1 Introduction and key findings

This report combines findings from the 2016 Census and the Gen17 Jewish Community Survey on the Jewish population of New South Wales (NSW) 1 . Brief summary data are also reported for Jews in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

The Australian census was held on 9th August 2016 and carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). It is unparalleled in terms of the breadth and depth of information it provides about the Jewish population. Gen17 was a nationwide survey carried out in 2017 by the Jewish community with a sample size of 3,938 in NSW. It adds a level of detail about Jewish life that is unavailable from census data. This combination of sources shines a very bright empirical light on the Jewish community enabling planners and other interested groups to better understand this population.

In this report, unadjusted census data (i.e. enumerated or raw numbers) are denoted with the subscript ‘u’, (e.g. 123 u ), adjusted (or estimated) data have subscript ‘a’ (e.g. 123 a ), and interpolated data have subscript ‘i’ (e.g. 123 i ) (see Appendix 6) 2 . The treatment of census data presented in all tables is indicated in the table title. Where data have been drawn from the Gen17 survey, this is indicated in the text and in chart and table titles.

In the following summary, data relate to the census unless otherwise indicated. Geography

NSW’s estimated Jewish population was 47,800 a , 40.5% of the national Jewish population and an increase of 4.9% since 2006. However, growth slowed, rising by just 0.5% in the second half of the decade

Jews made up an estimated 0.62% of the NSW population, compared with 0.66% in 2011

95% of NSW Jews lived in Greater Sydney, a far greater proportion than the general population (64%)

Most Jews lived in Eastern Suburbs— North (47%) where 17% of the population is Jewish

Between 2011 and 2016 Eastern Suburbs—North grew by 1.4% and Eastern Suburbs—South grew by 1.7%. Botany and Regional NSW grew by 32% and 29% respectively. Upper and Lower North Shore contracted by 11% and 4% respectively

Locally, Rose Bay had the largest Jewish population (3,562 a ) in NSW followed by Bellevue Hill (2,979 a ) and Vaucluse (2,806 a )

The most Jewish area was Dover Heights where 61% of residents were Jewish, the only area in NSW with a Jewish majority

1

2 For more information about Gen17 and to view a detailed methodology see Graham D and Markus A, 2018 Gen17 Australian Jewish Community Survey – Preliminary Findings, JCA and Monash University For a detailed explanation of the adjustment methodology and a discussion of the complications relating to the 2016 Census, see Graham D with Narunsky L 2019 The Jewish Population of Australia: Key findings from the 2016 Census, JCA and Monash University

Since 2011, NSW experienced a net loss of 355 a people to other Australian states and territories, mainly Victoria (211 a ) and Queensland (109 a )

Since 2011, Ku-ring-gai (Upper North Shore) experienced a net loss of 470 a Jews to other places in NSW. Eastern Suburbs—South had a net gain of 192 a and Botany had a net gain of 148 a

There were 838 a Jews in 2016 in the ACT, an increase of 18% since 2006

Demography

In 2016 the median age of Jews in NSW was 44 years compared with 38 years generally. In 2006 the Jewish median age was 42 years

31% of the Jewish population in NSW was aged 60 years and above in 2016. The size of the sixty-something cohort grew by 60% in the decade to 2016

Gen17 survey data indicate that the average age at first birth for Jewish women in NSW aged 45 to 49 was 30.0 years old compared with 26.4 years for those aged 65 to 69, i.e. it is increasing

Jewish women in NSW aged 45 to 55 years have had, on average, 2.0 babies each (below replacement level) and 11% of Jewish women in this age group are childless

An average of 486 Jewish babies were born in NSW each year from 2012 to 2016

Jewish funeral records indicate an average of 447 Jewish deaths took place in NSW each year from 2012 to 2016

The median age of Jews in the ACT was 36 years, rather younger than in NSW (44 years) Immigration and belonging

49% of NSW Jews were not born in Australia compared with 30% in the general NSW population

While 43% of overseas born Jews in NSW were aged under 40, this was the case for 63% of Australian-born Jews in the state

19% of Jews in NSW were born in South Africa, 16% in Europe and 6% in each of Israel and the Former Soviet Union

The size of the South Africa-born population in NSW (~9,000 a people) remained essentially unchanged between 2011 and 2016

37% of Jews in the Upper North Shore were born in South Africa

3,600 a NSW Jews spoke Hebrew at home and a further 3,277 a spoke Russian

46% of Gen17 respondents in NSW read Hebrew ‘quite well’ or ‘very well’; 26% spoke it ‘well’

The average annual number of Jewish overseas arrivals to NSW was 29% lower in the 2011-2015 period than in the 2006-2010 period

Almost as many Jewish migrants arrived in NSW from South Africa in the five years from 2001 to 2005 (1,303) as they did in the ten years from 2006 to 2015 (1,488)

Of the 1,675 total Jewish arrivals to NSW from 2011 to 2015, 26% came from South Africa and 26% came from Israel

Gen17 data indicate that 83% of Jewish migrants to NSW were more satisfied with their lives in Australia than in their country of origin. Levels of satisfaction increase the more time spent living in Australia

21% of Jewish migrants to NSW felt ‘more at ease’ with people from their own country (Gen17). This was the case for 32% of those from Israel and 29% of those from South Africa

65% of Jews born in Australia had a very strong sense of belonging to the country compared with 46% of those born elsewhere (Gen17)

Families

The total number of Jewish households in NSW in 2016 was 17,452 u (3,811 u lone persons, 12,926 u families, 715 u group households)

In 69% of Jewish households, all members were Jewish (31% of these are lone persons); in 14%, one or more has No religion (or not stated); in 17% one or more has a non-Jewish religion

Average Jewish household size in NSW was 2.7 persons per household, compared with 2.9 in the general NSW population

27% of Jewish households in NSW rented their home, compared with 31% generally. In Sydney Inner City 54% of Jewish families rent

7% (1,174 u ) of Jewish households in NSW were one parent families compared with 12% generally; 36% were couples with children compared with 33% in NSW generally; 22% were lone persons, similar to the proportion in NSW generally (23%)

7% of Jews in NSW aged 20 to 39 lived alone compared with 33% of those aged 85 and above

77% (10,007 u ) of Jewish families in NSW consisted of married couples and 13% (1,640 u ) were de facto couples 45% of Jewish families in NSW consisted of married couples with children compared with 40% generally

48% of Jewish families in NSW had at least one dependent child compared with 47% generally

7% of NSW Jews aged 15 and above were currently divorced compared with 6% generally. Gen17 data showed that 19% of NSW Jews aged 18 and above had divorced at least once

6% of NSW Jews aged 15 and above were currently widowed compared with 5% generally. Among Jews aged 80 to 89 in NSW, 17% of men were widowed compared with 60% of women

Intermarriage

19,853 i Jewish people in NSW live with a partner. 25% of Jews in a couple had a partner who did not report being Jewish—11% had a partner with No religion and 14% had a partner with a nonJewish religion

The proportion of partnered Jews in NSW who had a Jewish partner fell from 79.0% in 2006 to 75.2% in 2016

Between 2011 and 2016 the number of Jews with a partner of No religion increased by 41%. The number with a non-Jewish partner declined by 4%

90% of partnered Jews in NSW were married

79% of married Jews had a Jewish partner compared with 39% of de facto Jews

There is little difference in the propensity of Jewish men and women to had Jewish partners

When both parents report being Jewish in NSW, 97% of children are reported Jewish; when only the mother reports Jewish and the father reports an Other religion, the percentage is 50%; when only the father reports Jewish and the mother reports an Other religion, it is 15%

28% of married Jews aged 30 to 34 had a spouse who did not report being Jewish

Gen17 indicates that the intermarriage rate in NSW for Jews marrying between 2010 and 2017 was 23%

21% of intermarried Jews say they feel very well accepted by the Jewish community

46% of in-married Jews attend Friday night meals every week compared with 15% of intermarried Jews

26% of Gen17 respondents in NSW are very concerned about intermarriage in Australia and 38% are somewhat concerned

Economics

In 2016, Jews were four times as likely as the rest of the NSW population to have had personal pre-tax incomes of $156,000 per year or more (the highest income bracket measured by the census)

Jewish median personal income was $55,400, 61% higher than general in NSW ($34,400). However, Gen17 data indicate Jewish median personal income in NSW may have been $74,000

At $50,600, median Jewish personal income was $10,000 lower in Eastern Suburbs – South than Eastern Suburbs – North; median personal income was lowest in Botany ($40,400 per year)

Median personal income for Jews in the ACT was $69,700 Jewish households in NSW were almost four times as likely to have annual incomes of $260,000 or above compared with all other households in NSW (15% versus 4% respectively)

The median annual Jewish household income in NSW was $127,200, 65% higher than the rest of NSW households ($77,200)

Jewish couples with children had average household incomes of $197,600, 2.5 times higher than Jewish one parent households ($78,600)

Gen17 data indicate that 9% of Jewish households in NSW had incomes of $500,000 or more

Excluding lone persons, 20% of Jewish families had incomes of $260,000 or above (compared with 5% generally). Jewish median annual family income was $152,100

19% of Gen17 respondents said they were ‘Just getting along’ or ‘Poor’; for Jewish households with incomes of under $25,000 per year this was 62%; it was 49% for Jews who were currently married but separated

Relatively few (under 5%) respondents reported experiencing deprivation (limiting their ability to afford food and medicine)

Jewish schooling

In 2016 there were 7,317 a Jewish children in NSW schools, a 9% increase since 2011

Jews were 1.7 times more likely than the rest of the NSW population to send their children to private schools

There were 26% more Jewish children of primary school age in 2016 compared with 2006; by contrast there were 7% fewer of secondary school age

From 2006 to 2016 Jewish enrolments in primary Government schools increased by 64%, non-government increased by 3%; at the secondary level, Jewish enrolments contracted in both Government (by 20%) and non-Government (by 3%) schools

The shift away from non-government primary schools was especially pronounced in Eastern Suburbs – North from 73% in 2011 to 61% in 2016

Gen17 shows that 68% of 18-29 year olds in NSW attended a Jewish school at both primary and secondary levels compared with 26% of 40-49 years olds and 9% of those age 50 and above

JCA and census records indicate that 46% of Jewish school-aged children in NSW attended Jewish schools in 2016 compared with 50% in 2011; take-up declined from 47% to 40% at the Jewish primary level

Gen17 respondents in NSW with at least one child in a Jewish primary school were 1.7 times as likely to have had household incomes of $300,000 or above compared to families with at least one child in a government primary school (37% versus 22%)

Families in NSW with at least one child in a Jewish secondary school were almost five times as likely to have had household incomes of $300,000 or more compared to those with at least one child in a government secondary school (34% versus 7%) (Gen17)

72% of Orthodox families choose Jewish primary schools compared with 27% of nonOrthodox families (Gen17)

Gen17 respondents said the main advantages of Jewish schooling are ‘Strengthening Jewish identity’, ‘Provide a sense of belonging to the Jewish community’, and ‘Developing Jewish friendship and networks’: i.e. social and ethnocentric motivators 55% of Gen17 respondents aged under 45 years said the cost of sending one or more of their children to a Jewish school had prevented them from doing so

55% of families with at least one child in a Jewish school said that the cost entailed either a significant or major financial sacrifice; when family income was $150,000-$299,999 this was 60% and 84% for families with incomes below $150,000

Volunteering

30% of Jews in NSW said they had volunteered in the previous 12 months compared with 20% in NSW generally

Volunteering is sensitive to life cycle stage but Jews aged 15 to 19 were most likely to have done so (42%)

Jewish women were more likely to have volunteered than Jewish men (32% versus 28%)

Volunteering was most common among Unemployed and Never married. It was highest among Australia born Jews (36%) and lowest among Israel and FSU born Jews

Gen17 survey data indicate that 55% of volunteers had only volunteered for Jewish organisations. They also volunteered more frequently for Jewish organisations

Self-described Masorti respondents were most likely to have volunteered (66%) followed by Modern Orthodox (63%). ‘Just Jewish’ (44%) were least likely

Among the volunteers, 23% had done so for a synagogue and 19% for a school

The most common reason given for not volunteering was insufficient time (45%)

Care and welfare

Most (86%) Gen17 respondents in NSW reported having good general health. 14% had poor health. This was the case for 48% of those aged in their late eighties

19% of Gen17 respondents said their daily activities were limited because of a longterm health problem or disability. This was the case for more than half of those aged 80 and above

Moderate Pain or discomfort was the most common impairment (28%) followed by moderate Anxiety or depression (22%) (Gen17)

There were 2,793 a Jewish people in NSW in need of assistance with ‘core activities’ in 2016. 52% of those were aged 80 and above

Of those in need of assistance in NSW, 25% did not live at home i.e. they lived in nursing homes or ‘accommodation for the retired’

In 2016, 893 a Jewish people lived in nursing homes and accommodation for the retired in NSW, a rise of 18% since 2006

JCA records indicate that there were about 640 Jews in nursing homes in NSW in 2016

In 2016, 48% of Jews in nursing homes or ‘accommodation for the retired’ in NSW were aged 90 and above compared with 34% in 2006

43% of Jewish people aged 90 and above in NSW lived in a nursing home or accommodation for the retired

58% of Gen17 respondents in NSW would prefer a care environment with a ‘Jewish ethos’ but not necessarily with kosher facilities. 53% of Modern Orthodox respondents would prefer one with kosher facilities 56% of respondents in NSW said the cost of home care should be financed by their own income, savings and investments (Gen17)

32% of those in NSW aged 80 and above said they did not have sufficient financial provisions to pay for their care needs into old age. This was the case for 53% of those born in FSU countries (Gen17)

5,421 a Jews aged 15 and above in NSW provided unpaid care assistance to others. 61% of these care givers were women. 28% of women in their late fifties did so

20% of Gen17 respondents in NSW provided regular assistance to close relatives suffering from physical or mental ill-health or disability