2021-22 Long Beach Jewish Community Study

PRESIDENT

Dr. Richard Marcus

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Genevieve Brill -Murphy

Sara Brown

Shelley Carl

Dr. Aaron Kern

Richard Lipeles

Anna Salusky

Beth Sterling

Linda Waltzman

IMMEDIATE PAST COPRESIDENTS

Edie Brodsky

Dr. Barry Zamost

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Zach Benjamin

BOARD Members

Alan Brawer

Linda Burney

Joyce Greenspan

Mulu Harrison

Jerry Kaufman

Alan Kreida

Pam Keiles

Seth Linden

Shmuel i Lovitch

Kathy McDermott

Amber Vera Mendoza

Matt Paretsky

Samantha Roberts

Dr. Vicki Scherwin

Ken Schlesinger

Suzanne Wechsler

Ava Weiss

On behalf of the Jewish Long Beach Board of Directors and staff, it is our distinct honor to present the 2022 Long Beach-Area Jewish Community Study, the first such study of our community conducted in over seven decades. The release of this critically important research, conducted by Brandeis University’s Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, is the culmination of a two-year collaborative exercise between Jewish Long Beach, The Brandeis/NORC team, and almost every Jewish agency, congregation, and organization in Long Beach and West Orange County. It is our belief that this study will help guide not only Jewish Long Beach and the Alpert JCC, but our entire Jewish community and its institutions, in ensuring that we remain relevant, adaptable, and a light unto our neighbors for generations to come.

The data contained in this document provides a historic degree of clarity on our Jewish community’s demographic composition, the Jewish population’s intersecting identities beyond Judaism, its socioeconomic characteristics, and where gaps may exist in the programs and services social, cultural, recreational, religious, and educational that our institutions currently provide. It is our hope that this study will enable Jewish Long Beach, our sister Jewish agencies, congregations, and all other Jewishlyfocused organizations in the Long Beach area to evolve, to broaden our constituencies, and to ensure that we are serving the most comprehensive possible cross section of our Jewish population.

We wish to offer our deepest gratitude to the Brandeis and NORC research teams, led by principal investigator Dr. Janet Aronson of Brandeis, and to the local Community Study Working Group, consisting of five individuals without whose generosity of time, spirit, and expertise this milestone would have been impossible to achieve:

Dr. Richard Marcus, Chair

Dr. Jeffrey Blutinger

Dr Sean Hogan

Dr. Vicki Scherwin

Dr. Suzanne Perlitsh

Jewish Long Beach is pleased to serve as the project’s primary funder, with generous grant assistance from the Jewish Federations of North America Research Benchmarking Project, with support from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

Thank you to all whose dedication to Jewish peoplehood and continuity enabled us to realize this accomplishment, and on whose shoulders, we now stand as we look with clear eyes toward a future that will see our community go only from strength to strength.

L’shalom,

Dr.

Dr. Barry Zamost, Immediate Past Co-President

Richard Marcus, President Zach Benjamin, CEO Edie Brodsky, Immediate Past Co-President

Acknowledgments

At Brandeis CMJS

Study Directors

Janet Krasner Aronson

Matthew Boxer

Matthew A. Brookner

Leonard Saxe

Community Studies Research Team

Adina Bankier-Karp

Alicia Chandler

Matthew Feinberg

Raquel Magidin de Kramer

Daniel Mangoubi

Adam Martin

Eleora Pasternack

Editing and Logistics

Deborah Grant

Masha Lokshin

Ilana Friedman

American Jewish Population Project

Elizabeth Tighe

Daniel Nussbaum

Study Support

Naomi Haser

Leisha Martin

Rachel Orloff

Cyna Reisman

Jill Smith

Inez Springer

Hannah Taylor

At NORC

Study Team

David Dutwin

Zachary H. Seeskin

Shannon Nelson

Frankie Duda

Margrethe Montgomery

Statistics and Methodology

Patrick Coyle

Becki Curtis

Ned English

Nicolas Fernandez

Evan Herring-Nathan

Andrea Malpica

Chang Zhao

Meimeizi Zhu

IT and Survey Programming

Katherine Bellamy

Sarah Lodato

Saira Mumtaz

Survey Management

Lindsey Macella

Caroline Tipler

Special Thanks

To the 589 respondents who completed the survey. Without their willingness to spend time answering questions about their lives, there could be no study.

Telephone Support and Survey Operations

Chris Reckner

Edward Sipulski

© 2023 Brandeis University.

Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies www.brandeis.edu/cmjs

The Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS), founded in 1980, is dedicated to providing independent, high-quality research on issues related to contemporary Jewish life.

Recommended Citation:

Brookner, M.A., Aronson, J.K., Boxer, M., Saxe, L., Seeskin, Z., & Dutwin, D. (2023). 2021-2022 Long Beach Area Jewish Community Study. Waltham, MA: Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, Brandeis University.

www.brandeis.edu/cmjs/community-studies/long-beach-report.html

2021-22 Long Beach Area Jewish Community Study

List of Figures and Tables

The 2021 Long Beach Area Jewish Community Study, conducted by the Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS) at Brandeis University, in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago and sponsored by Jewish Long Beach, employed innovative state-of-the-art methods to create a portrait of the characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors of the Jewish community Some of the issues explored in this study emerged out of conversations surrounding the Pew Research Center’s A Portrait of Jewish Americans (2013), which pointed to growing and shrinking US Jewish sub-populations, declining affiliation in traditional institutions, new forms of Jewish engagement, an increase in both secular and Orthodox Jews, and a relationship between intermarriage and community growth. 1 A new Pew study, Jewish Americans in 2020 (2021), published while this study was in its planning phase, reinforced many of the findings of the original Pew study and contributed new insights into the state and character of the American Jewish community. With the Pew studies and the related national discourse as a backdrop, the 2021 Long Beach Area Jewish Community Study seeks to describe the current dynamics of its population.

The principal goal of this study is to provide data to be used by Jewish Long Beach, as well as other community organizations and funders, for communal planning. Valid data are essential for effective decision making, allocation of resources, strategic priorities, community support, robust participation, and outreach.

Specifically, the study sought to:

• Estimate the number of Jewish adults and children in the community and the number of non-Jewish adults and children who are part of those households

• Describe the community in terms of age and gender, distribution across regions of the community, economic well-being, and other sociodemographic characteristics

• Measure participation in and attitudes toward community institutions, programs, and services

• Understand the multifaceted cultural, communal, and religious expressions of Judaism that constitute Jewish engagement

• Assess attitudes toward Israel and Judaism

• Gauge potential and current needs for human services

The survey questionnaire used in this study was developed by CMJS in close consultation with Jewish Long Beach. It included questions widely used by social scientists to study the Jewish community and several questions tailored to obtain a better understanding of how the Jewish community was affected by and responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although some survey responses were likely influenced by the special circumstances of the pandemic (e.g., synagogue attendance and employment), the majority of questions were designed to provide a demographic and attitudinal portrait of the stable characteristics of the community. Where necessary, questions were modified to account for changes in usual patterns of behavior during the pandemic.

Summary of methodology

This study is based on an analysis of a rich set of data collected from 589 eligible households between October 2021 and March 2022 Survey respondents were randomly selected from all households in the Long Beach catchment area (see Figure 1.1).

The study design integrated an Address-Based Sample (ABS) with known households on Jewish organizational lists. In all, the study’s sample included 83,758 households. Households were contacted by mail, email, and telephone, and invited to complete the survey online or by telephone. Responses were statistically weighted to represent all Jewish households in the Long Beach Area. The response rates for the main sample were 5.0% unweighted and 4.5% weighted.

For more information about the study’s methodology, see the technical appendix.

Survey weighting

The survey of Jewish households conducted for this study was designed to represent the views of an entire community by interviewing a randomly selected sample of households from the community. When analyzing survey data, we are not only interested in the answers of the respondents, but also the larger subgroup or community that they represent. Each completed survey is assigned a numeric “weight” that indicates our estimate of how many people in the population of interest the respondent represents. The weighted respondent thus stands in for that segment of the population, and not only the household from which it was collected.

Despite the careful methodological approaches employed in this study, bias in estimates is inevitable. Assigning weights is a way to minimize such bias. Estimates for the study are based on applying survey weights that account for the survey design, nonresponse, and raking adjustments based on external data on the Jewish and total Long Beach Area populations, including data from the American Community Survey, American Jewish Population Project, and data on enrollment and membership in local organizations and programs.

Details of survey weighting and analysis are provided in the technical appendix.

How to read this report

Unless otherwise specified, this report presents weighted survey data in the form of percentages or proportions. Accordingly, these data should be read not as the percentage or proportion of respondents who answered each question in a given way, but as the percentage or proportion of the population that it is estimated would answer each question in that way had each member of the population been surveyed.

No estimate should be considered an exact measurement. The reported estimate for any value, known as a “point estimate,” is the most likely value for the variable in question for the entire population given available data, but it is possible that the true value is slightly lower or slightly higher. Because estimates are extrapolated from data collected from a representative sample of the population, there is a degree of uncertainty. The amount of uncertainty depends on multiple factors, the most important of which is the number of survey respondents who provided the data from

which an estimate is derived. The uncertainty is quantified as a set of values that range from some percentage below the reported estimate to a similar percentage above it. This range is known as a “confidence interval.” By convention, the confidence interval is calculated to reflect 95% certainty that the true value for the population falls within the range defined by the confidence interval, but other confidence levels are used where appropriate.

As you read this report, keep in mind the following:

• Note that the base category or denominator for each analysis may differ, e.g., Jewish adults, Jewish households, synagogue members. The relevant category is noted in the text, table, or figure.

• Unless otherwise specified, references to “all Jewish adults” or “all Jewish households” refer to Jewish adults and Jewish households in the Long Beach Area

• Throughout this report, the term “couples” includes those who are legally married and those who are partnered and living together. Unless otherwise specified, “children” refers to minor children under age 18.

• Because estimates are based on a probability survey, no one estimate should be considered an exact measurement. As a guideline, the reader should assume that all estimates have a range of plus or minus five points; therefore, reported differences between any two numbers of less than 10 percentage points may not necessarily reflect true differences in the population.

• When a percentage is between 0% and 0.5% and would otherwise round down to 0%, the number is denoted as < 1%. When there are insufficient respondents in a particular subgroup for reporting reliable information, the estimate is shown as “ ”.

• In this report, some tables show row totals (that is, the sum of each row adds to 100), some show column totals (the sum of each column adds to 100), and some show individual cell estimates. When the bottom row of a table shows totals, this indicates column totals (see table 1.3 for an example). When the rightmost column of a table shows totals, this indicates row totals. (See table 2.2 for an example).

• Comparisons across subgroups: When there is a statistically significant difference between subgroups, we are 95% confident that at least some of the differences in estimates reflect actual differences and are not just the result of random chance.

o In the tables in this report, we designate statistically significant differences by shading them light gray Within each shaded section of each table, the difference between at least one set of numbers is statistically significant, although we do not indicate which set. Findings that are not statistically significant are not shaded.

o In the figures in this report, statistically significant differences are indicated with an asterisk (*) after the figure title.

o Even in cases where there are statistically significant differences in a full set of responses, it is unlikely that there are statistically significant differences between every pair of numbers. As noted above, even when a table is statistically significant, differences between any two numbers of less than 10 percentage points may not reflect true differences in the population.

o Because of the size of the sample and other study limitations, some comparisons shown in this report indicate relatively large numeric differences that are not statistically significant. Although these patterns suggest that there may be actual differences in the population, we cannot be confident that these apparent differences are not the result of random chance. Where appropriate, we note these findings.

Limitations

Due to the methodology used to reach community members, some groups were likely to have been undercounted and/or underrepresented. In particular, residents of institutional settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and dormitories on college campuses, as well as adults who were never in contact with a Jewish organization in the Long Beach Area, were less likely to have been identified and contacted to complete the survey. Although we cannot produce a precise count of these individuals, these undercounts were unlikely to have introduced significant bias into the reported estimates. Where appropriate, we noted the limitations of the methodology.

The present report has been designed to provide basic information about Jewish life across a wide range of topics and a variety of subgroups. It was not designed to provide detailed information about any single topic or subset of the community. Although detailed data cannot always be provided, the information that is included can serve as a springboard for more specific and targeted analyses as well as additional follow-up research. Note that more details about each item are available in the report appendix and through analysis of the dataset.

See the report appendices for methodological details and all study documentation. See the study comparison charts for more detailed data than is included in this report.

Report overview

This report presents key findings about the Long Beach Area Jewish community. Beginning with a portrait of the community as a whole, the report continues with a more in-depth look at topics of interest to community members and leaders.

Chapter 1. Demographic Snapshot

The report begins with an overview of the demographic composition of the Long Beach Area Jewish community today.

Chapter 2. Patterns of Jewish Engagement

This chapter describes the multifaceted ways in which the Jews of the Long Beach Area define and express their Jewish identity. A set of behavioral measures characterize Jewish engagement based on participation in Jewish life. A typology of Jewish engagement helps explain Jewish behaviors and attitudes. This chapter also reports on attitudes about the meaning and importance of Judaism to members of the Jewish community.

Chapter 3. Jewish Children

This chapter discusses Jewish children and families as well as participation in Jewish education.

Chapter 4. Congregations and Ritual Life

This chapter discusses membership in Jewish congregations and levels of participation in Jewish ritual life.

Chapter 5. Jewish Organizations and Philanthropy

This chapter discusses membership and involvement in organizational, social, and personal Jewish life as well as volunteering and philanthropy.

Chapter 6. Community, Connections, and Concerns

This chapter explores the connections of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area to the Jewish community, the barriers that limit their participation in the Jewish community, and the context of their concern about antisemitism.

Chapter 7. Israel

This chapter describes the frequency and types of travel to Israel and other markers of a connection to Israel.

Chapter 8. Health Needs and Financial Well-Being

This chapter examines the living conditions of Long Beach Area Jewish households, in particular with regard to economic well-being, economic hardship, and health and social service concerns.

Chapter 9. In the Words of Community Members

This chapter presents a summary of respondents’ comments about the community’s strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvements.

Chapter 10. Future Directions

This chapter summarizes some of the key findings of the study and points to opportunities for next steps for the community.

Technical appendix

The appendices, available in a separate document, include:

Appendix A. Methodological Appendix

Details of data collection and analysis

Appendix B. Survey Instrument

Description of detailed cross-tabulations of all survey data for key subgroups of the population

Appendix C. Study Instrument and Codebook

Details of survey questions and conditions, along with the original weighted responses

Appendix D. Latent Class Analysis

Details of the latent class analysis method that was used to develop the Index of Jewish Engagement

Appendix E. Supporting Documents

Copies of the recruitment materials and training documents used with the call center

Chapter 1. Demographic Snapshot

Chapter highlights

Understanding the character, behavior, and attitudes of the Long Beach Area Jewish community requires knowledge of its size, geographic distribution, and basic socio-demographic features. The ways in which Jewish individuals and Jewish households defined as any household that includes at least one Jewish adult identify and engage with Judaism and the community vary significantly based on who they are, where they live, their household composition, their ages, and Jewish backgrounds. This chapter provides a demographic overview describing the size of the Long Beach Area Jewish community and the basic characteristics of its members.

Population size and demographics

• There are 38,900 individuals living in 17,700 Jewish households in the Long Beach Area, of whom 28,300 are Jewish in some way. These households include 24,600 Jewish adults and 3,600 Jewish children.

• Jews in the Long Beach Area are older than the US Jewish community as a whole; nationally, half of Jewish adults are younger than age 50, compared to 28% of Jews in the Long Beach Area.

• Nearly two thirds of Jewish adults are married or living with a partner; of these adults, about half are intermarried, slightly higher than the national Jewish population (42%)

• Seven percent of Jewish adults identify as LGBTQ, and 11% of Jewish households include an LGBTQ individual, who may be an adult or child, Jewish or not Jewish.

• While 16% of Jewish individuals in the Long Beach Area identify as Hispanic or as any racial group other than white, 6% identify as a person of color. Although 4% of Jewish adults identify as a person of color, a larger share (19%) of Jewish children are identified as people of color by their parents.

Geography and origins

• Nearly two thirds of the Jewish community live in the city of Long Beach, and the remaining population lives in the Surrounding Areas.

• Nineteen percent of Jewish households in the Long Beach Area include at least one adult or child, Jewish or not, who was born outside the United States. Among Jewish adults, 22% were born in the Long Beach Area

• One quarter of Jewish adults have lived in the Long Beach Area for less than one decade, and 35% have done lived in the Long Beach Area at least 40 years.

Jewish identification

• Among Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area, 5% identify as Orthodox, 21% as Conservative, 31% as Reform, and 5% as some other denomination. The 38% who do not identify with a denomination is a slightly larger share than the national Jewish population, of whom 32% do not identify with a denomination.

• About three quarters of Jewish adults say their Jewish heritage is Ashkenazi, and 11% are Sephardi. Two percent are Mizrachi or some other heritage.

Jewish population estimate

There are approximately 17,700 Jewish households in the Long Beach Area Jewish community (Table 1.1). These households include 38,900 individuals, of whom 28,300 are Jewish (see below for definitions).

The Jewish population comprises 1.8% of the Long Beach Area. 2

People in Jewish households

Estimates of the size of the Jewish community rest on a set of fundamental questions about who is Jewish for the purposes of this study. Recent studies, such as the Pew Research Center’s 2013 and 2020 national studies of the US Jewish community, classify respondents according to their responses to a series of screening questions:

• What is your religion, if any?

• Do you consider yourself to be Jewish aside from religion?

• Were either of your parents Jewish?

• Were you raised Jewish?

Based on the answers to these questions, Jewish adults have been categorized as “Jewish by religion” (JBR) if they respond to a question about religion by stating that they are solely Jewish, or “Jews of no religion” (JNR) if they do not adhere to any religion, but they consider themselves Jewish by some other means. Jews by religion tend to be more engaged with Judaism than Jews of no religion, but many JBRs and JNRs look similar in terms of Jewish behaviors and attitudes. For the purposes of this study and to ensure that the Long Beach Area Jewish community could be compared to the population nationwide, a variant of Pew’s scheme was employed, supplemented by several other measures of identity. Also included in the Jewish population are those adults who indicate they are both Jewish and another religion; we refer to this category as “Jews of multiple religions” (JMR).

Table 1.1. Long Beach Area Jewish Community Population Estimates, 2021

Among Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area, 17,900 individuals can be classified as JBR (Table 1.2). Proportionally, this share is similar to the overall US Jewish population reported by the Pew Research Center, which is 73%. 3

For more on children in Jewish households, see Chapter 3.

Table

Geography

The Jewish community of the Long Beach Area can be divided by regions based on ZIP code (Figure 1.1, Table 1.3). Throughout this report, these regions will be identified as the city of Long Beach and the Surrounding Areas. In this map, each dot represents about 100 Jewish households, and the dots are placed randomly within the ZIP code boundaries. ZIP codes that are shown with no dots were included in the study area but are estimated to have fewer than 100 Jewish households.

1.2. Jewish population of the Long Beach Area, detail (rounded to nearest 100)

Figure 1.1. Geographic distribution of the Long Beach Area Jewish community

The Jewish community is concentrated in the city of Long Beach (Table 1.3). Roughly two thirds of Jewish households are in Long Beach, and the remaining third live in the Surrounding Areas.

Table 1.3. Distribution of Jewish households and Jewish individuals across geographic regions

Origins and residence

Just under half (45%) of Jewish adults were raised in the Long Beach Area (Table 1.4). Of these, about half (23%) lived in Long Beach their entire lives, and 22% left the area and returned. Five percent of Jewish adults were born and raised in another country.

In total, 8% of Jewish adults were born outside of the United States. This includes the 5% who were raised in another country, and 3% who were born in another country but were raised in the United States (Not shown in table)

Table 1.4. Where Jewish adults were raised

Many Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area having longstanding ties to the area (Table 1.5). Most have lived in the area for more than a decade, including one third (35%) who have lived in the area for 40 or more years. One quarter of Jewish adults are relative newcomers to the Long Beach Area, with 16% having lived in the area for five to nine years, and 9% having moved to the area within the past four years.

Table 1.5. Length of residence

Although 8% of Jewish adults were born outside the United States (see Table 1.4), a larger share, 19%, of Jewish households include someone who was born in a country other than the United States (Table 1.6). This includes 3% of households that include someone born in Israel, 1% born in Russia or the Former Soviet Union, 1% born in the Middle East (other than Israel), and 4% born in Latin America.

Of particular interest to the Jewish community are connections to Israel and the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Three percent of Jewish adults are Israeli citizens, and 5% of households include an Israeli citizen (Table 1.7). Two percent of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area grew up in a Russian-speaking home, and 5% of Jewish households include someone who grew up in a Russianspeaking home.

Age and gender

The Long Beach Area Jewish community is older than the general population of the area and the national Jewish population (Table 1.8). The mean age of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area is 60, and the median age is 62; in comparison, the national mean and median age of Jewish adults is 49. 4 Including children in the analysis lowers the mean and median ages. The mean age of all Jewish individuals in the Long Beach Area is 53, and the median age is 59.

Jews who reside in Long Beach are younger on average than those in the Surrounding Areas. About three quarters of the Long Beach Area children reside in Long Beach as do nearly four-in-five (79%) Jewish adults ages 18 to 49 (Table 1.9).

Table 1.6. Jewish households and country of origin (% Jewish households)

Table 1.7. Israelis and Russian-speaking Jews

Table 1.8. Age of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area, all Long Beach adults, and US Jews

Table 1.9. Age distribution of Jewish individuals by geographic regions

Overall, the Jewish population of the Long Beach Area is 45% male, 54% female, and 1% nonbinary, or some other gender identity.

Seven percent of Jewish adults identify as LGBTQ, and 11% of Jewish households include someone who identifies as LGBTQ.

Race and ethnicity

Among Jewish individuals in the Long Beach Area, 84% identify solely as white and non-Hispanic (Table 1.10). Although the remaining 16% of Jewish individuals identify either with a racial identity other than white or as Hispanic, just 6% identify as a person of color. Notably, the proportion of Jewish children with a racial identity other than white is considerably higher than that among Jewish adults, indicating that the Jewish community may be becoming more racially and ethnically diverse.

Table 1.10. Race and ethnicity

Political views

The majority of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area described their political viewpoints as very liberal (22%) or liberal (35%; Figure 1.2). About one third (29%) identified as moderate, 12% as conservative,” and 3% reported being very conservative. This pattern is similar to political leanings among all US Jews. 6

Figure 1.2. Political leanings of Jewish adults in Long Beach Area (% Jewish adults)

Household composition

Households can be characterized by the age of their members and the relationships among them. One third of Long Beach Area Jewish households include a minor child (living with one, two, or more adults) (Figure 1.3). Households with multiple generations, defined as parents and adult children of any age living together, constitute 16% of households. This category can include adults, typically in their 70s or 80s, who have moved in with their adult children, or adults, typically in their 20s, 30s, or 40s, who live in their parents’ households. About one third of households include only a couple, either married or partnered, and the remaining third include people living alone or unrelated roommates.

The mean household size is 2.2 individuals. Among households with children, the mean number of children ages 0-17 is 1.5.

Figure 1.3. Household composition

Jewish denomination, ethnicity, and intermarriage

Denominational affiliation has historically been one of the commonly used markers of Jewish identity and practice. In the Long Beach Area, however, the largest denominational grouping, 38% of Jewish adults, represents those who do not identify with any particular denomination. This follows national trends; the share with no particular denomination in the Long Beach Area Jewish community being slightly higher than the national average (Table 1.11). 7 Of Jewish adults who do identify with a denomination, the largest group identifies as Reform, followed by Conservative. The Long Beach Area has a smaller percentage of Orthodox Jews than does the US Jewish population (5% of local Jewish adults, compared to 9% nationally).

Table 1.11. Denomination of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area and the United States

In terms of Jewish heritage, 77% of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area identify as Ashkenazi, 11% of Jewish adults identify as Sephardi, and 1% identify as Mizrachi (Table 1.12). One percent identify with some other ancestry, and 18% identify with no particular Jewish ethnicity (8%) or say they do not know their Jewish ethnicity (10%).

Note: Because individuals could choose more than one response, columns may add up to more than 100%.

Among Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area, 64% are married or partnered; 49% of those individuals have a non-Jewish partner or spouse. Jewish adults younger than age 50 are much more likely to be intermarried than are older adults (Table 1.13).

1.12. Jewish ethnicity

Table 1.13. Individual marital status by age (includes partners who live together)

Chapter 2. Patterns of Jewish Engagement

Chapter highlights

Members of the Jewish community of the Long Beach Area exhibit a variety of types of Jewish identification and means of engagement in Jewish life. Examining the ways that Jewish adults not only view, but also enact their Jewish identities, is necessary to understand the population and the ways in which Jewish life in the region can be enhanced. This chapter introduces and discusses an “Index of Jewish Engagement,” created uniquely for the Long Beach Area Jewish community.

• The Index of Jewish Engagement focuses on Jewish behaviors the ways in which individuals occupy and involve themselves in Jewish life in the Long Beach Area.

• The Index can be used to identify opportunities to improve communal planning based on people’s different needs and interests.

• Three distinct patterns of behavior emerge from the data.

o Personal (39% of Jewish adults): Characterized by involvement primarily through Jewish-focused activities but few other elements of Jewish life.

o Involved (38% of Jewish adults): Characterized by involvement in holiday and Jewish-focused activities and selected ritual and organizational behaviors.

o Immersed (23% of Jewish adults): Characterized by high levels of involvement in all aspects of Jewish life.

• Engagement groups include people across demographic characteristics and Jewish backgrounds.

• The groups are aligned on the importance of some universal values related to being Jewish. However, a greater share of the Immersed engagement group feels connected to more particularistic ways of understanding being Jewish and the extent to which being Jewish is important to their daily lives.

Index of Jewish Engagement

Jewish life is complex and multidimensional and includes cultural and religious behaviors that are practiced at home, with friends and family, as well as those observed with formal and informal organizations and institutions. Jewish engagement is associated with attitudes, such as feelings of attachment to the Jewish people, and with beliefs, such as valuing social justice.

The 2021-22 Long Beach Area Jewish Community Study uses a typology of patterns of Jewish engagement as one of its primary analytic tools for understanding Jewish life in the Long Beach Area Adults in Jewish households were categorized into three groups using a statistical tool, latent class analysis (LCA), that examines levels of participation across 17 different Jewish behaviors, including ritual and communal behaviors and Jewish-focused activities. The names of the three groups reflect the primary ways in which each group engages in Jewish life. This typology is unique

to the Long Beach Area Jewish community and is used throughout this report to illustrate the diversity of expressions of Jewish life. The names of the groups are intended to highlight the behaviors that distinguish each group.

The Index of Jewish Engagement is also helpful in identifying engagement opportunities for groups with different needs and interests. 9 The Index focuses on behaviors the ways in which individuals spend their time and involve themselves in Jewish life. Such behaviors are concrete and measurable expressions of Jewish identity. In many cases, behaviors correlate with an individual’s demographic characteristics, backgrounds, and attitudes, but in other cases behaviors cut across these features. Jewish adults’ decisions to take part in activities may reflect the value and meaning they find in these activities, the priority they place on them, the level of skills and resources that enable them to participate, and the opportunities available and known to them.

The set of Jewish behaviors used to develop this typology is inclusive of a variety of ways public and private that contemporary Jews engage with Jewish life. Some of the activities are located primarily within institutions (e.g., synagogue membership), while others are home based (e.g., Passover seders). These behaviors are classified into four dimensions of Jewish life:

• Holiday celebrations, such as attending or hosting a Passover seder, lighting Hanukkah candles, and observing the Yom Kippur fast for all or some of the day.

• Ritual behaviors: marking Shabbat by lighting candles or having a special meal, attending Jewish services, attending High Holiday services, and following any kosher laws.

• Organizational behaviors: Belonging to a synagogue, belonging to other Jewish organizations, belonging to informal Jewish groups, participating in Jewish programs, volunteering for Jewish organizations, and donating to Jewish organizations.

• Jewish-focused activities: Studying Jewish texts, reading Jewish publications, engaging with Jewish-focused culture, and following news about Israel.

We employed LCA to cluster similar patterns of behavior based on respondents’ answers to survey questions. LCA identifies groups of behaviors that “cluster” together by analyzing patterns of responses. The result of the LCA analysis was the identification of three unique patterns of Jewish engagement. Each Jewish adult in the community was classified into one of the three engagement groups according to the pattern that most closely matched the individual’s participation in different types of Jewish behaviors.

How we developed these categories

Survey respondents answered questions about their Jewish behaviors; based on their responses, we identified the primary patterns of behavior that are presented here. Survey respondents were not asked to assign themselves to the groups.

The LCA analysis presented here is unique to the Long Beach Area Jewish community. Both the set of classifications and their names are derived directly from data collected for this study.

Patterns of Jewish engagement

The patterns of Jewish engagement found among Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area are summarized in Figure 2.1 and described below. For each pattern, Table 2.1 illustrates the level of participation in each of the behaviors that was used to construct the Index of Jewish Engagement. As shown in Figure 2.1, two of the groups are of similar size, and the Immersed group, slightly smaller, includes just under one quarter of the Long Beach Area Jewish adults.

Jewish behaviors and Jewish engagement

The three patterns differ in degree and types of engagement with a broad set of Jewish behaviors. As shown in Table 2.1, the Jewish behaviors across the three engagement patterns vary widely, but all patterns include at least some behaviors that represent a connection to Jewish life. The table shows the proportion of people in each engagement group that participates in the listed behavior. In this table, the darker the box, the higher the proportion of people that engage in that behavior.

About one third of Jewish adults (39%) fall into the “Personal” group. They tend to engage in very few Jewish behaviors, with the most common behaviors among this group following news about Israel, engaging with Jewish-focused culture, and lighting Hanukkah candles in a typical year requiring no connection to the Jewish community. However, 45% read Jewish publications and about one quarter of the members of this group donated to Jewish organizations in the past year.

A similar share of Jewish adults (38%) is in the “Involved” group. Most of the members of this group followed news about Israel (91%), engaged with Jewish-focused culture (84%), and read Jewish publications (78%). These individuals also marked Shabbat by having a meal or lighting candles ever (75%), lighting Hanukkah candles in a typical year (74%), or attending a Passover seder either in person or online in 2021 (73%).

Figure 2.1 Index of Jewish engagement

The smallest share of Jewish adults is in the “Immersed” group (23%). The Immersed group tends to have the highest level of participation in every behavior measured in the Index of Jewish Engagement. Participation in Jewish life is critically important to their daily lives, but they do not necessarily engage in every item measured in this Index. Adults in the Immersed group have high participation in home-based holidays, ritual, organizational, and Jewish-focused activities, but their participation is comparatively lower when it comes to organization membership.

Table 2.1. Jewish behaviors and engagement

Demographics and Jewish engagement

The patterns of Jewish engagement are associated with respondents’ demographic characteristics. Tables 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 show the distribution of selected demographic characteristics within the Jewish engagement categories (row totals) in comparison to the overall Jewish population (first row). To best understand demographic patterns, it is useful to compare the distribution of each demographic category within each of the engagement groups to that of the overall adult Jewish

population, shown in the top row of each table. This comparison allows one to observe how, if at all, each engagement group differs from the overall population.

The age distribution of the Long Beach Area Jewish community differs across the engagement groups (Table 2.2). The Involved group has more younger people compared with the other groups; one third (34%) are younger than age 50. Half (53%) of the Personal group are ages 65 and older.

Geographic region is not related to Jewish engagement. Despite some differences shown in Table 2.3, these differences are not statistically significant.

Financial situation is not related to Jewish engagement. Despite some differences shown in Table 2.4, these differences are not statistically significant.

Jewish background and Jewish engagement

The best-known system for categorizing Jewish identity is denominational affiliation. In the past, Jewish denominational categories closely correlated with measures of Jewish engagement, including behavior and attitudes. However, because these labels are self-assigned, their meaning varies from one individual to another. In addition, an increasing number of Jews do not affiliate with any particular denomination including, as noted in Chapter 1, 38% of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area. Thus, denominational labels are limited in their ability to convey behavior and attitudes.

Table 2.2. Jewish engagement by age

Table 2.3. Jewish engagement by region

Table 2.4. Jewish engagement by financial situation

Tables 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, and 2.9 describe the Jewish identity and Jewish backgrounds of those in each Jewish engagement category. Jewish denomination is related to Jewish engagement but is not identical (Table 2.5). Other than the Orthodox, adults of all denominations are represented in each of the engagement groups. Two thirds of those in the Personal group do not have a specific denomination. Around one third of Jewish adults in the Involved group are either Reform (38%) or Conservative (31%).

Most research indicates that childhood Jewish education and having two Jewish parents is associated with higher levels of Jewish engagement in adulthood. Although this pattern is noted in the Long Beach Area, the differences are not statistically significant (Tables 2.6 and 2.7).

Levels of Jewish engagement are similar among those who have minor children at home and those who do not (Table 2.8).

Table 2.5. Jewish engagement by denomination

Table 2.6. Jewish engagement by childhood Jewish education (Jewish full- or part-time school or camp, during grades K-12)

Table 2.7. Jewish engagement by Jewish parents

Jewish engagement also differs by marital status (Table 2.9). Those in the Personal Engagement group are most likely to be intermarried (50%), and those in the Involved group are most likely to be single (45%). The Immersed group is most likely to be inmarried (63%).

Attitudes about being Jewish

The majority of Jews in the Long Beach Area feel that being Jewish is at least somewhat part of their daily lives (Figure 2.2). The extent to which that is the case, however, varies between the engagement groups. While among the Immersed group nearly all say being Jewish part of their daily lives, just under half (44%) of the Personal group feel that way.

There is a similar pattern when examining the importance of being Jewish (Figure 2.3). The majority of each of the engagement groups feel that being Jewish is important to how they see themselves. Nearly all in the Immersed group agree with this statement, as do two thirds of the Personal group.

Table 2.8. Jewish engagement by parent status

Table 2.9. Jewish engagement by marital status

Not at all or only a little important

Moderately important Very important Extremely important

Figure 2.2. Being Jewish is a part of daily life (% Jewish adults)*

Figure 2.3. Importance of being Jewish to how you think about yourself (% Jewish adults)*

There is widespread agreement among the engagement groups about the importance of certain aspects of being Jewish (Figures 2.4, 2.5). Almost all Jews in the Long Beach Area believe that remembering the Holocaust and working for justice and equality are important or essential aspects of being Jewish. Jewish adults in all engagement groups share these attitudes.

Figure 2.4. Remembering the Holocaust is essential to being Jewish (% Jewish adults)

Figure 2.5. Working for justice and equality in society is essential to being Jewish (% Jewish adults)

Although the groups appear to differ more regarding the degree to which they feel leading an ethical and moral life is essential to being Jewish, these differences are not statistically significant (Figure 2.6).

Figure 2.6. Leading an ethical and moral life is essential to being Jewish (% Jewish adults)

There is greater variation in opinions about other aspects of being Jewish. More than half of Jewish adults in the Immersed group believe that taking care of Jews in need is an essential part of being Jewish (Figure 2.7), compared with 22% of Jewish adults in the Personal group. While 77% of the Immersed group believe that observing Jewish law is either important (52%) or essential (25%) to being Jewish, just 39% of the Personal group agree that it is important (35%) or essential (4%) (Figure 2.8).

Figure 2.7. Taking care of Jews in need is essential to being Jewish (% Jewish adults)*

Figure 2.8. Observing Jewish law is essential to being Jewish (% Jewish adults)*

For many Jewish adults, their Jewish identity includes components of culture, ethnicity, religion, and community. The majority of Jewish adults agree that each of these elements is at least “some” of what it means to be Jewish. That “being Jewish is a matter of culture,” however, finds agreement with the largest share of Jewish adults (59% “a great deal” and 33% “some”) (Figure 2.9).

Not at all Not much Some A great deal

Figure 2.9. Meaning of being Jewish (% Jewish adults)

Among the Personal engagement group, there is the broadest agreement about the importance of culture to the meaning of being Jewish, followed by ethnicity (Figure 2.10). This group also places more importance on the community aspect of being Jewish that it does the religious aspect.

Figure 2.10. Meaning of being Jewish (Personal engagement group) (% Jewish adults)

The Involved group also ranks culture as the most important aspect of being Jewish (Figure 2.11). However, religion is slightly more important than community for members of this group as compared to the Personal group.

Figure 2.11. Meaning of being Jewish (Involved engagement group) (% Jewish adults)

The Immersed group also ranks culture highest of the elements of being Jewish, followed by the religion and community categories (Figure 2.12). A slightly smaller but nonetheless large share agree that being Jewish is very much a matter of ethnicity.

Figure 2.12. Meaning of being Jewish (Immersed engagement group) (% Jewish adults)

Chapter 3. Jewish Children

Chapter highlights

This chapter focuses on the choices parents make about how to raise their children and the extent to which children participate in Jewish educational opportunities available in the Long Beach Area Jewish community. The goal is to describe the landscape of educational programs, including Jewish preschools; formal Jewish education programs, both part-time and full-time; and informal Jewish educational programs, including camp, youth groups, and others.

• There are 4,600 children in Long Beach Area Jewish households, including 3,600 who are Jewish in some way.

• Of all children in Jewish households, 78% are considered to be Jewish in some way by their parents. This includes 67% of children who are Jewish only and 11% who are Jewish and another religion. The majority of the remaining children have no religion.

• All children of inmarried parents are Jewish, and three quarters of children of intermarried parents are Jewish. Most of the remaining children of intermarried parents have no religion.

Jewish education

• Twelve percent of age-eligible Jewish children were enrolled in a Jewish-sponsored early childhood program during the 2021-22 school year.

• One third of Jewish students in grades K-12 participated in some form of Jewish schooling during the 2021-22 school year, including 22% in a part-time school and 14% in a day school or yeshiva.

• Forty percent of Jewish K-12 students were in some form of year-round Jewish education, including schooling, private tutoring, congregational classes, or a youth group.

• In summer 2021, 30% of Jewish K-12 students attended a Jewish camp as a camper or staff member.

• One quarter of households with at least one child younger than age 12 participated in Jewish-sponsored programming such as a Tot Shabbat, synagogue-based playgroup, or family holiday group.

• Nearly one third of households with at least one child younger than age 13 received books from PJ Library or PJ Our Way.

Children in Jewish households

Of the 4,600 children living in Jewish households in the Long Beach Area, 3,600 (78% of all children) are considered Jewish in some way (Table 3.1). Most of these children are considered by their parents to be exclusively Jewish (3,100, or 67% of all children), while some are considered to be Jewish and another religion (500, or 11% of all children).

The remaining 1,000 children who are not considered Jewish by their parents, either have no religion (17% of all children), are being raised exclusively in another religion (2% of all children), or their

parents have not determined yet how they will be raised or did not provide enough information to assess their Jewish identities (2% of all children).

Table 3.1. Children in Jewish households

Note: For the remainder of this chapter, analyses do not include the children whose Jewish identity is undetermined.

The largest group of Jewish children (37%) is ages five or younger (Table 3.2).

3.2. Ages of Jewish children

About half of Jewish children in the Long Beach Area have intermarried parents (53%), and one quarter of Jewish children have inmarried parents (Figure 3.1). About one fifth (21%) of Jewish children are being raised by single parents.

Figure 3.1. Marital status of parents of Jewish children (% Jewish children)

Nearly all children of inmarried parents are considered by their parents to be exclusively Jewish (Figure 3.2). By contrast, 61% of the children of intermarried parents are exclusively Jewish (Figure 3.3). Of those remaining, 14% are considered by their parents to be Jewish and another religion, 21% to have no religion, and 4% are considered to be members of another religion.

Figure 3.2. Jewish identity of children of inmarried parents (% children)

Figure 3.3. Jewish identity of children of intermarried parents (% children)

Jewish education

Jewish education occurs in Jewish preschools, formal classroom settings, such as day schools and part-time supplementary schools, and informal settings, including camps, youth groups, and peer trips to Israel.

Table 3.3 shows the early childhood programs available to Jewish children not yet in kindergarten during the 2021-22 school year. Twelve percent of preschool-aged Jewish children attended Jewish early childhood or preschool programs. Most of the other preschool-aged Jewish children were in a non-Jewish program or home-based program.

Unlike the tables and figures earlier in this chapter, which focused only on children who are not yet age 18, the analysis of K-12 Jewish education includes 18- and 19-year-old children who are still in high school. Because the vast majority of children in Jewish education are being raised Jewish in some way, the analysis below is restricted to those children.

Of Jewish children in grades K-12 during the 2021-22 school year, one third (33%) were enrolled in a formal Jewish school (Table 3.4). Part-time Jewish schools were attended by 22% of age-eligible Jewish children, and another 14% were enrolled in a full-time Jewish day school. Fifteen percent of Jewish K-12 students were enrolled in other Jewish programs, including 5% who took private classes or were tutored in Jewish topics, 3% who participated in congregational classes, and 8% who participated in a Jewish youth group. In total, 40% of K-12 Jewish children received some form of Jewish education during the 2021-22 school year.

adults who are still in high school

Parents whose pre-K and K-12 children were not enrolled in any form of Jewish schooling (early childhood program, full-time school, or Jewish part-time school) were asked about the reasons why their children did not attend a Jewish school. More than two thirds (68%) of children not in Jewish

Table 3.3. Enrollment in early childhood programs, 2021-22

Table 3.4. Enrollment in K-12 Jewish education, 2021-22 Jewish

schooling did not attend because of a lack of parental interest (Table 3.5), and about one quarter (22%) did not attend due to cost. Other reasons for not attending Jewish schools were related to issues with location or the lack of transportation (14%), program fit (13%), or children’s needs (12%).

Note: Total exceeds 100% because respondents could select more than one reason.

Jewish camping and teen Israel programs

One quarter (24%) of Jewish K-12 students in the Long Beach Area attended a Jewish day camp in summer 2021, and 12% attended an overnight camp.

Just 2% of Jewish children ages 12 and older have participated on an organized teen trip to Israel.

Lifecycle celebrations

Fifty-seven percent of age-eligible Jewish children have had a bar or bat mitzvah ceremony, and an additional 10% will have one in the future.

Children’s programs

In addition to formal and informal education, family program options outside of school or preschool include Tot Shabbat, synagogue-based playgroups, and family holiday programs. One quarter of Jewish households attended at least one of these programs in the past year, 10% participated in person, 2% online, and 13% participated online and in person.

The PJ Library and PJ Our Way programs send Jewish books to households with at least one child ages 12 or younger. Among eligible households, 31% received books and an additional 19% were not aware of the program.

Table 3.5. Reasons for not attending Jewish school in 2021-22 Jewish children not in Jewish school

Table 3.6. Enrollment in Jewish camps, summer 2021

Chapter 4. Congregations and Rituals

Chapter highlights

Congregational life has long been a central avenue of participation for Jews in the United States, and membership in a congregation is one important way Jews affiliate with the Jewish community. However, regardless of congregational membership status, many Jews participate in religious rituals on a regular or intermittent basis at home. Religious and ritual observance constitute one of the means by which Jews in the Long Beach Area express their Jewish identities.

Congregations and services

• Twenty percent of Jewish households belong to a Jewish congregation, but just 13% belong to a congregation in the Long Beach Area; the remainder belong to congregations in other areas, in most cases the neighboring communities of Los Angeles and Orange County.

• About one quarter of Jewish adults currently belong to a congregation and another one third belonged to one at some point in their adult lives.

• Among synagogue-member households, the largest share (37%) belong to a congregation outside of the Long Beach Area. Thirty percent pay dues to a “brick-and-mortar” synagogue, one with a building, clergy, and traditional membership structure, and another 5% say they are members but do not pay dues. Eighteen percent of member households belong to a Chabad in the Long Beach Area.

• Half of Jewish adults attended at least one Jewish religious service in the previous year, whether in person or online. Fourteen percent attended services monthly or more, and about one third of adults attended a High Holiday service in 2021. Among those who are not synagogue members, 35% attended at least one service.

• About half of Jewish adults (52%) had no preference between in-person and online services, but 35% preferred to attend services in person.

Rituals

• The most commonly observed holiday practice in the Long Beach Area is lighting Hanukkah candles, with roughly three quarters of adults lighting Hanukkah candles in a typical year. About two thirds of intermarried adults and two thirds of non-members of synagogues lit Hanukkah candles.

• Fifty-nine percent of adults attended a Passover seder in 2021, and this practice is much more prevalent among those younger than age 50, of whom 83% attended a seder.

• About one third of adults keep kosher at any level, and one third fasted for at least part of the day during Yom Kippur 2021.

• Thirty-seven percent of Jewish households lit Shabbat candles at some point during the previous year, and 37% also had a special meal for Shabbat. About three quarters of synagogue members, and one quarter of non-members, engaged in either behavior.

Congregation membership

In the Long Beach Area, 20% of Jewish households include someone who currently belongs to a Jewish congregation, whether a synagogue, independent minyan or chavurah, Chabad, or other worship community (Table 4.1). Nationally, 35% of Jewish households include a member of a Jewish congregation. Thirteen percent of Jewish households belong to a congregation in the Long Beach Area.

Most (89%) of the Immersed group belong to one or more congregations, as do 14% of members of the Involved group. By contrast, almost none of the Personal group are members of congregations.

Just over one quarter (28%) of Jewish households in the Surrounding Areas belong to one or more congregations, compared with 16% of households from the Long Beach region.

About half (45%) of inmarried households belong to a congregation compared to 11% of intermarried households and 18% of not married households.

Nine percent of all member households belong to more than one congregation (not shown in table).

Congregation Types

Synagogue: Typically has its own building, a conventional dues/membership structure, professional clergy, and programs or amenities commonly available in synagogues (e.g., Hebrew school). Usually appeals to a relatively narrow range of the denominational spectrum.

Independent minyan or chavurah: May lack its own building, conventional dues/membership structure, professional clergy, and/or amenities commonly available in synagogues.

Chabad: Typically has its own building, professional clergy, and programs or amenities commonly available in synagogues. Usually does not have a conventional dues/membership structure. Draws from across the denominational spectrum.

Table 4.1. Congregation membership

Jewish engagement often changes over time and sometimes in response to events, such as the closure of synagogues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey asked those who were not current members if they ever belonged to a congregation during their adult lives.

In addition to current members (20%), another third (32%) of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area belonged to a Jewish congregation at some point in their adult lives, and the remaining 41% of Jewish adults never belonged to a congregation (Table 4.2). Three quarters of Jews in the Personal engagement group never belonged to a congregation, while 24% previously belonged to a congregation. While a comparatively smaller share (30%) of the Involved group never belonged to a congregation, a much larger share more than half (57%) previously belonged to a congregation.

Half of inmarried Jewish adults are current members, with 29% previously and 21% never belonging to a congregation. In contrast, a smaller share (13%) of intermarried Jewish adults are current members, with 25% previously and 62% never belonging to a congregation. Among those who were

not married, a small share (17%) are current members, the majority previously (41%) or never (42%) belonging to a congregation.

Table 4.2. Current and past congregation membership during adulthood

Of the 20% of Jewish households that have any congregational membership, about one third (30%) pay dues to a synagogue located in the Long Beach Area, and another 5% belong to a local congregation but do not pay dues (Table 4.3) Eighteen percent of congregation-member households belong to a Long Beach Area Chabad. More than one-third (37%) of congregationmember households belong to a congregation outside of the Long Beach Area. Most of these congregations are located in Los Angeles or Orange County (not shown in table).

Table 4.3. Type of congregation membership

Religious services

Participation in congregational life is not limited to those with membership. While a quarter of Jewish adults are current congregational members (Table 4.2), half of Jewish adults attended a Jewish religious service at least once during the past year, either in person or online (Table 4.4). Fourteen percent of Jewish adults attended services at least once per month, and about one third (36%) attended services on the High Holidays in 2021.

Three quarters (76%) of inmarried Jewish adults attended a Jewish religious service over the previous year, compared with one quarter (28%) of intermarried Jewish adults and about half (47%) of those who are not married.

About one-in-five (18%) Jewish adults who are not congregational members attended services during High Holidays 2021, compared with 87% of those who are currently congregational members (Table 4.4).

Those who attended a Jewish service in the past year were asked about their preferences for attending religious services in the future. Of those, one third (35%) indicated that they prefer to attend in person, 13% prefer online, while about half indicated that they prefer both options (Table 4.5).

Table 4.4. Religious service attendance Services during past year, ever Services during past year, monthly High Holidays, 2021

Table 4.5. Preference for religious services

Jewish rituals

Most Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area celebrate Jewish holidays and observe some Jewish rituals. Three quarters of Jewish adults (74%) light Hanukkah candles in a typical year, and almost two thirds (59%) attended or hosted a Passover seder in 2021 (Table 4.6). Close to one third (32%) of Jewish adults keep any of the laws of kashrut or fasted for at least part of Yom Kippur in 2021 (34%).

Jewish adults ages 18 to 49 were more likely, compared with older adults, to have attended a seder in 2021.

In the past, congregational membership was generally tied to engagement in Jewish life. However, the Jewish activities of non-members in the Long Beach Area Jewish community suggest congregational membership is not always the best indicator of Jewish engagement. About two thirds of non-members light Hanukkah candles, and half hosted or attended a seder during the past year.

Table 4.6. Ritual practices

*An additional 17% of Jewish adults did not fast for medical reasons.

Compared with the celebration of Jewish holidays (Table 4.6), fewer Jewish households engage with Jewish life by marking Shabbat with a special meal or candle lighting (Table 4.7). Jewish households with members younger than age 50 (59%) were more likely to have had a Shabbat dinner in the past year, compared with those ages 50-64 and those 65 and older (35% and 29% respectively). Jewish households with children were more likely to have had a special meal for Shabbat (51%) than households without children (34%) in the past year Congregation members were more likely to have

Hanukkah candles, typical year Seder, 2021 Keeps kosher, any level Fasted Yom Kippur, 2021*

always or almost always had a Shabbat dinner (21%) or light Shabbat candles (33%), compared with non-congregation members (4% respectively).

Table 4.7. Marking Shabbat

Chapter 5. Jewish Organizations and Philanthropy

Chapter highlights

The Long Beach Area Jewish community offers a wide range of opportunities for adults and families to engage in Jewish communal life. Jews join organizations and programs in person and online, attending cultural, educational, religious, and social programmatic offerings. They volunteer their time and donate their money to Jewish and non-Jewish causes.

This chapter describes the many ways in which Jews in the Long Beach Area interact and participate with their fellow community members and organizations

Memberships

• Seven percent of Jewish households belong to the Alpert JCC. The membership rate is the same for those living in the Long Beach region and those who live in the Surrounding Areas. However, a larger share of adults in the Long Beach region participated in programs sponsored by the JCC than those in the Surrounding Areas.

Program participation and individual activities

• Half of Jewish adults participated in a Jewish program, in person or online, in the previous year, including 11% of the Personal group, 64% of the Involved group, and 96% of the Immersed group.

• Nearly three quarters of Jewish adults participated in cultural activities (Jewish or otherwise), and about half participated in outdoor or active activities. Thirty-six percent of Jewish adults participated in educational and social action activities.

• About one-in-five Jewish adults participated in a program sponsored by a local Jewish synagogue, and 13% participated in a program sponsored by a local Chabad. A larger share of inmarried than intermarried or single adults participated in these programs.

• The most commonly attended types of Jewish programs were religious (attended by 22% of Jewish adults) or educational (19%). While 11% of all adults attended a social action program, 22% of adults ages 18-49 attended this type of program.

• Nearly all Jewish adults engaged in individual Jewish activities over the past year, most commonly talking about Jewish topics (93%), eating traditional Jewish foods (92%), or reading books, watching movies or TV, or listening to music that was Jewish focused (80%).

Volunteering and philanthropy

• Forty-two percent of Jewish adults volunteered for at least one organization or cause in the previous year, including 9% who volunteered only for Jewish organizations, 24% who volunteered only for non-Jewish organizations, and 9% who volunteered for both.

• More than half (56%) of Jewish households donated to a Jewish organization in the past year, and 6% donated to Jewish Long Beach or the Alpert JCC. Fewer financially struggling households compared to other households made any Jewish donations.

• About one quarter of Jewish adults said that Jewish congregations are one of the most important causes to which they might donate or volunteer. However, a greater share of Jewish adults reported that a variety of non-Jewish causes are important to them, including health and human services (61%) and social justice (50%).

Organization membership and participation

Organizational membership is another way that households in the Long Beach Area community engage in Jewish life. Seven percent of Jewish households are members of the Alpert JCC, 8% are members of a local Jewish organization aside from the Alpert JCC or synagogues, and 7% are members of an informal or grassroots group in the area (Table 5.1). Significantly more households from the Immersed group belong to Jewish organizations aside from the JCC or synagogues (30%), compared to the Involved group (8%). Households in the Personal and Involved groups are equally involved (5%) in the Alpert JCC. Those households with members ages 65 and older are twice as likely (11%) as those with younger Jewish adults (5%) to be members of a Jewish organization aside from the Alpert JCC or synagogues.

Table 5.1. Organization memberships in the Long Beach Area Alpert

Jewish adults engage most often in activities that are primarily cultural (72%) and outdoor or active (51%) (Table 5.2a) Activities that are primarily educational (36%) and those that are primarily social action (36%) appear to be less appealing

JCC Jewish organizations or clubs in Greater Long Beach

Informal or grassroots Jewish group in the Long Beach Area

Table 5.2a. Types of activities regularly engaged in (including Jewish and non-Jewish settings)

About one quarter of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area community are engaged in primarily social activities (Table 5.2b). However, Jewish adults ages 18-49 (47%) are significantly more likely to engage in primarily social activities, compared with those ages 65 and older (11%). Intermarried Jewish adults (39%) are more likely to engage in primarily social activities, compared with those who are inmarried (17%) and those who are not married (22%).

Table 5.2b. Types of activities regularly engaged in (including Jewish and non-Jewish settings)

While the previous tables refer to all activities, whether or not in a Jewish setting, the remaining tables in this chapter describe activities and programs that take place in Jewish settings or are sponsored by Jewish organizations.

In the year prior to the study, about half of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area never participated in Jewish programs, 26% participated rarely, 15% sometimes, and 11% often (Table 5.3). Participation differed widely across engagement groups. In the Personal group, 89% never participate in any programs. In the Immersed group, 36% participated sometimes, and 45% participated often.

Table 5.3. Frequency of Jewish program participation, past year

Table 5.4 focuses on participation in four sponsored programs in the Long Beach Area and the ways in which people participated. The largest share of Jewish adults participated in programs with local congregations (aside from religious services).

Table 5.4 Type of participation by program sponsor

Table 5.5 looks at program participation and sponsoring organization by subgroups. People in the Long Beach region (14%) were more likely than people from the Surrounding Areas (5%) to participate in a program sponsored by the Alpert JCC.

Table 5.5. Sponsors of Jewish programs, past year A congregation in the Long Beach Area

Long Beach Area Jews participated in a variety of types of programs (Tables 5.6a and 5.6b). About one-in-five Jewish adults attended primarily religious programs (22%) or primarily educational programs (19%).

Jewish adults younger than age 50 were significantly more likely (22%) to participate in social action programs, compared with those ages 50 to 64 (10%) and those ages 65 and older (5%). Those younger than age 50 were also significantly more likely (14%) to participate in primarily social programs, compared with those ages 50 to 64 (4%) and those ages 65 and older (1%).

Table 5.6a. Type of program sponsored by Jewish organization, past year

Table

5.6b. Type of program sponsored by Jewish organization, past year

Jewish-focused activities

In addition to participation in formal organizations and programs, Jewish adults engage in Jewish life through informal activities, such as discussing Jewish topics, eating traditional Jewish foods, reading Jewish books, watching movies or TV, or listening to music (Tables 5.7a and 5.7b). Nearly all Jewish adults (93%) in the Long Beach Area Jewish community discussed Jewish topics during the past year, including about one third (29%) who did so often. Nearly all Jewish adults (92%) also ate Jewish foods, including about one quarter (23%) who did so often; similarly, most Jewish adults (80%) read books, watch movies or TV, or listen to music with Jewish themes, including 19% who consumed these aspects of Jewish culture often.

Most Jewish adults in the Immersed group (59%) discussed Jewish topics often, compared with the Personal (5%) and Involved (30%) groups. Those younger than age 50 were more likely (96%) than those ages 50 to 64 (73%) and 65 and older (77%) to have read books, watched movies or TV, or to have listened to music with Jewish themes in the past year. Jewish adults from the Surrounding Areas (32%) were more likely to eat Jewish foods often, compared with those from the Long Beach Area (17%).

Table 5.7a. Jewish-focused activities, past year

During the past year, about three quarters of Jewish adults (70%) in the Long Beach Area Jewish community read Jewish publications, including 20% who did so often (Table 5.7b). About half of Jewish adults (48%) read or posted on social media about Jewish life, including 7% who did so often. Finally, 42% of Jewish adults studied Jewish texts, including 8% who did so often.

Jewish adults ages 18 to 49 had the largest share among the age groups (81%) of those who read Jewish publications in the past year, and often read or posted on social media about Jewish life (17%).

Table 5.7b. Jewish-focused activities, past year

Volunteering and philanthropy

In the Long Beach Area Jewish community, almost half of Jewish adults (42%) volunteered in the past year, 9% volunteered exclusively for or with Jewish organizations, 9% volunteered for or with both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, and 24% volunteered exclusively for or with non-Jewish organizations (Table 5.8).

The types of volunteering differ based on respondent characteristics. Members of the Immersed group had the largest share who volunteered with exclusively Jewish causes (25%) and with both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations (32%), Personal and Involved groups had the largest shares who volunteered for exclusively non-Jewish organizations (30% and 27% respectively).

Table 5.8. Volunteering in past year

Most Jewish households (85%) reported making a charitable contribution in the past year (Table 5.9). About half gave to both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, 5% gave only to Jewish organizations, and 29% gave only to non-Jewish organizations.

Jewish households in the Personal (49%) and Involved (18%) engagement groups had larger shares that donated only to non-Jewish organizations, compared to households in the Immersed group (1%).

Those Jewish households in the Immersed and Involved engagement groups had larger shares that donated to both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations (85% and 64%, respectively), compared to households in the Personal group (27%). Financially well-off households had the largest share that donated to non-Jewish organizations (40%), compared with households that were less financially comfortable.

Six percent of Jewish households donated to Jewish Long Beach or the Alpert JCC.

Table 5.9. Donations in past year

Regardless of their status as volunteers or donors, respondents were asked about the most important causes for which they might volunteer or to which they might donate (Table 5.10a and 5.10b).

Among the causes that Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area community indicated volunteering for or donating to, the most popular was health and human services (61%), followed by social justice (50%), and the environment (36%). With regard to explicitly Jewish-related causes, 23% of Jewish adults cited Jewish congregations, and 19% cited Jewish education or Israel (both 19%) as important causes for volunteering or philanthropy (Figure 5.1).

Figure 5.1. Important cause for volunteering or donating (% Jewish adults)

Note: Causes that are specifically Jewish are indicated in blue.

For those in the Immersed group, the relative order of important Jewish causes is the same as that for all Jewish adults (Table 5.10). This is also the case for those Jewish adults who are inmarried. However, for those in the Personal and Involved groups, interest in Israel is slightly higher than interest in Jewish education.

Table 5.10. Most important Jewish causes for volunteering or donating

There are few differences in important non-Jewish causes by demographic group (Table 5.11).

Table 5.11. Most important non-Jewish causes for volunteering or donating Health and human services

Chapter 6. Community, Connections, and Concerns

Chapter highlights

Jews in the Long Beach Area have many ways of expressing their connection to the Jewish community. Some feel a sense of belonging to the worldwide or local Jewish community, to an online community, or to Jewish friends. Some conditions encourage participation in the Jewish community, whereas some limitations prevent people from their desired involvement. Jewish adults are also concerned about antisemitism in the United States and wider world. This chapter explores feelings of belonging, connections to the Jewish community and Jewish friends, welcoming conditions and perceived barriers to participation in the local Jewish community, and concerns about and experiences of antisemitism.

Feelings of belonging and satisfaction with participation

• Nearly three quarters (72%) of Jewish adults feel some sense of belonging to the Long Beach Area Jewish community. This includes about half of intermarried Jewish adults, compared to 79% of single adults and 83% of inmarried adults.

• Two thirds of Jewish adults are somewhat or very satisfied with their level of participation with the Long Beach Area Jewish community. Eighty percent of Jewish adults ages 18-49 are somewhat (67%) or very satisfied (13%), compared to about 60% of older adults.

• About 30% of the Personal engagement group and 40% of the Involved Group are not at all or not too satisfied with their participation in the Long Beach Area Jewish community.

• About one third of Jewish adults who do not feel any sense of belonging to the Long Beach Area Jewish community are not at all (17%) or not too (16%) satisfied with their level of participation.

Welcoming and limiting conditions

• Nearly three quarters of Jewish adults feel welcome and comfortable at Jewish programs when they know someone there, and over half feel welcome and comfortable when they are personally invited. Nearly half of Jewish adults feel comfortable when people with diverse backgrounds attend programs. All of these conditions were more important to younger adults than to older adults.

• Jewish adults in households that include members of key subgroups were asked about their impressions of Jewish organizations. These households include someone who is LGBTQ, someone who has a health issue or disability, someone who is intermarried, and someone who identifies as a person of color. Few Jewish adults in these households described Jewish organizations as unwelcoming. However, large shares of Jewish adults with a household member in one of these categories had no opinion about whether Jewish organizations are welcoming; this may indicate that these individuals are not involved enough to have formed an opinion.

• Eighty percent of all Jewish adults encountered at least one condition that limited their desired participation in the Long Beach Area Jewish community. The most frequently encountered condition was not knowing many people (41%). Three quarters of Jewish adults ages 18-49 cited this condition, compared to about one third of older Jewish adults.

• The next two most common limitations to desired participation in the Long Beach Area Jewish community were not finding interesting activities (34%) and the COVID-19 pandemic (33%).

Antisemitism

• Three quarters of Jewish adults are very concerned about antisemitism around the world, and 69% are very concerned about antisemitism in the United States. Fifteen percent of Jewish adults personally experienced antisemitism in the previous year.

Feelings of connection to the Jewish community

Nearly all Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area (94%) feel at least some sense of belonging to the Jewish people, including 41% who feel a great deal of belonging (Table 6.1). By contrast, about three quarters (72%) of Jewish adults feel some sense of belonging to the Long Beach Area Jewish community specifically, including 9% who feel a great deal of belonging. Connections to an online Jewish community are weaker, with half (52%) feeling some sense of belonging and 7% who feel a great deal of belonging.

Feelings of belonging vary by Jewish engagement. About three quarters (73%) of the Immersed group feel a great deal of belonging to the Jewish people, compared with one quarter (25%) of the Personal group. In addition, one quarter (25%) of the Immersed group feel a great deal of belonging to the Long Beach Area Jewish community, compared to 4% of the Involved group and 1% of the Personal group.

Table 6.1. Feeling

a sense of

belonging

to…

The Jewish people The Long Beach Area Jewish community An online Jewish community

Two thirds of Jewish adults are satisfied with their level of participation in the Long Beach Area Jewish community, including about one quarter (23%) who are very satisfied and close to a half (43%) who are somewhat satisfied (Table 6.2). About one third of Jewish adults are not satisfied with their level of participation, including 22% who are not too satisfied and 13% who are not at all satisfied.

Jewish engagement groups have different degrees of satisfaction when it comes to their level of participation in the Jewish community. Forty-one percent of those in the Personal group are very satisfied with the level of their participation, compared with 21% of the Immersed group and 7% of the Involved group. However, there are still many in the Personal group who are looking for more connection: One fifth (19%) are not too satisfied with their level of participation and 11% are not at all satisfied.

Those ages 65 and older have the greatest share one third who are very satisfied with their level of participation, compared with 19% of those ages 50 to 64 and 13% of those ages 49 and younger.

Satisfaction with the level of one’s participation is also related to finances. People who are financially struggling are least likely to be very satisfied (13%) with their level of participation, compared with those who are well-off (38%).

Those who feel no sense of belonging to the Long Beach Area Jewish community are also most likely to not be satisfied with their level of participation (33%), including 16% that are not too satisfied and 17% who are not at all satisfied, compared to those who feel a great deal of belonging but are not satisfied with their level of participation (1%).

Table 6.2. Satisfaction with level of participation in the Long Beach Area Jewish community

Welcoming and limiting conditions

Knowing the conditions that make individuals feel welcome in Jewish spaces, as well as those that are barriers to participation, can guide community organizations in outreach efforts.

When asked what makes people feel welcome and comfortable at Jewish events, most Jewish adults (89%) identified at least one condition (Tables 6.3a and 6.3b). Three quarters (74%) of Jewish adults feel more welcome when they know other people, and more than half (57%) said that being personally invited makes them feel welcome and comfortable. Close to half of Jewish adults (46%) said they feel welcome and comfortable when people with diverse backgrounds attend, while slightly fewer (40%) said they feel welcome when they see themselves reflected in the people who attend.

Jewish engagement groups differ in their assessments of which conditions which make them feel welcome and comfortable. Larger shares of the Immersed group indicated that they feel welcome when they see themselves reflected in the people who attend, compared with 42% of the Involved and 19% of the Personal group. People ages 49 and younger (67%) are most likely to indicate that they feel welcome and comfortable when people with diverse backgrounds attend, compared with those ages 50 to 64 (50%) and those ages 65 and older (32%).

Table 6.3a. Conditions that make people feel welcome and comfortable at Jewish programs

People mentioned that they feel welcome when Jewish rituals are explained (34%), when policies around inclusion and diversity are made explicit (27%), when events have no religious components (24%), and when they are encouraged to take a leadership role (10%).

Larger shares of those from the Personal engagement group (34%) indicated that they feel welcome when events have no religious components, compared with the Involved (21%) and Immersed (11%) groups. More people ages 18 to 49 (40%) indicated that they feel welcome when events have no religious components, compared with those ages 50 to 64 (25%) and those ages 65 and older (14%).

Table 6.3b. Conditions that make people feel welcome and comfortable at Jewish programs

Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area are limited in their desired communal participation by a number of conditions (Tables 6.4a and 6.4b). Four-in-five Jewish adults indicated they experience at least one barrier to increased participation. Forty-one percent of Jewish adults indicated that not knowing many people limits their participation, and this share rises to 75% of those ages 18 to 49. About one third of Jewish adults said their participation is limited because they have not found interesting activities. One third (33%) of Jewish adults feel limited in their ability to participate in the community because of COVID-19, including close to half of the Involved (47%) and Immersed (39%) groups. One fifth of Jewish adults (21%) say the community’s offerings are too expensive, including 22% of those who are not parents and half (49%) of those who are struggling financially.

Table 6.4a. Conditions that limit participation in the Long Beach Area Jewish community

Fewer Jewish adults from Long Beach (8%), compared with those living in the Surrounding Areas (24%) indicated that their participation in the community is limited by inconvenient locations. One third of Jewish adults said their participation is limited because they are not confident in their Jewish knowledge. Thirteen percent of Jewish adults said their participation is limited because their political views are unwelcome, including one quarter of the Immersed engagement group (27%) and 24% of those who are well-off. Twelve percent of Jewish adults said that feeling unwelcome limits their participation.

Table 6.4b. Conditions that limit participation in the Long Beach Area Jewish community

Jewish adults in households that include members of key subgroups were asked about their impressions of Jewish organizations (Table 6.5). These households include someone who is LGBTQ, someone who has a health issue or disability, someone who is intermarried, and/or someone who identifies as person of color.

Table 6.5 illustrates how Jewish adults in households with members of these subgroups perceive Jewish organizations. In all cases, few consider Jewish organizations to be not at all or not too welcoming. However, about half of Jewish adults in these households have no opinion, suggesting they are not involved enough to have formed an impression.

Of Jewish adults in households with an LGBTQ member, over half consider Jewish organizations to be very (36%) or somewhat (23%) welcoming to LGBTQ people, and one third (36%) have no opinion.

About half of Jewish adults in households with someone who has a health issue or disability consider Jewish organizations to be very (26%) or somewhat (22%) welcoming, and 46% have no opinion.

Of Jewish adults in intermarried households, less than half consider Jewish organizations to be very (29%) or somewhat (13%) welcoming, and half (49%) have no opinion.

Of Jewish adults in households that include a person of color, over half consider Jewish organizations to be very (29%) or somewhat (25%) welcoming to people of color, and over one third (39%) have no opinion.

Table 6.5. Consider Jewish organizations in the Long Beach Area to be welcoming to… (% respondents

part of each type of

Concerns about and experiences with antisemitism

The majority of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area are very concerned about antisemitism in the United States (69%) and around the world (75%; Table 6.6).

The Immersed group has the largest share of the engagement groups that feels very concerned about antisemitism around the world (91%). A smaller share of those ages 18 to 49 (45%), compared with those ages 50 to 64 (80%), are very concerned about antisemitism in the United States. About three quarters of parents, compared with about half of people who are not parents, are very concerned about antisemitism in the United States and around the world.

Fifteen percent of Jewish adults personally experienced antisemitism in the past year.

Table 6.6. Antisemitism

Sixty-two survey respondents provided brief comments about the antisemitism incidents they have experienced. Of these, about half (30) described perceived microaggressions, stereotypes, slights, or “jokes.”

Friends, not members of the tribe, making comments or ‘jokes’ about ‘Jews.’ These are stereotypical, imprinted in the utterers’ psyches, mostly since childhood. They either have not a clue as to how ignorant, uninformed, and unbecoming these are, or do not care.

Just comments like, ‘We don’t go to that hospital because it’s where all the Jews go ’

Coworker used verbal antisemitic slur as a response when asked to wear a mask as mandated in the workplace.

[C]omments about ‘looking Jewish’ and about ‘taking so much time off class’ as a professor by secretary staff in my department.

The remaining antisemitic incidents were moderate and included vandalism and aggression. Examples of moderate experiences included:

As a teacher, swastikas drawn on my classroom door.

I have a mezuzah on the door frame to the front of my home. Someone wrote ‘Dirty Jew’ on my door with a marker.

Individuals screaming derogatory remarks from a passing car.

Chapter 7. Israel

Chapter highlights

Israel plays an important role in the Jewish identity of many Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area. The proportion of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area who have traveled to Israel is similar to that in the national Jewish community, as is the share of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area who follow the news about Israel closely. A similar proportion of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area express a strong sense of emotional attachment to Israel as among all US Jewish adults.

• More than half of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area are somewhat (42%) or very (18%) emotionally attached to Israel. Nationally, 32% of Jewish adults are somewhat attached, and 25% are very attached to Israel. 10

• Half of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area have been to Israel at least once, including around one quarter who have been multiple times (19%) or previously lived there (8%). Forty-five percent of US Jews have been to Israel at least once. 11

• Relatively few Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area have traveled to Israel on organized programs, whether educational or volunteer trips (9%), trips sponsored by Jewish organizations (8%), or long-term programs (6%). Informal travel is more common, with nearly one quarter of Jewish adults having traveled to Israel on vacation, and 21% who visited family or friends there. Nearly one quarter of adults ages 18-49 have been to Israel on an educational or volunteer trip, and about half have been on a Birthright Israel trip.

• Nearly two thirds of Jewish adults follow news about Israel somewhat (39%) or very (23%) closely.

Emotional attachment to Israel

The majority of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area are emotionally attached to Israel, with 42% feeling somewhat attached and 18% feeling very attached (Table 7.1). Taken together, the proportion who are attached to Israel (60%) is similar to that among all US Jewish adults (58%). 12 The majority of each engagement group feel some level of attachment, although about one third (30%) of the Personal group feel not at all attached, compared to 10-14% of the other engagement groups.

There is a strong correlation between Israel travel and emotional attachment. Almost one third of Jewish adults who have never been to Israel feel not at all attached.

Table 7.1. Emotional attachment to Israel

About half of Long Beach Area Jews have been to Israel, but frequency of travel varies by Jewish engagement and age (Table 7.2). Two thirds of the Personal engagement group (63%) have never travelled to Israel, compared with one third (31%) of the Immersed. More than one third (38%) of Jewish adults ages 18 to 49 have visited Israel more than once, compared with 8% of those ages 50 to 64.

Table 7.2. Travel to Israel

Long Beach Area Jews travel to Israel both with organized groups and on their own (Table 7.3). Trips related to Birthright Israel (46% of age-eligible adults), vacation (24%) and visiting family or friends (21%) are the main types of Israel travel.

Table 7.3. Types of travel to Israel

* Trip sponsored by federation, synagogue, or other Jewish organization.

News about Israel

Two thirds (62%) of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area follow news about Israel closely, with more than one third (39%) following news somewhat closely, and about a quarter (23%) following news very closely (Table 7.4). Forty-two percent of Jewish adults in the Immersed engagement group follow news about Israel very closely. Frequency of Israel trips is associated with following news about Israel. Those who lived in Israel (72%) and visited more than once (41%) follow news about Israel very closely.

Table 7.4. Follow news about Israel

About one third of Jewish adults consider caring about Israel as essential to being Jewish, and nearly half (46%) consider it important (Figure 7.1). Twenty percent consider Israel to be not at all important to being Jewish.

Figure 7.1. Caring about Israel is essential to being Jewish (% Jewish adults)

Chapter 8. Health Needs and Financial Well-Being

Chapter highlights

Jewish organizations in the Long Beach Area devote a significant share of their resources toward caring for families and individuals in need. The community’s economic stability has provided sufficient means to provide for the needs of many. Nevertheless, it is clear that there are some unmet needs in the Jewish community.

Like the overall Jewish community in the United States, the Long Beach Area Jewish community is highly educated and economically comfortable. Most Jewish households describe themselves as having enough money to meet their needs, including about half of households that say they “have a little extra” or are “well-off.” Yet there are a significant number of households with unmet financial and health needs, including some whose needs preclude their participation in Jewish life.

Health and social service needs

• Nearly one quarter of Jewish households include a member whose work, school, or activities are limited by a chronic health issue, special need, or disability. In fewer than 1% of Jewish households, the person with the health issue is a child.

• Among the Jewish households that include someone who has a health issue, 29% did not receive all services needed to manage the health issue within the previous three months.

• Thirty percent of Jewish adults believe it is somewhat (25%) or very (5%) important that the social services they receive be provided by a Jewish organization.

• Thirteen percent of Jewish households with a member ages 65 or older have at least one member who needs assistance with the activities of daily living.

• About 10% of financially struggling adults reported emotional or mental health difficulties.

• Among adults in households in which someone has a health issue, 20% reported loneliness in the prior week, and 8% reported emotional or mental health difficulties in the prior week.

Education and employment

• The Jewish community of the Long Beach Area is highly educated; over two thirds of adults have a bachelor’s degree, including 45% who have a graduate degree.

• About half of Jewish adults were working at the time of the study and another 38% were retired.

Finances

• One quarter of households describe their financial situations as well-off, 18% say they cannot make ends meet or are just managing to make ends meet (referred to in this report as “struggling”). A larger share of adults ages 65 and older are well-off, compared to those younger than age 65.

• While 18% of all Jewish households say their financial situations have worsened since early 2020 (before the COVID-19 pandemic), fully 50% of struggling households say their situations have worsened.

• Six percent of households could not pay off in full an unexpected $400 expense.

• Eleven percent of households earn under 250% of the federal poverty level. Twelve percent of households receive some form of a public benefit.

• Eight percent of households experienced an economic hardship within the previous year, and an additional 2% experienced an economic hardship between one to three years ago.

• Eighteen percent of Jewish households limited their participation in Jewish life because of their financial situation.

Financial situation and income

To assess financial well-being, each survey respondent was asked to provide a subjective assessment of their household’s financial situation. One percent of Jewish households in the Long Beach Area said they cannot make ends meet, and another 17% stated they are just managing to make ends meet (Table 8.1). For purposes of this report, these two groups are combined into a single category referred to as “struggling” and constitute 18% of Jewish households. About one quarter of Jewish households (27%) stated they have enough money, one third (30%) said they have extra money, and one quarter (25%) described themselves as well-off.

8.1. Financial situation

The financial situation of Jewish households does not vary significantly by Jewish engagement, geography, marital status, or whether there is a minor child in the household (Table 8.2). The older age group, including households ages 65 and older, includes the largest share of well-off households (38%).

In addition to the 18% of households that were struggling at the time of the study, another 10% reported that they experienced financial struggles during the three years prior to the study (not shown in table).

Members of Jewish households were asked to consider how their financial situation might have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began (Table 8.3). Half of the households that are financially struggling reported their situation had worsened in that time period.

Fourteen percent of Jewish households in the Long Beach Area have incomes of less than $50,000, and 15% of Jewish households make $200,000 or more (Table 8.4). Another 23% of households,

Table 8.2. Financial situation by subgroup

Table 8.3. Change in financial situation since 2020

however, declined to provide income information. Because household income does not account for assets, income is not fully correlated with self-described financial situation.

Table 8.4. Household income

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determines the federal poverty level (FPL) annually, using a formula based on household income and household size. Using that formula, 4% of Jewish households in the Long Beach Area are below 100% FPL (Table 8.5). In all, 11% of Jewish households are below 250% FPL.

Many Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area expressed concerns about their future financial needs (Table 8.6). Among Jewish adults ages 40 and younger, 9% are not at all or not too (5%) confident in their ability to afford retirement. Twelve percent of all Jewish adults are not at all (3%) or not too (9%) confident that they will be able to keep their current savings and investments.

Six percent of all Jewish adults are not at all (2%) or not too (4%) confident that they will be able to afford healthcare. The same proportion of all Jewish adults (6%) are not at all (1%) or not too (5%) confident that they will be able to afford basic living expenses.

Table 8.5. Federal poverty level

Table 8.6 Confidence in financial future

Table 8.7. Confident in financial future by subgroup (% not at all/not too confident)

Twelve percent of Jewish households receive at least one of three types of public benefits (Table 8.8). Seven percent receive Medi-Cal or Children’s Health insurance, 5% receive income assistance, and 5% receive food assistance.

Table 8.8. Receipt of public benefits

Two benchmarks commonly used to assess financial vulnerability are receiving a public benefit and the ability to cover emergency expenses (Table 8.9). Twelve percent of all Jewish households receive a public benefit listed in Table 8.8, and 6% said they would be unable to pay in full an unexpected $400 emergency expense with cash, money currently in a bank account, or a credit card.

Larger shares of Jewish households with members younger than age 65 (18-20%) indicated that they are receiving one of the listed public benefits, compared with those ages 65 and older (5%). Greater shares of financially struggling households receive public benefits and are unable to afford $400 expenses, compared to the rest of the community.

Table 8.9. Economic insecurity

The most common financial hardships faced by Jewish households in the Long Beach Area over the past year are the inability to pay for rent or for utilities (Table 8.10). Four percent of households were unable to pay for rent or utilities sometime in the past year, in addition to 2% of households that encountered this situation between one to three years ago. Three percent of households could not afford to pay for all the food they needed or the healthcare they needed in the past year.

Table 8.10. Financial difficulties (% Jewish households who did not have enough money for…) Within

In total, 10% of Jewish households encountered at least one of these hardship over the past three years including 8% in the past year, and an additional 2% between one and three years ago (Table 8.11).

Larger shares of households ages 18 to 49 (15%) and ages 50 to 64 (10%) reported encountering hardships in the past year, compared with those ages 65 and older (3%). A higher share of single households (15%) faced hardships compared to coupled households (1-3%). In addition, more households that are struggling (42%) reported encountering hardships in the recent past compared to those that are better off financially.

Table 8.11 Any financial difficulties

No household hardship Hardship within past year Between 1-3 years ago

Educational attainment and employment

The Jewish population of the Long Beach Area is highly educated. Of Jewish adults not enrolled in high school, 23% have earned a bachelor’s degree, and another 45% have earned a graduate degree (Figure 8 1). Among Jews in the United States, 58% have a bachelor’s degree or higher

About half (49%) of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area who are not in high school are working in at least one job, either full time (37%), part time (8%), or in multiple positions (4%; Table 8.12). More than one third of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area (38%) are retired. Despite 9% of Jewish adults not working for pay, 2% were receiving unemployment benefits suggesting that the majority of this group may be unemployed by choice, perhaps as stay-at-home parents, or as fulltime students.

All Jewish adults

Figure 8.1. Educational attainment

Table 8.12. Employment status

Health and disability

Poor health, special needs, and disabilities can indicate the need for assistance from human service agencies. One quarter (24%) of Jewish households in the Long Beach Area include at least one person who is limited in their work, school, or activities by some sort of health issue, special need, or disability (Table 8.13). Three percent of Jewish households with children have a child with a limiting health issue (not shown in table)

Table 8.13 Households with a chronic health issue, special need, or disability that limits work, school, or activities

The most commonly faced health situations are chronic illness and physical disability, each experienced by 12% of all Jewish households (Table 8.14). The third most common health issue is mental or emotional health problems (8%). About one third of households with health issues had needs which were unmet within the previous three months (not shown in table.)

Note: Differences in columns of this table are due to rounding.

Table 8.14. Specific health issues

Jewish adults were asked whether it was important to them that any needed social services be provided by a Jewish organization (Table 8.15). About one third (30%) said it is somewhat (25%) or very (5%) important that social services are provided by a Jewish organization.

Table 8.15. Importance that human services be provided by a Jewish organization

Thirteen percent of Jewish households with someone ages 65 or older have at least one person who needs assistance with activities of daily living such as doing housework, preparing meals, dressing, and undressing, taking a bath or a shower, or walking up and down the stairs.

Three percent of adults ages 55 and older live in an assisted living facility, nursing home, or an independent senior living building or community.

Personal support networks can be protective against feelings of loneliness and poor mental health (Table 8.16). More than half (53%) of the Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area said that they have no one or just a few people in their personal support network. Ten percent of Jewish adults said they were lonely often or all the time during the past week. Three percent of Jewish adults in the Long Beach Area said that they had emotional or mental health difficulties often or all the time during the past week.

Parents of minor children have larger support networks and fewer experiences of loneliness and mental health difficulties, in comparison to those without children. Although one’s financial situation is not related to support networks and loneliness, about 10% of financially struggling adults reported emotional or mental health difficulties.

Among Jewish adults in households in which someone has a health issue, 20% reported loneliness in the prior week, and 8% reported emotional or mental health difficulties in the prior week.

Table 8.16. Support networks, feelings of loneliness, and emotional or mental health difficulties

Impact of finances on Jewish life

About one-in-five Jewish households in the Long Beach Area had to limit or change their involvement in Jewish life due to their financial situation during the past year (Table 8.17). The most commonly experienced limitation is being unable to contribute to Jewish causes as much as they would have liked, which was reported by 13% of Jewish households. A small number of Jewish households with children did not enroll them in Jewish schools or camps for financial reasons or required financial assistance to enroll children in Jewish education, Jewish camp, or activities. A small number of synagogue-member households discontinued their synagogue membership for financial reasons.

Table 8.17. Financial limitations to Jewish life

Being limited in household participation in Jewish life by financial circumstances does not vary significantly by Jewish engagement, age, geography, marital, or parenting status (Table 8.18). Among the struggling group, 42% said finances limited their participation, more than any other group.

Table 8.18. Any financial limitation to Jewish life

Chapter 9. in the words of community members

To provide an additional layer of insight into the beliefs and attitudes of members of the Long Beach Jewish community, the survey closed with the following open-ended question:

• Based on your own experience, what do you consider to be the strengths and gaps of the Long Beach Jewish community?

Responses to this question reinforce the themes presented throughout the report and provide further evidence of the opportunities available to the community, as well as areas for future growth. This chapter summarizes 398 responses to this question about strengths and gaps. Many respondents touched on multiple themes and may be included in more than one category. Some quotations have been edited for clarity or to preserve respondents’ anonymity.

The numbers in this chapter reflect the number of respondents who mentioned each of the addressed themes. Unlike the previous chapters, responses in this chapter are not weighted to be representative of the full Jewish community.

Community characteristics

Fifty-seven respondents offered general observations about the Long Beach community, of which 42 were positive.

The Long Beach Jewish Community is a wonderful community, filled with people who care deeply about the Jewish people.

Strong sense of community…Very caring and supportive.

Another 22 respondents expressed overarching concerns about the community.

It has changed a lot over the last five to ten years, and not in a way that we particularly like. It feels more like a business now, where before it felt more ‘hamish’ and more comfortable.

Not much sense of community...the Jewish community is not organized outside of the JCC.

Diversity and inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are important values to members of the Long Beach Jewish community (57). Of those mentioning diversity and inclusion, 38 praised community institutions for their efforts in fostering these values.

Strengths: Pretty welcoming to interfaith and LGBTQ. Fairly welcoming to Black/Brown people. Interfaith opinion is based on personal experience.

[The] community is welcoming to our bi-racial family.

There were some, however, who felt that there was room for improvement in the Long Beach community when it came to diversity and inclusion, with 27 respondents providing feedback about how the community could make people of different backgrounds feel more welcome.

It needs the courage to understand that it greatly benefits from white privilege and that though many believe we are not racist or classist, we are and need to admit it and work to change.

Our lack of diversity on both the boards and in programming is a real gap.

I live in a mixed religion home and find some lack of proactive inclusiveness to multi-religious families.

Cohesiveness and unity

Twenty-four respondents provided feedback about the cohesiveness and unity of the Long Beach community, or the lack of unity. Nine noted that coordination of Jewish institutions contributed to their perception of the community as organized and unifying.

There is a central hub in Jewish Long Beach / JCC that connects all of the different organizations, people from different organizations/shuls can interact.

The connections between the local Jewish organizations are very good for us all.

More respondents (20) commented on the absence of cohesiveness or coordination, which created the impression of disunity and disorganization in the Long Beach Jewish community.

Each community is very siloed; hard to know what other synagogues or organizations are doing.

Not well organized, or centralized. Kind of all over the place.

Community could be strengthened by all coming together for major holiday celebrations such as… Hanukkah.

Issues of geography

The challenges and limitations of geography were raised by six respondents who mentioned distant community programs and institutions.

JCC Alpert was a great community school but too far to keep attending.

The synagogues I do attend are too far to attend every week for services.

What activities are there that would make me drive 20 miles or more to attend?

Communication

There were 30 respondents who commented on the effectiveness of communication within in the Long Beach Jewish community, eight of which were positive.

It is wonderful receiving information regarding Jewish life and concerns in Long Beach.

Feels like a lot of modern outreach via social media and email.

Another 22 respondents, however, described the need for clearer communication.

There is no reaching out or following up for new people or if one seems to disappear. I get no info or news.

We need to look at new ways to do things to reach out to more people…As a federation, foundation, and community center, I’m not sure we really know who we are and what the purpose of these institutions are…The community as a whole needs to know more about us and what we do. There has been more outreach through social media, but more is necessary. There are a lot of Jews in the community, and we need to touch them and bring them into the tent.

Political Polarization

Eighteen respondents discussed polarization in the community, mostly related to responses to the pandemic, the US political situation, or the political situation in Israel. Some respondents were concerned about specific points of view that were expressed, while others were concerned about the lack of dialogue across differences.

I don’t understand why the Jewish communities in this country, and that includes my own family, are liberals and support the Democrat Party. The DNC is one of the most antisemitic political entities in the country. They are only concerned about getting more and keeping their power and control over the people. Look at what the Democrats are doing to our country right now with the illegitimate presidential administration of Joe Biden. They are tearing up the country and firing any essential worker who doesn’t agree with the government mandate to get the shot, against their constitutional rights. The American Jew has lost their way. They should be conservatives, not liberals.

Some comments focused specifically on Israel.

I am troubled by the implicit and sometimes explicit assumption that as Jews we must support the policies or government of the State of Israel. My view is the opposite. Everything I see tells me that it is our responsibility, based on our Jewish values, to stand with the Palestinian people (and by this, I do not mean their leaders, who are as appalling as Israel’s) against Israeli injustice.

I am sick of hearing Jews saying negative things about Palestinians, Arabs. Both sides are right and both sides are wrong.

Please… STOP assuming we (as Jews) all agree with your position on Israel.

Affordability

Finances and engagement in Jewish life

Issues of affordability were raised by 14 respondents. Three comments described ways in which synagogues and temples reduce financial barriers to participation.

Through the [congregation], there are many amazing opportunities…many [programs] are free or low cost.

Our [congregation]…accommodates all regardless of ability to meet financial dues.

A larger number of comments (11) expressed concern over costs associated with Jewish education and community participation. Some noted that participation was completely unaffordable; others could afford to pay at a discounted rate, but the application process dissuaded them.

Costs of childcare [and] Jewish education prohibits some from participating, but we need to find more funds to offer all families a way to be part of the Jewish community.

We would love to send our children to overnight Jewish camp during the summer, but it is so expensive that [we] cannot do it.

Most activities are too expensive for my family. I would love to join the J, but it is too much for me to justify on my salary...It would be amazing to offer…a deep discount.

I cannot afford to join the Alpert Center, and do not want to go before someone to see what payment plan I can make based on my income. Because of that, I have not joined. Joining would provide some good outlets for meeting people and feeling involved.

Jewish life

Other comments about Jewish life (23) did not center on specific organizations.

Social justice

Ten respondents called for more attention to social justice.

I believe Jewish Long Beach needs to be more involved in advocating for the less fortunate in our community. Taking stands on reproductive justice, racial justice, issues associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Jewish Long Beach needs to be a prominent leader and become more committed to these areas.

There is no congregation which is actively engaged in social justice and volunteering.

Food

Another issue raised by some respondents (6) was the lack of Jewish food establishments in the Long Beach Jewish community. It is worth noting that none of these respondents were Orthodox, and only one observes kosher laws all of the time.

Limited access to Jewish or kosher shopping, not for people who keep kosher per se, but just for people who ‘do Jewish,’ like access to yahrzeit candles, challah, borsht, greeting cards, gifts.

The gaps are lack of kosher restaurants and kosher meat/chicken.

I had a hard time finding a shop to buy Shabbat candles and kosher restaurants (for my visiting sister-in-law).

Barriers to participation in Jewish life

Some respondents described themselves as unengaged (9) and described their reasons for lack of connection.

I am an extreme introvert and am quite comfortable not participating in community activities.

I have little to do with this community…which I feel very negatively towards.

I think it’s hard to join a community late in life; therefore, my (our) non-participation is not necessarily due to gaps or weakness of the GLBJC, but rather to not having been brought up as part of such a community.

I do not know anything about the greater Long Beach Jewish community. I have not sought out any info and have not been provided any info.

Jewish organizations

The JCC and Federation

When commenting on the strengths and gaps in the Long Beach Jewish community, a significant number of respondents mentioned the JCC (44) and Federation (12). Among the positive responses related to both of these institutions (36), respondents mentioned the recent merger of the JCC and Jewish Long Beach (4) and the facilities and programs (34).

The leadership of the community is robust. The transition from separate JCC and JLB organizations to a single organization has been handed well, and the CEOs of the organizations worked well with the board and the community to ease the process.

The Alpert Jewish Community Center…makes me feel a part of a wonderful Jewish community.

Jewish Long Beach is a strong and well-respected Jewish community organization. There were others, however, who mentioned how these organizations could improve (24), with some commenting on the facilities and the roles of professional and lay leadership.

Alpert JCC building is in need of remodeling so it can be on par with many other JCCs nationwide in offering state of the art programs, equipment, etc.

I believe that the programs at the AJCC resisted change and programming was becoming stale before Covid. We need to look at new ways to do things to reach out to more people and not necessarily by spending more money on the campus.

I see the new leadership not allocating some of their workload that should be handled by volunteers.

The lack of learned understanding of the consequences associated with the budget, planning, and allocation process seem to be dismal.

Synagogues and religious leadership

Forty respondents discussed congregations, including synagogues and temples. About half (26) had positive views of the institutions and included praise for the diversity and accessibility of events and religious leadership. Respondents also noted the broader impact of synagogues and temples on congregants’ lives.

It has been very easy to attend [congregation] services by Zoom, and they have things that aren’t purely religious like a meditation class led by a woman online. That was fun.

When we participate at [congregation] or at the JCC, we have been grateful for the diversity in the population of people who also participate.

The strengths are Rabbi […] and his family. His weekly emails and the warm welcome his whole family offer when we go to shul.

I think that my synagogue is doing a good job at enhancing the lives of its congregants.

The negative comments relating to synagogues and religious leadership were more wide-ranging (23), including varied opinions about the need for collaboration between the temples and more welcoming attitudes to members including mixed-religion families, and feelings related to efforts around diversity.

I would like to see more social and educational gatherings of multiple temples coming together.

I attended a service at [congregation] in Long Beach. I stood around after the service, but no one talked to me, and their parking situation was bad. I didn’t go back.

Early in my marriage, my wife attended a service at a local synagogue with me. She is not Jewish. A guest speaker spoke on how horrible it was for Jews to marry non-Jews. My wife fled in tears, and my hopes of being able to maintain a membership in a synagogue were dashed.

I often feel that the [congregation] and JCC attract and retain more diverse families and nonJewish people than more traditional families/people, thus causing more traditional families/people to not feel comfortable.”

Leadership, volunteering, and philanthropy

A number of respondents commented on the lay and professional leadership of the Long Beach Jewish community (18), 14 of whom offered positive feedback on the quality of leaders and their enthusiasm for their roles.

Excellent lay and professional leadership.

A significant number of people involved in volunteer leadership which is great.

Passionate and committed leaders.

Ten people made negative comments about lay leadership, with some noting the limited number of people willing to volunteer, and others suggesting there were a greater number willing but not selected to lead.

Same volunteers over and over.

I think that the community needs to be more inclusive of the people that are interested in being more involved at leadership level.

While a handful of respondents commented on fundraising successes, the majority (14) of comments about philanthropy were more negative.

The biggest challenges are getting people to volunteer and finding new sources of donations. It seems they’re always having to go back to the same deep pockets, and younger generations are not donating like the older generations did.

The organizations ask for money constantly.

Program and activities

Among the strengths and gaps identified by members of the Long Beach Jewish community, 95 respondents commented on program offerings. There were 25 comments about programs in general, of which most (16) were positive and applauded community organizations for meeting their needs and enhancing Jewish life.

I am satisfied with the extent and number of Jewish activities available to me. [The community] provides interesting programs and an opportunity for a vibrant Jewish life.

Other respondents (9) were more critical of program offerings.

Planning is poor for some of the events, a noticeable special treatment of some people over others at some events.

I’m generally not interested in the programs offered.

The programs are not as exciting as I would like them to be.

Types of programs offered

Twenty-seven people mentioned their interests in specific types of programs. Of this group, 10 respondents described current programs that fit their interests.

We like events that are about the environment or social justice; we like music, plays, culture.

I am part of a PJ Library group, and that’s been quite nice. It isn’t religious focused, which makes me more comfortable because I feel like I don’t know a lot about the religion, and I like the cultural and community aspect of Judaism.

Through the [congregation] there are many amazing opportunities for…adults as well in areas of Jewish education/lectures, culture/films, and many social events.

Other respondents (15), however, noted that there were insufficient programs about Jewish learning (8), Jewish culture (4), and social events (3).

Not much ‘non-establishment’ Jewish energy, analogous to IKAR, Reboot, Pico-Union.

We need more explanation of Jewish customs and rituals to foster a greater understanding of why we perform certain practices. People are more inclined to participate when they have more meaning in their actions.

Would be great if there were more adult activities (sports teams, social events, etc.) that build connection between Jewish people in a more casual way.

Programs targeted to specific groups

Among the 14 respondents who requested target programs for young adults, few (3) were themselves young adults. Older respondents (11) shared their hopes that relevant programming might motivate young adults to become more engaged.

As a young Jewish professional, I’ve found there is a lack of opportunities for young Jewish adults in the area, and that is something I'd like to see more of in this community.

As a Jewish millennial, I find a gap in activities, social groups, etc., that appeal to both my age and religion. I would like to see more opportunities for younger Jewish women to gather.

[There are] many programs for Jewish children, parents, or older adults, but not for the 20-30s age group.

Children, teenagers, and families were collectively (15) identified as requiring specific communal facilities and programs. Five of these comments were from parents who commented on particular facilities and programs.

Love the kids swimming programs.

The strengths…[include] [congregation]’s teen programming.

Another 21 comments mentioned the absence of programs for children

[The community] forgot about the youth. No programs for teenagers to meet other teenagers.

There are not enough fun teen related events to keep kids connected to their faith after their bar/bat mitzvah.

Older adults (15) commented on programs targeted for their demographic. Six of those responses praised program offerings for older adults and seniors.

I was introduced to [the JCC’s programs], particularly a widows’ group that met once a week. That became very important to me.

Wednesday lunch/social hour for the elderly.

Other seniors (4) mentioned gaps in programming.

I wish the Jewish center would have activities that you could do for seniors...[ones that] if I don’t go, I would feel missed, or that I missed something. More things to volunteer for. Have phone calls for people who live all alone and friendship thing. Familiar check-in.

It would be helpful if the AJCC or Jewish Long Beach would help with transportation for seniors, such as a bus similar to the one they have for the children. Transportation is a big issue as more of us are living longer and not able to drive.

Chapter 10. future directions

The words of community members, taken together with the findings presented in chapters 1-8, contribute to a detailed portrait of the Jewish community the Long Beach Area. This study has described community members’ demographic characteristics, participation in Jewish communal life as well as their private Jewish activities, and their attitudes about Judaism, Israel, and the local Jewish community. This chapter summarizes some emerging themes that community organizations can use as their starting point for planning for the future.

Deepen feeling of belonging to the community

Although about three quarters of Jewish adults feel some sense of belonging to the Long Beach Area Jewish community, fewer feel a strong sense of belonging (one-in-ten) Even among Jewish adults in the Immersed group, only about one quarter feel a strong sense of belonging. This lack of strong connection is shared across different age groups and regions. These findings suggest that there is room to build upon a sense of community and deepen personal connections

On the other hand, two thirds of Jewish adults are satisfied with their level of participation in the Long Beach Area Jewish community, including about one quarter (23%) who are very satisfied and close to a half (43%) who are somewhat satisfied. One third of Jewish adults, however, are not satisfied with their level of participation, including 22% who are not too satisfied and 13% who are not at all satisfied.

Among those in the Immersed engagement group, about one quarter are not satisfied with their current level of participation. In the Personal engagement group, 30% are not satisfied, and among the Involved engagement group, about 40% are not satisfied. While lack of satisfaction can be seen as a problem, it is better understood as an opportunity, and a sign that those Jewish individuals would like to be more involved if the right opportunities presented themselves.

Undoubtedly, some of the reasons for dissatisfaction stem from limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of the survey, one third of Jewish adults said that their participation in Jewish activities was limited due to the pandemic. It is hoped, however, that these limitations will be less of a burden by the time this report is released.

The remainder of this chapter points to other barriers to participation in Jewish life and opportunities to address them.

Foster personal connections

Personal connections are one of the main drivers of participation in Jewish activities. Three quarters of Jewish adults say that they feel more comfortable at Jewish events when they know other people there, and over half appreciate a personal invitation. Three quarters of Jewish adults under age 50 say that one of the reasons that they do not attend Jewish events is because they do not know many people at those gatherings. This is also true for more than half of Jewish adults who are not satisfied with their current level of participation in Jewish life.

The need for personal connections goes beyond participation in Jewish life and extends to overall well-being. More than half of Jewish adults say that they have at most a few people who they can call on for help if needed. These numbers are similarly high across all demographic groups. Reaching out to individuals personally whether with regard to an event or participation in an informal group could deepen connections among community members.

Reduce financial barriers

One quarter of households describe their financial situations as well-off, 18% say they cannot make ends meet or are just managing to make ends meet (referred to in this report as “struggling”). A larger share of adults ages 65 and older are well-off, compared to those younger than age 65.

Satisfaction with the level of one’s participation in the Jewish community is related to finances. People who are financially struggling are least likely to be very satisfied (13%) with their level of participation in Jewish life, compared with those who are well-off (38%). While one-in-five Jewish adults say that they consider Jewish activities to be too expensive, half of financially struggling Jewish adults report that cost is a barrier to participation. Similarly, one-in-five children were not enrolled in Jewish schools because of the cost.

In all, 18% of Jewish households limited their participation in Jewish life because of their financial situation. Finding ways to reduce costs is likely to increase participation.

Expand Jewish preschool participation

Jewish preschool has less reach than other forms of Jewish education which suggests the potential for expansion. Among Jewish children in K-12, 40% were in some form of year-round Jewish education, including schooling, private tutoring, congregational classes, or a youth group, including one third who were in part-time school, day school, or yeshiva. In contrast, 12% of age-eligible Jewish children were enrolled in a Jewish-sponsored early childhood program during the 2021-22 school year. Many preschool age families are known to the community, since one quarter of households with at least one child younger than age 12 participated in Jewish-sponsored programming, such as a Tot Shabbat, synagogue-based playgroup, or family holiday group, and nearly one third receive PJ Library or PJ Our Way books.

Among children who are not in any Jewish school, two thirds of their parents indicated that they were not interested, and almost a quarter (22%) cited cost as the reason. Expanding funding for Jewish pre-school could help shape the community for years to come.

Address social service needs

Jewish organizations need support to provide for the health needs of its community members. Nearly one quarter of Jewish households include a member whose work, school, or activities are limited by a chronic health issue, special need, or disability. In fewer than 1% of Jewish households, the person with the health issue is a child. Among the Jewish households that include someone who has a health issue, 29% did not receive all services needed to manage the health issue within the

previous three months. Thirty percent of Jewish adults believe it is somewhat (25%) or very (5%) important that the social services they receive be provided by a Jewish organization.

Some groups have been particularly affected by the dramatic rise in mental health needs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While 3% of all Jewish adults reported emotional or mental health struggles in the past week, 10% of financially struggling adults reported emotional or mental health difficulties, and 8% of those with a chronic health issue reported these difficulties. Jewish communal organizations may wish to consider expanding the services for these individuals or intensifying organizational outreach efforts to connect people to existing services.

Conclusion

These recommendations emerge from data collected systematically from nearly 600 Jewish households between October 2021 and March 2022. This study is part of a long tradition of using the tools of social science to assess the size, character, interests, needs, and concerns of a local Jewish community. The study measures participation in communal and individual Jewish practices, institutional engagement, unmet needs, and many other aspects of Jewish life in the Long Beach area. We hope that this snapshot of the community will stimulate discussion about how best to enhance the lives of community members and strengthen the community as a whole.

Notes

1 Leonard Saxe, Theodore Sasson, and Janet Krasner Aronson, “Pew’s Portrait of American Jewry: A Reassessment of the Assimilation Narrative,” in American Jewish Year Book 2014, ed. A. Dashefsky and I. Sheskin (New York, NY: Springer International Publishing, 2015), 78–81.

2 ACS 5-year estimates, 2020.

3 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.” (Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, 2021.)

4 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.”

5 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.”

6 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.”

7 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.”

8 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.”

9 See also Janet Krasner Aronson et al., “A New Approach to Understanding Contemporary Jewish Engagement,” Contemporary Jewry 39 (2018): 91–113.

10 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.”

11 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.”

12 Pew Research Center, “Jewish Americans in 2020.”