Combined Jewish Philanthropies

Community Forum on Pew Study on Jewish Life December 2013 Featured Speakers: Leonard Saxe, Ph.D., Klutznick Professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies and Social Policy, Brandeis University Barry Shrage, President, Combined Jewish Philanthropies Rabbi Jay Perlman, Temple Beth Shalom Shira Goodman, Moderator The Pew Research Center’s study of American Jewry is the largest study of American Jews conducted in the last decade. The survey results create a complex portrait of America Jewry. The findings reveal that we are almost all proud to be Jewish, but many are not engaged religiously. An increasing number of American Jews are intermarried and/or being raised in interfaith households. Remembering the Holocaust, being ethical, and supporting Israel remain strong values. Yet only one-third of all Jews belong to a synagogue. How are we to understand and respond to the trends revealed in the Pew study? How do these and other findings impact our life as a Jewish community? What role do Jewish organizations and temple communities play in ensuring a vibrant Jewish future?