Abstract
Addressing the concerns of many Jewish policymakers, this paper provides
a detailed, data-based delineation of how closely marriage and parenting
are bound together with Jewish identity. Analyzing non-Haredi Jews
ages 25 to 54, as represented in the 2013 Pew Research Center survey of
American Jews,1
we find that extraordinarily large numbers of them are
non-married, intermarried, childless, and/or not raising children as Jewishby-religion. Moreover, delayed marriage, non-marriage, intermarriage, and
declining Jewish child-rearing each poses severe impediments to Jewish
identity and connections, both now and in the future. Those with fewer
Jewish intimate relationships (again: spouses, children, and friends) exhibit
fewer and weaker Jewish connections themselves. In contrast, the presence
of Jewish spouses and Jewish children in the household, along with having
Jewish friends, reflects and promotes extensive Jewish connections and
engagement. Accordingly, certain family patterns might be considered
“best practices” in terms of promoting Jewish connectedness for both
parents and children.