five years ago, with 19% strongly
agreeing with the statement. The figures are almost identical about the
need for Israel.
There is a strong preference for
Jewish-sponsored services, especially
for nursing home care and home services for the elderly. There is not
much of a strong preference for counseling or job placement by a Jewish
agency.
Services are currently needed to help
older people drive at night and get to
the doctor. Otherwise, most perceive
that needs of the elderly are being
met.
A
The Jewish Hospital is the Jewish
community's best known and most
highly rated institution. Fifty-five
percent of respondents are very
familiar with The Jewish Hospital's
services, and 56% rated those services as excellent.
More Jews use The Jewish Hospital
for both inpatient and outpatient care
than any other hospital. More than
one-third (34%)of respondents
requiring hospitalization in 1993, and
one-quarter (26%)of those needing
outpatient care, used the Jewish
Hospital.
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JEWISH PERIODICALS
About 65% of the households say
that they regularly receive the Jezuish
Lighf, and 27% regularly receive
other Jewish periodicals.
ANTISEMITISM
Jews continue to see antisemitism in
the St. Louis area; only 2% say that
there is none, 23%say a little, 50%
say a moderate amount, and 20% say
that there is a great deal.
ISRAEL
About 36% of the households include
someone who has visited Israel at
least once, and 13%have someone
who has visited two times or more.
This is the norm for most communities.
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Eighty-four percent of the respondents say that caring about Israel
was important in their being Jews,
including 44% who strongly agreed.
About 30%of the respondents say
that they have experienced antisemitism in the past year, primarily
in business or in informal relations.
The following policy recommendations
are those of the consultant and do not
necessarily represent the views or policies of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
There needs to be more active promotion of the purpose, meaning and availability of some of the agencies of the
Jewish Federation.
This would include the Central Agency
The community needs to re-examine the
range and types of services it offers and
the priorities for service delivery.
The community, for example, has a
much stronger preference for services
for the elderly and children than it does
for job counseling or family counseling
under Jewish auspices. The desires of
the community for the services offered
by Jewish organizations need to be
examined. The data on preference for
Jewish-sponsored services are consistent with data collected in the 1981
study.
The data reflect that the community has
done well in meeting the human service
needs of the Jewish population. The
findings suggest that the community
should devote more attention to identity-building efforts and programs.
This is not to say that the current
human services structure should be
abandoned. It does suggest, however,
that the St. Louis Jewish community
has been quite successful in meeting its
human service needs and now needs to
devote as much time, attention, energy
and resources to community-building
activities, especially given the relatively
high levels of disaffiliation among the
young and the rapidly growing rate of
intermarriage.
for Jewish Education and the Jewish
Community Relations Council. Since
these agencies are integral to the structure of the community. The fact that
the vast majority of Jews in St. Louis
are unfamiliar with them inhibits their
effectiveness both in providing the services and in their utilization as important motivations for giving to the
Federation.
Special community efforts are needed
in joint programs with the synagogues/
temples, the Federation, and other
institutions to teach about tzedakah
and obligations Jews have to support
the Jewish community through the
Federation.
Most Jews believe that they have a relatively modest obligation to Jewish philanthropy. Perhaps special curricula
could be developed for both Hebrew
schools, supplemental schools, day
schools, and continuing education programs for adults as well.
--
The Jewish Federation and other organizations need to develop additional
mechanisms and devote some resources
to reaching out to Jews who do not live
in the central core of the Jewish community.
The data indicate that an increasing
proportion of St. Louis Jewry lives in
the geographic periphery and they tend
to be less associated with the organized
Jewish community. However, the data
also show that the level of Jewish identity among this group is relatively high.
Therefore, increased efforts to involve
this community would likely result in
their more active participation in
Jewish life. Living outside of a densely
Jewish area does not necessarily indicate a desire to be removed from the
Jewish community.
Because Jews are so geographically dispersed, satellite services may need to be
located within the city of St. Louis and
the Chesterfield area, and other areas.
It should not be assumed that any single location will serve the increasingly
dispersed population. Smaller, scattered
locations may be required for particular
services for particular subpopulations.
Younger Jews tend to be more detached
from Jewish lit%and therefore need
additional incentives to participate.
Age and income, for example, are highly associated with synagogue affiliation. Synagogue membership is much
lower for households with incomes
under $25,000. They should also engage
in programmatic outreach efforts. It is
recommended that synagogue membership fees be waived for younger Jews
under the age of 25.
The JCRC, synagogues and other organizations should consider special volunteer programs in which younger Jews
can express their commitment to
Judaism by working for social justice
and social action functions within the
Jewish community.
Younger Jews are particularly interested
in working for organizations that promote social justice. Therefore, these
themes must be integrated into the
structure of Jewish community organizations.
Special efforts need to be made
between the synagogues and private
schools to ensure that a proper Jewish
education curriculum, both formal and
informal, is developed.
A significant proportion of children are
now in private schools. Perhaps special
classes in Judaism or interreligious
studies could be developed since private schools have more flexibility in
curriculum development than public
schools.
The St. Louis Jewish community needs
to devote attention and resources to
active discussion, programs and activities to encourage spouses in mixed-marriages couples to consider conversion to
Judaism.
The data indicate that conversion is
almost as likely to take place after a
wedding ceremony as before. Given the
rapid rise in intermarriage, the community must find mechanisms to create
Jewish households through conversion
from what are currently mixed married
households. Perhaps no community
investment may be as important as
turning communal resources to better
understanding, promoting, encouraging
and facilitating conversion to Judaism.
This may be accomplished through a
number of steps, including convening
conferences and workshops with the
rabbinate and lay representatives of
synagogues and other organizations, or
perhaps even creating outreach and
conversion centers. Without active promotion of conversion, it is likely that a
good many of the children in mixedmarried households will not be raised
as Jews or minimally raised as Jews.
Because of the widespread distribution
of the St. Louis Jewish Light, consideration should be given to measuring its
effectiveness in marketing, fundraising,
and community-building activities.
The community needs to assess how
well the Federation message, for example, is being transmitted through the
Jewish Light or how services are promoted and perceived as a result of reading
the Jewish Light. Since the paper is
regarded well and distributed so broadly, the possibilities for it being even
more effective are considerable.
Much more active efforts must be made
to encourage individuals to include
Jewish philanthropies in their wills and
to make long-term commitments
through endowments and living trusts,
for example, to the Jewish community.
Most St. Louis Jewish households do
not have a provision for Jewish philanthropies in their will.
A
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The St. Louis Jewish community should
devote additional resources to building
community relations between American
Jews and Israelis.
--
The study shows a widening gap
between American Jews and their attitudes about Israelis, and how close
they feel to Jews in Israel. Developing
mechanisms between the St. Louis
Jewish community and the Jewish community of Israel should be as high a
priority as building bridges between
the St. Louis Jewish community and
other ethnic, racial and religious groups
within St. Louis. The Jewish
Community Relations Council, the
Jewish Federation, and other organizations such as the American Jewish
Committee, for example, should make
the growing distance between St. Louis
Jews and Israeli Jews a community priority.
Because visits to lsrael have a clear
association with strong Jewish identity,
including community participation and
giving to Jewish causes, the number of
organized trips to lsrael must be
expanded and diversified.
The data indicate that St. Louis Jews
will visit Israel for a variety of reasons
and therefore active recruitment for a
multitude of trips for a variety of purposes would likely find different constituencies ready to visit Israel. Along
with programs to promote conversion,
increasing the number of St. Louis Jews
who visit Israel would probably have
the strongest long-term positive impact
on building Jewish identity, as well as
introducing pre- and post-trip programming.
Continued efforts to deal with antisemitic incidents in employment, housing
and schools must remain an important
function in the Jewish community
structure.
Antisemitism continues to be experienced by a significant proportion of St.
Louis Jews.
J e w i s h F e d e r a t i o n of S t . Louis
Area @
Area @
Area @
Area @
a
0
00
Area @
Area
S
0
1
2
Miles
3
4
FL--
TABLE 1
Population
Households
Area 1
St. Louis City
Area 2
Chesterfield/ Ballwin
63005
63011
63017
63021
63038
63040
Area 3
North of Olive
63043
63132
631%
13,200
Area 4
10,900
4,388
Area 5
Clayton/University City
63105
63117
63130
Area 6-All Other Areas
(Includes all other zip codes in St. Louis City,
St. Louis County and St. Charles County)
Institutionalized Population
Totals
600
60,000
24,600
SIZE AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE JEWISH POPULATION
About 60,000 Jews currently live in St.
Louis City, St. Louis County and St.
Charles County, an increase from the
53,500 who resided there in 1981. The
increase is mainly due to immigration
from the former Soviet Union and
Israel, and from in-migration from elsewhere in the United States. The current
figure is also more accurate than the
1981 figure due to improved methodology. It is difficult to say how much of
the increase is due to any particular factor. Immigration and improved methodology are more likely than other factors.
More than three-quarters (79%)of the
Jewish population of St. Louis is concentrated in a central corridor that
begins in the Central West End of St.
Louis City and extends to the western
limits of St. Louis County.
FIGURE 2
Distribution of the Jewish Population by Area
All Other
St. Louis City
2,700
5%
I/
City
Nor,th of Oli
13,200
23%
Chesterfield1
Ballwin
10,900
19%
-
--
SIZE AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE JEWISH POPULATION
The community is much more dispersed than it was in 1981. Over onefifth of the population is now scattered
in areas all over St. Louis City, St. Louis
County and St. Charles County. Yet the
majority of the population still lives in
the "traditional" Jewish areas of central
St. Louis County between Page Avenue
and Manchester Road. The Olivette,
Ladue, and northern Creve Coeur areas
experienced the most decline.
TABLE 2
Geographic Distribution: 1981 vs. 1995
Chesterfield/ Ballwin
15%
19%
Ladue/Creve Coeur
27"/0
18%
4%
22%
All other areas
-?
MOBILITY
Respondents' reports of the likelihood
of their moving within the next three
years suggest a relatively stable population that is somewhat more likely to
plan to move today than in 1981.
Thirty-five percent of households indicate that they are very likely to move
within the next three years, an increase
from 1981 (16%). Sixty-five percent of
households state that it is not at all likely that they will move, compared to
84% in 1981.
A smaller proportion of Jews in St.
Louis expects to move than was reported in the NJPS: 26% of Jewish households surveyed by the NJPS think it
very likely that they will move in the
next three years (compared to 18% in St
Louis); and 21% think it somewhat
likely (compared to 19% in St. Louis).
St. Louis Jews are less likely than
Jewish residents of Minneapolis to say
they are not at all likely to move: 70%
of Minneapolis residents have no plans
to move within the next three years.
TABLE 3
:
Plans to Move in Next Three Years: 1981 vs. 1995
Outside St. Louis area
-p-
JEWISH NEIGHBORHOODS
More than two-thirds (70%)of respondents
feel that Jews are a numerical minority in
the neighborhood in which they live.
Respondents today are more likely than
they were in 1981 to believe that their
neighborhoods have a smaller proportion
of Jews. While 39% of 1981 respondents
thought that their neighborhood was about
half Jews, only 21% had the same opinion
in 1995. More strikingly, while 4% of
respondents in 1981 said that their neighborhood was less than 25% Jewish, 33% in
1995 stated the same; and only 0% in 1981
thought that there were no Jews in their
neighborhood, 20% in 1995 thought the
same.
TABLE 4
.-=-
Jewish Composition of Neighborhood: 1981 vs. 1995
At least 75% Jewish
25%-50% Jewish
No other Jews
J e w i s h Federation of S t . Louis
AGE DISTRIBUTION
The age and gender distribution of the
St. Louis Jewish population reflects the
national distribution of the Jewish population. The proportion of individuals
over age 65 in St. Louis has dropped
slightly since 1981, and the proportion
of those under age 18 has remained
about the same. The data reveal a population that is neither aging nor assuming any other particular stratification
by age.
FIGURE 3
Age Distribution
75 and over
7%
AGE DISTRIBUTION COMPARISON
The number of children has grown. The
echo of the baby boom is now being
felt, with a rapid growth in the number
of teens. People are also living longer,
and the number of people over the age
85 has increased since 1981. The community has a larger proportion of 3 5
44- year-olds. It is important to note
that the percentages are based on a
population estimate of 60,000, up from
53,500 in 1981. Therefore, the projected
number of children and teens is 3,423,
considerably higher than in 1981.
TABLE 5
Age Distribution: 1981 vs. 1995
1981
I
Under 18
21%
1995
21%
I
GENERATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Most St. Louis Jews (62%) are at least
two generations removed from the
immigration experience. However,
nearly one-third (31%) are the children
of immigrants. The character of the
immigrant population has changed.
Many of the foreign born are recent
immigrants from the former Soviet
Union and Israel. In 1981, most of the
foreign born were elderly Jews who
came to St. Louis in previous eras of the
community's history.
FIGURE 4
Generation in the United States
First Generation
Fourth Generation
7%
Second Generation
31%
Third
GENERATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Compared to other Jewish communities in North America, St. Louis has a
very small proportion of first-generation households. Cities like Miami have
large foreign-born populations. Indeed,
St. Louis has a smaller percentage of
first-generation households than the
NJPS figure of 11%. By the same token,
the proportion of Jewish households in
St. Louis that are third (44%) or fourth
(18%)generation respondents (62%)
also ranks St. Louis among those cities
whose population is most removed
from streams of immigration. At the
same time, this percentage of third and
fourth generation respondents is equal
to the NJPS figure.
TABLE 6
Generation in U.S. Comparison with Other Communities
First Generation
St. Petersburg/Clearwater
1994
Second Generation
HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURE
The average household size is 2.5.
Sixty-one percent of the households are
one- and two-person households, with
nearly one-quarter (24%) consisting of a
single individual. Nineteen percent of
households have three persons, 15%
have four, and 6% have five or more.
The size of the average household in St.
Louis is slightly smaller than the figure
for the 1990 National Jewish Population
Study and for all U.S. households (2.6
each). St. Louis' average household size
is larger than that of communities with
a high proportion of retirees (such as
Miami, Sarasota and South Broward),
lower than that of communities such as
Columbus and Richmond, and the same
as that of Detroit and Minneapolis.
The distribution of St. Louis Jewish
households by number of members also
contrasts with urban centers containing
a large retiree population, such as
Sarasota, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, or
Miami, which have more one- and twoperson households. St. Louis is much
more similar to communities like
Minneapolis, 27% of whose households
contain one person, and 31% contain
two people.
FIGURE 5
Number of Persons in Household
Five or More
Persons
6%
Four Pe
150,
Persons
.9%
-
HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURE
TABLE 7
Average Household Size Comparison with Other Communities
Quad Cities
Sarasota-Manatee
Detroit
ST.LOUIS
San Antonio
U.S.CENSUS
-
PLACE OF BIRTH
The overwhelming majority (93%) of
Jews in St. Louis were born in the
United States. Nearly half (49%) of all
individuals were born in St. Louis.
The proportion of foreign-born in St.
Louis declined from 16% in 1981 to 7%
at present, despite the recent influx of
emigres from the former Soviet Union.
The "Old World" generation is nearly
gone. As the fourth generation
matures, the vestiges of the St. Louis
Jewish community's "Old World" character will likely vanish in the next 10
years. Yet the "new" Russian immigrants have added to the size and
diversity of the Jewish community of
St. Louis.
FIGURE 6
Place of Birth
Born St. Louis
49%
Born United
States, but not
St. Louis
44%
.~--:
PLACE OF BIRTH
The proportion of St. Louis residents
born abroad is smaller than that of
cities such as Chicago and St. Paul, of
whose populations 9% and 13%,
respectively were born abroad.
Half (49%) of all individuals were born
in St. Louis. This figure is smaller than
the proportion of locally born Jews in
Chicago (6l0/0),but greater than that of
St. Paul (39%).
TABLE 8
Place of Birth: 1981 vs. 1995
Born US.,but not locall
34%
45%
.
FAMILY COMPOSITION
Only 25% of all households have children under 18 living at home. The
highest proportion of Jewish households (30%) is comprised of couples
without children either empty nesters
or young couples who have not yet had
children. Single-person households
(24%) comprise a large proportion of all
households. Nine percent of Jewish
households in St. Louis are made up of
couples with children between the ages
of 18 and 24. Single parents account for
2% of households, and 10% of households are made up of other family configurations.
FIGURE 7
Family Composition
Other Family
Type
10%
Single Person
24%
arent
4 at
Couple Alone
30%
p-
MARITAL STATUS
Two-thirds (67%) of adult individuals
are currently married, nearly the same
proportion as in 1981 (68%).However,
20% of respondents have never married, more than double the 9% figure in
1981. This increase in the never-married
population follows a national trend for
the Jewish community.
Six percent of St. Louis Jews are widowed, a considerable decrease from
1981, when 17% were widowed. This
may be due to a greater number of
retirees who have moved out of the
area, and also the passing of an older
generation that has been replaced with
younger families.
FIGURE 8
Current Marital Status
Widowed
6%
Divorced/
Never Married
20%
arried
67%
?
--
MARITAL STATUS
"Universal"marriage, that is, the age at
which about 95%have been married,
occurs relatively late among St. Louis
Jews, after 45 years of age. However,
women achieve universal marriage
between the ages of 35 and 44, compared with men, for whom this occurs
between the ages of 45 and 54.
TABLE 9
Marital Status by Age and Gender
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 and older
Male
Never Married
Total Male
99
50
30
7
13
5
4
26
e--
Widowed
Total
0
1 W o
0
0
1
4
17
23
5
100
I01
100
100
100
99
99
FEMALE
Married
Never Married
Widowed
Total
Total Female
7
7'3
85
71
76
55
24
63
93
25
4
10
5
1
1
12
0
0
0
6
9
36
70
16
100
101
100
100
100
99
99
100%
n=1,389
All totals that do not equal 100% are due to rounding error.
J e w i s h F e d e r a t i o n of S t . L o u i s
.
e
MARITAL STATUS
Although the proportion of currently
divorced or separated remains small7% of respondents, compared to 6% in
1981-the proportion of households in
which one or both partners had a previous marriage is higher, 17% compared
to the 1981 figure of 12%.Fourteen percent of adults have been married twice;
3% have been married three or more
times. Most individuals who divorce
tend to remarry and reconstitute new
families.
TABLE 10
Marital Status: 1981 vs. 1995
A
Never Married
Widowed
-
SECULAR EDUCATION
St. Louis Jewish residents have attained
a high level of secular education: 7O0/0
of adults over age 25 hold a college
degree, including 31% that hold a graduate degree. Only 29% percent report
that a high school diploma is the highest degree attained, almost all of these
are individuals aged 65 and over.
Women's level of secular education still
is lower than that of men, although the
gap has closed considerably. Thirtyfour percent of men have obtained a
graduate degree, compared to 27% of
women. Thirty-six percent of men have
graduated from a four-year college as
the highest degree attained; 31% of
women have a four-year college
degree. Twenty-four percent of men
have attained a high school diploma as
the highest academic level achieved,
compared with 33% of women.
Among younger men and women the
gap is narrower, reflecting the wider
FIGURE 9
Secular Education
Less than High School
2%
Graduate I
31%
igh School Diploma
29%
College Degree
39%
J e w i s h Federation of S f . Louis
-
SECULAR EDUCATION
availability of educational opportunities for women, as well as greater
expectations of women's educational
attainment. Eighty-five percent of men
between the ages of 35 and 44 hold a
four-year college degree or a graduate
degree, compared to 8O0/0 of women of
the same age. As might be expected,
both younger men and younger
women tend to be more educated than
their older counterparts of the same
sex: 54% of men aged 65 through 74,
and 35% of women of the same age
have attained this level of secular education.
TABLE 11
Secular Education by Age by Gender
18-24
25-34
35-44
4 -5P
55-64
65-74
75 and older
Male
-=-
Total Male
High school diploma
59%
18
13
11
26
37
43
24
2-year college
3%
5
3
5
5
6
2
4
4-year college
26%
40
37
42
35
33
28
36
Graduate d e p
3%
38
48
40
34
2l
22
34
100%
101
101
99
100
99
100
100
Total
n= 1,275
Female
Less thanhigh &ol
Total Female
7%
0
0
0
2
2
4
2
High school diploma
50%
12
13
28
45
59
65
33
2-year college
5%
11
7
7
4
3
9
7
Cyear college
24%
51
36
28
28
22
10
31
Graduate degree
15%
26
44
37
21
13
12
27
Total
100%
100
100
100
100
99
100
101
-
n= 1,382
.-I.
-
DISABILITY
Persons with disabilities make up 6% of
the Jewish population of St. Louis. As
would be expected, the proportion of
individuals increases with age. While
5% of individuals between the ages of 18
and 54 are disabled, 9% of those
between the ages of 55 and 74 and 18%
of those aged 75 and over have a disability. Disability is defined as a condition that limits the ability to work or
attend school and lasts for six months or
more.
FIGURE 10
Disabilities By Age
1-34 years
35-54 years
55-74 years
75 and older
-
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Half (50%)of the Jewish adults of
St. Louis work full time for pay;
another 13% work part time for
pay. Eighteen percent of individuals are retired, 6% are full- or
part-time students, and 8%are
homemakers.
Most men are employed full time
during the prime working years
(between ages 25 and 55); about
half of women have full-time
work during these years.
However, including part-time
work, the vast majority of
women between ages 25 and 54
are employed. For example, 52%
of women between the ages of
35 and 44 work full time, and
28% are employed part time,
while 16%are homemakers.
FIGURE 11
Employment Status
Student
Other
6%
Homem
8%
Employed
Full-Time
50%
Retired
18%
Employed
Part-Time
13%
"Other" includes unemployed and disabled
Jewish Federation of S f . Louis
A
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
It is worth noting that nearly one-quarter (24%)of men and 17%of women
aged 55 through 64 are retired, indicating a trend toward earlier retirement.
Most men (62%) are still students
through age 24. Forty percent of men
between the ages of 65-74 are still
working full time or part time, as are
19% of those 75 and older,
TABLE 12
Employment Status by Age, Male
18-24
25-34
35 44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 and older
=--
Male
Total Male
Employed, part-time 10
8
1
2
4
12
7
6
Retired
0
1
1
2
24
55
80
17
Disabled
0
0
1
0
3
2
0
1
Something else
1
0
1
4
0
1
0
1
n= 1,299
jewish Federation of S t . Louis
I.
-
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Women tend to begin work earlier than
men, with 33% between the ages of 1824 working full time. Only 5% of those
over 65 work full time. The proportion
of women who are homemakers does
not change significantly across age
groups. The vast majority of women
are employed part-time or full-time,
with the majority employed full-time
under the age of 55.
TABLE 13
Employment Status by Age, Female
--
-
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 and older
.
Female
Total Female
Employed, fulEtime 33
52
52
50
38
5
1
38
Employed, part-time 10
19
28
24
20
13
7
19
Disabled
0
1
0
3
6
1
0
2
Student
51
6
0
0
0
0
0
6
1
1
2
1
1
2
0
1
Something else
n= 1,408
F-
:
OCCUPATION
Upward class mobility, a hallmark of
20th century American Jewish history,
continues to characterize St. Louis'
Jewish community. Younger Jews are
more likely to be employed in professional and technical occupations than
older Jews. Fifty-eight percent of individuals between the ages of 25 and 34
are professionals, compared to 40% of
those between the ages of 65 and 74.
Likewise, fewer younger people work
in sales. The trend toward greater concentration of Jewish individuals in the
professions is borne out by comparison
with the 1981 data. While 22% of adults
were professionals in 1981, in 1995 this
figure had increased to 45%. Women's
participation in the professions has
increased in a particularly dramatic
way. While 15% of women in 1981 were
professionals, in 1995,46% are
employed in the professions. At the
same time, women have been moving
away from the home and toward paid
employment: in 1995 14% of women
were homemakers, compared with 28%
of women in 1981.
Jewish men are slightly more likely
than Jewish women to work in professional and technical occupations and as
managers. While 41% of men, compared to 46% of women, are professionals, 19% of men are managers, as
TABLE 14
Occupation by Age, Male
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 and older
Male
Total Male
Professional /
Technical
16
44
45
58
41
26
25
41
Sales
36
16
7
22
37
48
35
24
Clerical
0
1
3
1
1
2
0
2
Skilled/ Production
0
7
3
1
2
9
17
5
n=601
All totals that do not equal 100% are due lo rounding error.
Iewish Federation of St. Louis
_I.
OCCUPATION
ical workers, and 8% work in sales.
Only 24% of women between the ages
of 55 and 64 are professionals, 25%
work in sales, and 18% are clerical
workers.
opposed to only 8% of women. Women
are still more concentrated in clerical
positions. Twenty percent of women,
versus 2% of men, are in clerical positions. Nine percent of men are
employed in service occupations, compared to 8% of women; 24% of men
work in sales, compared to 16%of
women.
Younger women are more likely than
men to be employed in the professions.
For example, 55% of women between
the ages of 35 and 44 are employed in
the professions, compared to 45% of
men. However, far more younger men
are managers: 36% of men between the
ages of 35 and 44, compared to 9% of
women in this age group.
At the same time, there is clearly a
trend away from sales and clerical jobs
and toward increased professional
employment for women. Sixty-seven
percent of women between the ages of
25 and 34 are professionals, 9% are cler-
TABLE 15
Occupation by Age, Female
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 and older
Female
Professional/
Technical
_--.,
Total Female
44
67
55
55
24
26
16
46
Clerical
7
9
14
13
18
45
45
20
Service
45
8
10
6
9
1
0
8
n= 542
J e w i s h Federafion of S f . Louis
A=
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
The income structure of St. Louis'
Jewish community shows that 21% of
households have annual incomes of
$25,000 or less, and about 20% earn
$100,000 or more per year. The median
income is about $53,000.
Older respondents tend to live in
lower-income households: 14% of
respondents aged 75 and over have
annual incomes under $10,000, and an
additional 39% have incomes between
$10,000 and $25,000. Thirty percent of
FIGURE 12
Household Income
$150,000 and Over
10%
Under $10,000
6%
=-
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
those 65 through 74 earn between
$10,000 and $25,000. Overall, 6% of
households earn less than $10,000, and
another 15% earn between $10,000 and
$25,000. At the same time, a substantial
proportion of households have higher
incomes. Thirty-one percent of households earn $75,000 or more, including
10% that earn $150,000 or more. A substantial proportion of older individuals
also have higher incomes: 22% of 65, to
74-year-olds earn $100,000 or more.
TABLE 16
Household Income by Age of Respondent
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 and older
Total
Under $10,000
43
1
I
1
8
5
14
6
Over $200,000
0
9
4
13
7
12
0
7
n=978
:=-.
-4.
JEWISH DENOMINATION
FIGURE 13
Jewish Denomination by Age of Respondent
Orthodox
1
1
Conservative
1
CI Something else
I
iI
75 and older
56%
.
OO/o
20%
40%
-
1
1
1
I
-
60%
1
1
I
I
-
80%
I1
100%
>--
n=1,391
h
JEWISH DENOMINATION
r-.
The majority (60%) of St. Louis Jewish
households identify themselves as
Reform; 21% are Conservative; 3% are
Orthodox; 1% are Reconstrudionist;
and 11% identify themselves as something other than one of the four major
denominations. Comparison with the
1981 data indicates that the Reform
movement has experienced the largest
growth, with the Conservative movement showing a slight loss of adherents. Since 1981 the proportion of Jews
identifying themselves as Reform has
increased to 60% from 52% those saying that they are Conservative has
dropped to 21°/0 from 26%. The figures
for the Orthodox have dropped from
8% to 3%. This is likely due to the passing away of older Jews who identified
themselves as Orthodox. In 1981,14%
of households identified themselves as
either "just Jewish," Reconstructionist,
or something other than Orthodox,
Conservative or Reform, compared to
11%in 1995.
However, when the data are examined
by age, a trend toward identifying as
something other than one of the major
denominations becomes apparent.
Younger Jews are slightly less likely
than those over age 65 to identify themselves as Reform, but are much more
likely to identify as "something else":
25% of 18-to 24-year olds and 16% of
25-to 34-year olds claim this identity, as
opposed to 4% of those aged 65 to 74
and 6% of those 55 through 64. While
this may indicate a drift away from
denominational self-identification, it is
TABLE 17
Religious Identity: 1981 vs. 1995
Conservative
Something else
-2
JEWISH DENOMINATION
also possible that as these households
have children who reach Sunday school
or Hebrew school age many will find
themselves affiliating with a synagogue
and thus with one of the major denominations. Indeed, the 1981 data support
this hypothesis, since 19% of 21-to 35year-olds considered themselves "just
Jewish" or other than Orthodox,
Conservative or Reforrn, yet 10 years
later about the same proportion (16% of
25-34-year-olds) identify themselves
this way.
Compared with other American Jewish
communities, St. Louis has a much
greater proportion of Reform house-
holds. For example, only 34% of Detroit
and 30% of St. Paul households are
Reform. Likewise, the 60% Reform figure is far above the corresponding
national figure of 33% reported in the
NJPS. At the same time, St. Louis has a
smaller proportion of households that
do not identify themselves with any of
the four major denominations. These
"something else" households are much
more likely to be found in Detroit and
South Broward (30% of all households
in each community). The NJPS reported
that one third (34%) of Jewish households in the United States identify
themselves as "something else."
JEWISH DENOMINATION
TABLE 18
Denomination Comparison with Other Communities
---
RITUAL OBSERVANCE
Most Jewish rituals are observed infrequently by most Jews in St. Louis, and
the rates of ritual observance have
dropped slightly since 1981. As in the
American Jewish community in general, the rituals that St. Louis Jews are
most likely to engage in are the homebased, family-oriented Passover Seder
and Hanukkah candle-lighting. Sixty-
eight percent of households always
attend a Seder (compared to 71% of
those in 1981) and 65% always light
candles on Hanukkah (compared to
66% in 1981).Only 49% of households
always fast on Yom Kippur. Only 18%
of households report always lighting
candles on Friday night, down from
20% in 1981. More than half (54%)
FIGURE 14
Ritual Observance
% answering always
Attend a
Passover
Seder
n=1,451
Light
Hanukkah
Candles
Fast on
Yom
Kippur
Light
Candles on
Friday
Night
Have a
Christmas
Tree
Use
Separate
Dishes for
Meat and
Dairy
---.
-d--
RITUAL OBSERVANCE
never light candles. Only 9% of households always use separate dishes for
meat and dairy, compared with 15% in
1981. Thirteen percent of households
always have a Christmas tree, compared to 8% in 1981. It is worth noting
that couples with a child age 18 or
under are more likely always to
observe Jewish rituals, illustrating
greater observance among young families with younger children.
TABLE 19
Ritual Observance: 1981 vs. 1995
% who answered "Always"
Hanukkah Candles
Christmas Tree
-4.
RITUAL OBSERVANCE
The proportion of Jewish households in
St. Louis (15%) that usually or always
have a Christmas tree is less than the
NJPS figure of 26%, and less than that
of communities such as Columbus
(23%), Orlando (22%), and Richmond
(21%).In contrast, Miami and South
Broward have lower proportions of
such households (7%each).
TABLE 20
Respondents Who Have a Christmas Tree Comparison with Other Communities
FRIENDSHIP NETWORKS
The proportion of an individual's closest friends who are Jewish gives a
sense of the extent to which a social
connection to other Jews permeates
that individual's personal life. Half of
St. Louis Jews report that their friendship networks are not predominantly
Jewish. Twenty-seven percent of
respondents state that some of their
closest friends are Jewish, and 23%
report that few or none are Jewish.
~ o rpercent
t ~ of respondents report
that most of their closest friends are
Jewish; 8% indicate that all of their
closest friends are Jewish.
Considering friendship networks by
age demonstrates a trend toward
younger individuals' diminished personal involvement with other Jews.
Younger respondents move within
much less exclusively Jewish circles.
While 71% of those aged 75 and over,
and 67% of those ages 65 to 74 state
that most or all of their closest friends
are Jewish, only 36% of Jews ages 25 to
34 report the same pattern. At the same
time, while only 17%of Jews ages 65 to
74 say that few or none of their friends
are Jewish, the proportion increases to
28% for those ages 25 to 34. These differences reflect the greater integration
of younger Jews into the general society, and their lesser involvement in the
structures of the Jewish community.
--.
FIGURE 15
Number of Close Friends Who Are Jewish by Age
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75
and
older
JEWISH TRADITIONS
Asked how important certain actions
Traveling to Israel (26%), non-Jewish
are to their being Jewish, St. Louis Jews
philanthropy (25%),monthly synastressed the sporadic practice of Jewish
gogue attendance (21%), and obeying
rituals, commitment to social justice,
Jewish laws (20%) were very important
and Jewish philanthropy. More responto far smaller numbers of respondents.
dents considered celebrating Passover
Again, these responses may reflect the
(59%), celebrating Jewish holidays in
greater appeal of religious obligations
general (55%), and keeping some
that make fewer lifestyle demands, as
Jewish traditions (48%) as very imporwell as evidencing most Jews' historical
tant, followed by social action in the
commitment to the organizations of the
general community (44%) and philanJewish community and to social justice.
thropy in the Jewish community (41%).
FIGURE 16
Importance of Jewish Traditions
59%
Celebrate Passover
88%
Work for Social Causes
Give Money to
Jewish Organizations
Obey Jewish Laws
Travel to Israel
Attend Synagogue
Once per Month or More
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
-.:
Very Important
Somewhat Important
h
JEWISH IDENTITY
More than half (54%) of St. Louis'
Jewish residents feel that being Jewish
is a very important part of their lives.
Nearly another third (32%) consider
being Jewish a somewhat important
part of their lives. Thus, a total of 86%
of the Jewish population feels that
being Jewish is a very or somewhat
important part of their lives. However,
younger individuals are dramatically
less likely to consider being Jewish a
very important part of their lives.
While this is very important to 68% of
65-to 74-year-olds, and 58% of those 75
and over, only 40% of those 18 to 24
and 47% of those 25 to 34 attach the
same degree of importance to being
Jewish. There are sharp denominational
differences in respondents' evaluation
of the importance of being Jewish to
their lives. Only half (51%) of Reform
respondents and 29% of those whose
households identify themselves as
something other than belonging to one
of the four major denominations
believe that being Jewish is very important. In contrast, 85% of Orthodox and
75% of Conservative respondents share
this sentiment.
FIGURE 17
% Who Say That Being Jewish Is Very Important and
Somewhat Important in Their Lives
18-24
25-34
Very Important
35-44
55-64
65-74
Somewhat Important
75
and
older
J e w i s h Federation of S f . Louis
FORMAL JEWISH EDUCATION OF ADULTS
Most respondents (73%)have received
some type of formal Jewisheducation.
More men (88%)than women (78%)
have received a formal Jewisheducation. Nonetheless, there is a clear trend
toward parity, as men and women
under age 44 are about equally likely to
have received this type of education.
FIGURE 18
O/O
of Adults Who Received Formal Jewish Education
by Age and Gender
and
older
Male
n=1,293 (male)
n=1,395 (female)
Female
,
-
F.
FORMAL JEWISH EDUCATION OF CHILDREN
Fifty-two percent of Jewish children
under age 18 are currently receiving a
formal Jewish education. There is a big
drop in post-bar/bat mitzvah age
enrollment in Jewish education. While
72%of children between the ages of 6
and 13 are currently receiving a Jewish
education, only 51% of those aged 14 to
17 are enrolled in Jewish education.
Boys were more likely than girls to be
receiving a formal Jewish education:
57% of boys compared to 47% of girls.
While boys and girls are about equally
likely to be enrolled between the ages
of 6 to 13, boys are more likely to be
enrolled after bar/bat mitzvah age.
More than half (56%) of households say
that they currently belong to a syna-
FIGURE 19
Oh
of Children Under 18 Currently Enrolled in Jewish Education
by Age and Gender
--.
under 6
I
Male
14-17
6-13
Female
.?
SYNAGOGUE MEMBERSHIP
gogue, a decrease from 1981, when 66%
said they belonged. Both numbers are
likely over-reported. Older respondents
are more likely to report being a synagogue member. The consistently high
rate of membership among those 55
years of age and older suggests that
many households do not drop their
membership after their children have
completed their formal Jewish education.
The reason most frequently (30%) cited
by respondents for joining a synagogue
is that friends or family belong. Twenty
percent of respondents also reported
that they joined a synagogue for their
child, which suggests that as younger,
unaffiliated individuals get married
and have children of Sunday school or
Hebrew school age, they will also join a
synagogue.
When respondents were asked why
they do not belong to a synagogue,
27% said that they were not interested,
and 20% said that synagogue membership is too expensive.
FIGURE 20
Synagogue Membership b y Age
25-34
n=1,407
35-44
45-54
55-64
,
-
65-74
75 and older
,-.
SYNAGOGUE MEMBERSHIP
TABLE 21
Synagogue Membership Comparison with Other Communities
C
.
Community
Year
Percent
South Broward
1990
27
I
New Yak
1991
39
I
1994
40
I
I
Chicago
1990
44
I
Toronto
1991
48
Detroit
1991
50
ST.LOUIS
1995
56
Louisville
1991
77
II
I
I
II
--
--
-.
SYNAGOGUE ATTENDANCE
The majority of St. Louis Jewish households do not attend synagogue services
regularly. Thirteen percent of respondents never attend, and more than half
(58%) do so up to a few times a year
(including special occasions such as weddings, b'nai mitzvah and the High
Holidays). At the same time, a high proportion of St. Louis Jews (30%) can be
classified as frequent synagogue attenders, going to synagogue at least once a
month or more, including 9% who say
they attend about once or more per
week.
No simple relationship exists between
age and the likelihood of attending synagogue services. For example, 35% of
those ages 55 to 64 attend about once per
month or more, while 32% of those ages
35 to 44 do so.
However, it is important to note that
individuals between the ages of 18 and
24 are least likely (10%)to be frequent
synagogue attenders.
FIGURE 21
Synagogue Attendance by Age
18-24
25-34
Never
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
HOnce a Month or More
75
and
older
,-.
Jewish Federation of S f . Louis
SYNAGOGUE ATTENDANCE
TABLE 22
Synagogue Attendance Comparison with Other Communities
Never
South Broward
1994
High Holidays Less than Once a month
only
once a month
or more
TYPE OF MARRIAGE
A majority of married St. Louis Jews are
married to other Jews (63%). Conversionary marriages make up 12% of marriages, while marriages in which one
partner is not Jewish comprise 21% of
marriages.
The rate of intermarriage among St.
Louis Jews increased tremendously-
more than sixfold- between 1949 and
1995. Only 8% of marriages celebrated
before 1950 were mixed; 53% of marriages between 1990 and 1995 were
mixed. By the same token, 91% of marriages before 1950 were between two
Jewish partners; only 33% of marriages
celebrated between 1990 and 1995 were
between two Jewish partners.
FIGURE 22
In-married by Year Married
--
100%
n=802
Before 1950
1950-1959
--
1960-1969
-
1970-1979
--
1980-1985
-
1985-1989
1990-1994
1985-1989
1990-1994
FIGURE 23
Mixed-Married by Year Married
n=150
Before 1950
1950-1959
1960-1969
1970-1979
1980-1985
TYPE OF MARRIAGE
Similar patterns of intermarriage are
shown by age. Eighty-six percent of
respondents aged 75 and over, and 93%
of those 65 to 74, are married to a born
Jew. The proportion drops to 48%
among those ages 25 to 34. Thirty-six
percent of married respondents
between the ages of 25 and 34, and 32%
of those 35 to 44, are married to a nonJew.
Given the hypothetical situation in
which the respondent's child was considering marrying a non-Jew who
would not convert to Judaism, fewer
respondents would oppose or strongly
oppose (18%) than support or strongly
support (37%) the marriage. Younger
Jews are more likely to support or
strongly support the marriage. These
changing attitudes suggest that, absent
major changes among younger Jews,
intermarriage rates are likely to continue to be high.
More than one-third (35%) of children
of mixed marriages are not being raised
as Jews. Of the children between the
ages of 6 and 17 who are being raised
as Jews, 69% are currently receiving a
formal Jewish education.
FIGURE 24
Type of Marriage by Age
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 and older
m
In-married n = M
Conversionary n=78
Mixed-married n=163
INVOLVEMENT IN THE JEWISHCOMMUNITY
FIGURE 25
Involvement in the Jewish Community
Percent answering yes
I
Gave to Organization Not
Specifically Jewish
Gave to Jewish Causes,
Organizations in 1993
Gave to Jewish
Federation/ UJA in 1993
Belong to Synagogue
Volunteered for Non-Jewish
Organizations in Past Year
I
I
Volunteered for Jewish
Causes in Past Year
I
Member of JCCA
Officer, Board Member of
Non-Jewish Organization in
Past 2 Years
Officer, Board Member of
Jewish Organization in Past
2 Years
0%
n=1,455
20%
40%
60%
80%
P
P
INVOLVEMENT IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
A majority of Jews currently belong to
a Jewish organization: 24% belong to
the JCCA and 43% belong to another
Jewish organization (including the
JCCA). Cost may be a barrier to membership in organizations such as synagogues and the JCCA. Twenty percent
of those respondents who do not currently belong to a synagogue report
that the cost of membership is too high.
Likewise, 21% of respondents who do
not currently belong to the JCCA state
that they do not belong because membership is too expensive.
The Jewish community is more "democratic" than sometimes perceived.
Fifteen percent of respondents served
as an officer or on the board or committee of a Jewish organization or synagogue in the two years prior to the
study. However, leadership roles in
Jewish organizations are more concentrated among wealthier households. For
example, respondents in 26% of households earning between $100,000 and
$149,999, compared with only 10%
earning between $10,000 to $49,999,
held a leadership post.
While the vast majority, 72%, of St.
Louis Jewish households are involved
in Jewish philanthropy, a significantly
greater proportion gave to Jewish philanthropy in 1981 (91%).Moreover,
older respondents are more likely to
give: 82% of those 65 through 74, compared to 64% of those 25-44 and 46% of
those 18-24. More than half (58%) of
households reported contributing to the
Jewish Federation or UJA in 1993. In
1981,76% of households reported having made a contribution to the Jewish
Federation or UJA in the preceding two
years. As with giving to Jewish organizations in general, older respondents
are more likely to contribute to the
Federation or UJA.
Jews' involvement in the organizational
and philanthropic life of the general
community, as measured by three
forms of participation, is more extensive than their involvement in the
Jewish community. More Jews (47%)
volunteered for non-Jewish organizations than for Jewish groups (3O0/0),and
more served in leadership positions in
non-Jewish as opposed to Jewish organizations (19% to 15%); almost the
same proportion (73%) of Jews gave to
non-Jewish organizations as to Jewish
organizations.
TABLE 23
Jewish Involvement and Experience: 1981 vs. 1995
Belong to Jewish organization
Contribute to non-Jewish philanthropies
Have become bar mitzvah
St. Louis Jewish households are more likely
to belong to the JCCA than Jewish households nationally, of which 17% belong,
according to the NJPS. A greater proportion
of St. Louis Jews belong to the JCCA than
do those of New York (15%) and Orlando
(17%), but fewer than those of Harrisburg
(31%).
TABLE 24
Jewish Community Center Membership Comparison with Other Communities
VOLUNTEERISM
Jews under the age of 55 are much
more likely to volunteer for non-Jewish
than for Jewish organizations with 18to 24-year olds being the most likely to
volunteer for non-Jewish organizations.
Volunteerism for Jewish organizations
is fairly consistent across age groups.
Visiting Israel can be both a powerful
Thirty percent of respondents volunteered
for a Jewish organization in the past year,
slightly more than did so in 1981 (28%).
Perhaps reflecting an increase in leisure
time, older individuals are more likely to
volunteer.
FIGURE 26
% Who Volunteer by Age
18-24
25-34
W Jewish
n=1,447 (Jm'sh)
n=1,44O (non-Jewish)
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
Non-Jewish
75-95
-t
VISITS TO ISRAEL
Visiting Israel can be both a powerful
experience enhancing an individual's
commitment to the Jewish community,
as well as an expression of that commitment. Whether cause or effect, having visited Israel is associated with an
increased likelihood of involvement in
the Jewish community, including
membership in synagogues and other
Jewish organizations, volunteerism,
and philanthropy.
Younger respondents are less likely to
have traveled to Israel: only 29% of
those ages 18 to 34, compared to 54% of
those 75 or older. It is not clear whether
these findings indicate a trend toward
fewer individuals visiting Israel, or
indicate that over time (and, quite possibly, higher income, more opportunities, and greater involvement in the
Jewish community) the likelihood of an
individual visiting Israel increases.
Most households (64%) do not have a
member who has been to Israel.
FIGURE 27
'10 Who Have Been to Israel One or More Times by Age
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75
and
older
P
n=1,409
I e w i s h Federation of S t . Louis
?
ANTISEMITISM
Many Jews in St. Louis perceive antisemitism as a major problem, and more
Jews feel this way in 1995 than in 1981.
Twenty percent of respondents believe
that there is a great deal of antisemitism in the St. Louis area compared to 17% in 1981. Fifty percent
believe that there is a moderate amount
compared to 39% in 1981. In 1981,29'/0
thought that there was little antisemitism compared to 23% in 1995, and
7% thought that there was no antisemitism compared to 2% in 1995.
A significant proportion (30%) of Jews
in St. Louis report having experienced
antisemitism in the year prior to the
study, an increase from the 25% who
responded similarly in 1981. Jews
under the age of 55 are much more
likely to say that they have experienced
FIGURE 28
% Who Have Experienced Antisemitism in the Past Year by Age
'4\
loo%
%
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75
and
older
/-
ANTISEMITISM
antisemitism in the past year. It is likely
that younger Jews' greater participation
in non-Jewishsocial and business circles may explain this difference,
accounting for the 40%of Jews under
the age of 35 who say that they experienced antisemitism in the past year.
TABLE 25
Perceptions of Antisemitism: 1981 vs. 1995
Moderate amount
PREFERENCE FOR JEWISH-SPONSOREDSERVICES
St. Louis Jews exhibit a strong preference for Jewish-sponsored services,
especially for nursing home care and
home services for the elderly. There are
differences between which services are
more likely to be preferred; however,
there are sizeable constituencies for any
service that might be offered under
Jewish auspices. For example, 68% of
St. Louis Jews prefer that nursing home
care be under Jewish auspices; 62% prefer that home services for the elderly be
under Jewish auspices; 58% have a
preference for camps and recreational
services for children sponsored by
Jewish agencies; 58% prefer that recreational and social programs for
teenagers be under Jewish auspices;
and 53% have a preference for
preschool and day care for children
sponsored through a Jewish organization. Negligible proportions of respondents prefer to utilize any of these services under non-Jewish auspices,
although between about 30% and 50%
have no preference about Jewish versus
non-Jewish sponsorship of most of
these services.
FIGURE 29
% Who Very Much PreferISomewhat Prefer Jewish-Sponsored Services
Nursing home care
for the elderly
68%
Home services
for the elderly
Camps and recreational
services for children
Recreation and social
programs for teenagers
Preschool/day care
for children
Programs for
disabled persons
~
I
I
-/
GIVING TO JEWISH ORGANIZATIONSICAUSES
Seventy-two percent of households
gave to a Jewish philanthropy in 1993.
Households with older respondents are
more likely to have contributed, with
82% of those ages 65 through 74, compared to 64% of those 25-34. Giving
fluctuates in the 35-64 range: 74% of 35to 44-year-olds, 66% of those 45-54, and
76% of those 55-64 contributed to
Jewish organizations.
Households belonging to a synagogue
are more likely to report having contributed to a Jewish organization: 87%
of these households compared to 53%
of nonmember households made a contribution.
-t
At the same time, the vast majority of
those who did contribute in 1993 gave
less than $500, including 72% who gave
under $100. Only 13% of those who
gave to a Jewish philanthropy contributed $1,000 or more.
Jewish households were about equally
likely (73% of households) to have
made contributions to a non-Jewish
organization as to a Jewish organization in 1993. Interestingly, younger Jews
were no more likely to give to a nonJewish organization: 80% of those aged
75 and over gave to a non-Jewish organization, compared to 75% of those
between the ages of 25 and 34.
FIGURE 30
% Who Give to Jewish CauseslOrganizations by Age
18-24
f4
n=1,382
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75
and
older
?
CONTRIBUTION COMPARISONS TO OTHER COMMUNITIES
Jews in St. Louis are slightly more likely to
contribute to Jewish philanthropies, and
about as likely to contribute to non-Jewish,
as in other communities in the United
States, and are more likely to contribute
than are Jews nationally. Fifty-six percent
of Jews, according to NJPS figures, contribute to Jewish philanthropies, compared
to 72% of St. Louis Jews; 67% contribute to
non-Jewish philanthropies nationally,
while 73% contribute in St. Louis. Of Jews
in Miami, 71% contribute to Jewish philan-
TABLE 26
Contributions to Philanthropies Comparison with Other Communities
I
II
II
I
I
Community
Year
Jewish
Philanthropies
Non-Jewish
Philanthropies
Louisville
1991
91
89
Sarasota-Manatee
1992
76
81
Chicago
1990
76
-
Toronto
1990
75
-
ST.LOUIS
1995
72
73
St.Paul
1992
70
-
South Broward
1990
71
56
St.Petersburg/Clearwater
1994
65
74
New York
1990
64
67
Richmond
1994
63
77
NJPS
1990
56
67
I
II
I
I
I
?
*
JEWISH FEDERATIONIUJA
thropies; in Harrisburg, 69%contribute to
Jewish philanthropies; in New York, 64%
contribute to Jewish philanthropies; in
Richmond, 63%contribute to Jewish philanthropies.
In contributing to non-Jewish philanthropies, 74% of those in St.
Petersburg/Clearwater contribute, as do
77% of those in Richmond, 74% of those in
Harrisburg, and 71% of those in Orlando.
The proportion of households that contributed to the Jewish Federation or
UJA in 1993 has dropped significantly
compared to the 1981 figures. Only
58% of households report that they
contributed to the Jewish Federation or
UJA in 1993, as opposed to 76% in
1981. Moreover, younger individuals
are much less likely to have made a
contribution: only 49% of those 25 to 34
contributed, compared to 82% of those
aged 75 and over and 73% of those
ages 65 to 74.
FIGURE 31
% Who Give to Jewish Federation or UJA by Age
and
older
lewish Federation o f S t . Louis
FIGURE 32
Reasons Affecting Decisions to Contribute to Jewish Organizations
% answering Very Importan tlSomewhat lmportant
Organization battles
antisemitism
Majority of donation goes to
programs, not administration
Organization helps
preserve human rights
Programs for
Jewish elderly
Programs for Jewish
children and teenagers
Organization supports a
strong Jewishcommunity
I
5'7%
89%
I
Organization advances
social justice issues
Organization supports rescue
efforts for Jews in distress
I
Organization supports Israel
Organization appreciated
your contributions
Regular updates
about the organization
Programs benefited you or
someonevou know
Organization promotes God,
Torah and religion
Programs to bring Jews
together socially
Family tradition of
giving to organizaton
Central gift distributed to
Israel/ Jewish Organizations
Organization recognizes your
service or contribution
Friends or associates gave
to organization
38%
78%
I
I
I
,
I
\
FACTORS AFFECTING DECISION TO GIVE
A variety of factors affect how people
respond to philanthropic solicitations.
The factor most frequently cited as very
important (77%of households) was the
knowledge that the organization allocates donations to programs rather than
administration. The other areas that St.
Louis Jews consider very important in
influencing their philanthropic decisions include the organization's role in
combating antisemitism, community
building, programming for children,
teens, and the elderly, and rescue efforts
for Jews in distress and the understanding that the individual has of the organization's programs.
Of great importance to fewer Jews are
organizational and social aspects such
as the organization's recognition of the
donor for his or her contribution (14%),
the organization's provision of updates
about the organization (29%),and the
fact that friends and associates gave to
the organization (4%).

Summary Report - St Louis 1995

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