The 2010

Greater New Haven

Jewish Community Population Study

Summary of Findings

Ira M. Sheskin, Ph.D.

Director of the Jewish Demography Project
of the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies
and
Professor
Department of Geography and Regional Studies
University of Miami
isheskin@miami.edu

Electronic copies of the data, reports, and slides from this study are available at
www.jewishnewhaven.org and www.jewishdatabank.org.

February 2011
Shevat 5771
 Demographic Study Committee
Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven

Rena Cheskis-Gold
Chair

Ari Caroline Sue McDonald

Tani Cohen-Fraade Lloyd Nurick
Rachel Dranoff Dan Oren
Judy Heisenberg Sharon Prober
Rabbi Enan Francis David E. Schancupp
Lisa Freed-Cohen Ros Sperling
Alan Gerber Lisa Stanger
Joel Karp Iain York
Jay Kossman Rhoda Sachs Zahler
Marty Laskin Barbara Zalesch

Mark G. Sklarz, President, Board of Directors

Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven

Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven Staff

Sydney A. Perry, Chief Executive Officer
Leora Cohen, Director, Strategic Planning

Study Director
Ira M. Sheskin, Ph.D.

-ii-
 The North
Cheshire
Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven
The Central Geographic Areas
Wallingford
Hamden
Bethany
Chester
Hamden N Haven Northford
Seymour Killingworth

The West
The West

Deep River Essex

Woodbridge
Hamden
Ansonia Madison Centerbrook
Guilford
Ivoryton
E Haven N Branford
Shelton Derby New Haven
Westbrook
Clinton Old Saybrook
Branford
Orange
W Haven
E Haven/N Haven
The East
The West
Milford
 The North
Cheshire
Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven
Number of Jewish Households by Zip Code
Wallingford
Hamden
The Central
Hamden
Bethany
Chester
N Haven Northford

The West
Seymour Hamden Killingworth
The West

Deep River Essex

Woodbridge
Hamden
Ansonia Madison Centerbrook
Guilford
Ivoryton
E Haven N Branford
Shelton Derby New Haven
Westbrook
Clinton Old Saybrook
Branford
Orange E Haven/N Haven
W Haven
The East
The West
Milford
Dots are randonly placed within each zip code
Each dot represents 5 Jewish households
 Major Findings
Size and Geographic Distribution of the Jewish Population
1. 27,800 persons live in 11,000 Jewish households in Greater New Haven, of whom 23,000
persons (83%) are Jewish.
2. 6,900 persons live in 2,650 Jewish households in The East. 72% of persons in Jewish
households are Jewish. Thus, there are 4,900 Jews in The East.
3. 3,900 persons live in 1,760 Jewish households in The West. 82% of persons in Jewish
households are Jewish. Thus, there are 3,200 Jews in The West.
4. 9,700 persons live in 3,740 Jewish households in The Central Area. 90% of persons in
Jewish households are Jewish. Thus, there are 8,800 Jews in The Central Area.
5. 3,600 persons live in 1,630 Jewish households in Hamden. 89% of persons in Jewish
households are Jewish. Thus, there are 3,200 Jews in Hamden.
6. 3,700 persons live in 1,220 Jewish households in The North. 79% of persons in Jewish
households are Jewish. Thus, there are 2,900 Jews in The North.
7. 38% of Jews live in The Central Area; 21%, in The East; 14%, in The West; 14%, in
Hamden; and 13%, in The North.
8. 4% of households in Greater New Haven are Jewish households.
9. Greater New Haven has the second largest Jewish population in Connecticut.
10. 9% of Jewish households live in the top zip code area (06515) and 25% live in the top
three zip code areas (06515, 06525, and 06511).

Changes in Size and Geographic Distribution of the Jewish Population

11. According to the DJN Counting Project, 13,700 Jewish households lived in Greater New
Haven in 2005, compared to 11,000 households in 2010, implying a 20% decrease. The
20% decrease is likely an overstatement.
12. The geographic distribution of Jewish households in Greater New Haven changed from
2005-2010. The number of Jewish households decreased in each geographic area. The
percentage of households in The East decreased from 28% to 24%, while the percentage
in The Central Area increased from 29% to 34%. No significant change is seen in the
percentage distribution in the other geographic areas.

Geographic Profile
13. 33% of adults in Jewish households were locally born (born in Greater New Haven).
14. 9% (1,925 adults) of adults in Jewish households were foreign born.
15. 5% (495 households) of households are from the Former Soviet Union.
16. 5% of households are part-year households (live in Greater New Haven for less than ten
months of the year).
17. 87% of households own their home.
18. 30% of households in which the respondent is age 50 or over have at least one adult child
who has established his/her own home in Greater New Haven; 20% have adult children
who have established their own homes outside Greater New Haven but within 90 minutes;
22% have adult children who have established their own homes further than 90 minutes from
Greater New Haven; and 28% have no adult children who have established their own
homes.
19. In 18% (1,925 households) of households, an adult currently living in the household had
attended Yale University as a student; in 26% (2,838 households) of households, an adult
currently living in the household had worked at Yale University. In 31% (3,410 households)

5
 Major Findings
of households, an adult currently living in the household had either attended Yale University
as a student or worked at Yale University.
20. 75% of respondents who are employed full time or part time work mostly in Greater New
Haven; 4%, in Hartford; 16%, elsewhere in Connecticut; 3%, in New York; and 2%,
elsewhere in the United States.

Migration
21. 84% of households moved to Greater New Haven from the Northeast (including 26% who
have always lived in Greater New Haven; 18% who moved from elsewhere in Connecticut;
25%, from New York; and 6%, from Massachusetts); 6%, from the South; 5%, from the
West; 3%, from the Midwest; and 3%, from foreign locations.
22. 6% of households have lived in Greater New Haven for 0-4 years and 67%, for 20 or more
years.
23. An average of 134 households in Greater New Haven moved to Greater New Haven each
year during the past five years (the in-migration rate). An average of between 62 and 227
households will move out of Greater New Haven each year within the next three years (the
out-migration rate). Assuming that the current rate of in-migration continues for the next few
years, these data suggest that the number of Jewish households in Greater New Haven will
probably continue to decrease during the next few years as a result of migration into and out
of Greater New Haven.
24. 14% of households have lived at their current address for 0-4 years and 38%, for 20 or
more years.

Age Distribution
25. 20% (5,420 children) of persons in Jewish households are age 0-17, of whom 79% (4,278
children) are being raised Jewish.
26. 27% (7,451 persons) of persons in Jewish households are age 65 and over.
27. 16% (4,337 persons) of persons in Jewish households are age 75 and over.
28. The median age of persons in Jewish households is 51.6 years.

Household Structure
29. The average household size is 2.53 persons.
30. 22% of households contain one person; 42%, two persons; 12%, three persons; and 24%,
four or more persons.
31. 26% of households are households with children age 0-17 at home; 10%, households with
only adult children age 18-29 at home; 37%, married households with no children at home;
22%, single person households; and 6%, other household structures.
32. 37% (1,313 children) of children age 0-12 in Jewish households live in households with
working parents (households in which both parents, or the parent in a single parent
household, are employed full time).
33. 5% (260 children) of children age 0-17 in Jewish households live in single parent
households (households with one parent and children age 0-17 at home).
34. 16% (862 children) of children age 0-17 in Jewish households live in households in which
an adult is or was divorced.
35. 24% (1,760 persons) of persons age 65 and over in Jewish households live alone.
36. 31% (1,364 persons) of persons age 75 and over in Jewish households live alone.

6
 Major Findings
Marital Status, Level of Secular Education, and Employment Status
37. 70% of adults in Jewish households are currently married; 16%, single, never married;
5%, currently divorced; and 8%, currently widowed.
38. 30% (5,673 adults) of Jewish adults are currently single, of whom 38% are under age 35.
39. 78% of adults age 25 and over in Jewish households have a four-year college degree or
higher, including 42% with a graduate degree.
40. 43% of adults in Jewish households are employed full time; 12%, employed part time;
2%, unemployed at the time of the survey; 26%, retired; 5%, homemaker; 10%, student; and
2%, disabled.

Housing Value and Household Income

41. The median value of homes owned by Jewish households is $370,000.
42. The 2009 median household income is $104,000.
43. 52% of households earn an annual income of $100,000 and over.
44. 11% (1,254 households) of households are low income households (earned under
$25,000 in 2009).
45. 2% (209 households) of households reported a household income that was below the
Federal poverty levels.

Jewish Identification
46. 4% of Jewish respondents identify as Orthodox; 30%, Conservative; 1%, Reconstructionist;
30%, Reform; and 35%, Just Jewish.

Religious Practices
47. 65% of households have a mezuzah on the front door.
48. 76% of households always or usually participate in a Passover Seder.
49. 75% of households always or usually light Chanukah candles.
50. 20% of households always or usually light Sabbath candles.
51. 15% of households keep a kosher home; 8% of respondents keep kosher in and out of
the home.
52. 3% of respondents refrain from using electricity on the Sabbath.
53. 25% of households always, usually, or sometimes have a Christmas tree in the home.

Synagogue Attendance
54. 25% of Jewish respondents attend synagogue services once per month or more.
55. 32% of Jewish respondents never attend synagogue services (or attend only for special
occasions).

Intermarriage
56. 60% of married couples in Jewish households are in-married; 6%, conversionary in-married;
and 34%, intermarried.
57. 18% (474 households) of households with single Jewish adults age 18-64 were interested
in singles programs in the past year.
58. 16% of households with single Jewish adults age 18-64 have used a Jewish Internet dating
service at some time.

7
 Major Findings
59. 43% of children age 0-17 in intermarried households are being raised Jewish, 22% are
being raised part Jewish, and 35% are being raised non-Jewish.
60. 3% (782 persons) of Jewish persons in Jewish households are Jews-by-Choice.

Synagogue Membership
61. According to the Telephone Survey, 43% of households reported current synagogue
membership.
62. 74% of households are synagogue members at some time during their adult lives (lifetime
synagogue membership).
63. According to the Synagogue Survey, 24% of the 4,217 households who are members of a
synagogue located in Greater New Haven are members of an Orthodox synagogue; 41%, a
Conservative synagogue; 32%, a Reform synagogue; and 3%, other synagogues.

JCC Membership
64. According to the Telephone Survey, 14% of households reported current membership in
the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven (JCC).
65. The major reasons for not joining the JCC most commonly reported by respondents in
households who are not members of the JCC are distance from home (38%), no need for
the services offered (29%), cost (17%), lack of transportation (2%), too old (2%), lack of
information about the JCC (2%), lack of time (1%), quality of the programs (1%), and other
reasons (7%).
66. 39% of households participated in or attended a program at, or sponsored by, the JCC
in the past year.
67. 39% of households who are not members of the JCC reported current membership in a
fitness facility or health club (fitness facility). The JCC has a 29% market share of the
fitness facility market among Jewish households.

Jewish Organization Membership

68. 25% of households reported current membership in a Jewish organization other than a
synagogue or JCC.

Jewish Outreach Center Participation

69. 14% of households participated in activities organized by a Jewish outreach center (such as
Chabad) in the past year.

Overlapping Memberships
70. 53% of households are associated with the Jewish community in that someone in the
household is a member of a synagogue, the JCC, or a Jewish organization.
71. 10% of households are members of both a synagogue and the JCC; 32% are synagogue
members but are not JCC members; 4% are JCC members but are not synagogue
members; and 54% are neither synagogue nor JCC members.

Feel Part of the Jewish Community

72. 16% of Jewish respondents feel very much part of the Greater New Haven Jewish
community; 34%, somewhat; 27%, not very much; and 24%, not at all.

8
 Major Findings
Formal Jewish Education of Adults as Children
73. 81% of born or raised Jewish adults received some formal Jewish education as children.
74. 11% of born or raised Jewish adults attended a Jewish day school as children.

Informal Jewish Education of Adults as Children

75. 31% of born or raised Jewish adults attended or worked at a Jewish overnight camp as
children.
76. 40% of born or raised Jewish adults participated in a Jewish youth group as teenagers.
77. 26% of born or raised Jewish adults who attended college participated in Hillel/Chabad
while in college (excluding High Holidays).

Adult Jewish Education

78. 22% of Jewish respondents attended an adult Jewish education program or class in the
past year.

Jewish Education of Children–Preschool/Child Care Program

79. According to the Telephone Survey, 28% of Jewish children age 0-5 (excluding Jewish
children age 5 who already attend kindergarten) attend a Jewish preschool/child care
program; 40%, a non-Jewish preschool/child care program; and 32% do not attend a
preschool/child care program.
80. 41% of Jewish children age 0-5 who attend a preschool/child care program attend a Jewish
preschool/child care program.

Jewish Education of Children–Jewish Day School

81. According to the Telephone Survey, 24% of Jewish children age 5-12 (excluding Jewish
children age 5 who do not yet attend kindergarten) attend a Jewish day school; 15%, a non-
Jewish private school; and 61%, a public school.
82. 62% of Jewish children age 5-12 who attend a private school attend a Jewish day school.
83. 33% of households with Jewish children age 0-17 either currently have a Jewish child in a
Jewish day school, have sent a child in the past, will definitely send a child in the future, or
did or will seriously investigate sending a child to a Jewish day school. 67% of households
with Jewish children age 0-17 are not in the Jewish day school market.
84. The major reasons for not sending Jewish children age 0-17 to a Jewish day school
most commonly reported are tuition cost (25%), belief in public schools/ethnically mixed
environment (24%), distance from home (17%), school is too religious for family/family is not
religious (15%), quality of other private or public schools (10%), quality of education at
Jewish day schools (4%), have a special needs child (2%), class/grade size is too small
(2%), no Jewish day school in area when decision was made (1%), and intermarriage (1%).

Formal Jewish Education of Children–Current and Past Attendance

85. According to the Telephone Survey, 67% of Jewish children age 5-12 (excluding Jewish
children age 5 who do not yet attend kindergarten) and 46% of Jewish children age 13-17
currently attend formal Jewish education.
86. 78% of Jewish children age 13-17 have received some formal Jewish education,
including 16% at a Jewish day school.

9
 Major Findings
Informal Jewish Education of Children
87. According to the Telephone Survey, 21% of Jewish children age 3-17 attended or worked
at a Jewish day camp this past summer (the summer of 2009); 19%, a non-Jewish day
camp; and 60% did not attend or work at a day camp.
88. 15% of Jewish children age 6-17 attended or worked at a Jewish overnight camp this past
summer (the summer of 2009); 8%, a non-Jewish overnight camp; and 77% did not attend
or work at an overnight camp.
89. According to the Telephone Survey, 32% of Jewish children age 13-17 participate in a
Jewish teenage youth group.
90. 59% of Jewish children age 0-17 are currently involved in some type of formal or
informal Jewish education.

Jewish Agencies–Familiarity
91. 35% of respondents are very familiar, 42% are somewhat familiar, and 23% are not at all
familiar with the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven (JCC).
92. 24% of respondents are very familiar, 36% are somewhat familiar, and 40% are not at all
familiar with Tower One/Tower East, an assisted living facility.
93. 23% of respondents are very familiar, 37% are somewhat familiar, and 40% are not at all
familiar with Camp Laurelwood.
94. 22% of respondents are very familiar, 38% are somewhat familiar, and 40% are not at all
familiar with the New Haven Jewish Home for the Aged.
95. 21% of respondents are very familiar, 46% are somewhat familiar, and 33% are not at all
familiar with the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven.
96. 18% of respondents are very familiar, 37% are somewhat familiar, and 45% are not at all
familiar with Ezra Academy.
97. 10% of respondents are very familiar, 24% are somewhat familiar, and 66% are not at all
familiar with the Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy.
98. 10% of respondents are very familiar, 35% are somewhat familiar, and 55% are not at all
familiar with the New Haven Jewish Family Service.
99. 23% of respondents in households with Jewish children age 0-17 are very familiar, 34% are
somewhat familiar, and 44% are not at all familiar with MAKOM, an evening Hebrew High
school for teenagers held at the JCC.
100. 90% of respondents are at least somewhat familiar with at least one of the agencies queried.

Jewish Agencies–Perception
101. 38% of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with the Jewish Community
Center of Greater New Haven perceive it as excellent; 48%, good; 12%, fair; and 2%, poor.
102. 37% of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with Tower One/Tower East
perceive it as excellent; 51%, good; 11%, fair; and 2%, poor.
103. 31% of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with Camp Laurelwood
perceive it as excellent; 56%, good; 11%, fair; and 2%, poor.
104. 24% of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with the New Haven Jewish
Home for the Aged perceive it as excellent; 46%, good; 19%, fair; and 11%, poor.
105. 26% of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with the Jewish Federation
of Greater New Haven perceive it as excellent; 54%, good; 18%, fair; and 2%, poor.

10
 Major Findings
106. 34% of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with Ezra Academy perceive
it as excellent; 53%, good; 12%, fair; and 1%, poor.
107. 28% of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with the Southern
Connecticut Hebrew Academy perceive it as excellent; 54%, good; 15%, fair; and 3%, poor.
108. 29% of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with the New Haven Jewish
Family Service perceive it as excellent; 59%, good; 8%, fair; and 4%, poor.
109. 29% of respondents in households with Jewish children age 0-17 who are very familiar or
somewhat familiar with MAKOM perceive it as excellent; 50%, good; 15%, fair; and 6%,
poor.

General Social Service Needs

110. 19% (2,035 households) of households contain a health-limited member, including 7% in
which the member needs daily assistance.
111. 15% (1,628 households) of households needed help in coordinating services for an elderly
or disabled person in the past year.
112. 10% (1,078 households) of households needed marital, family, or personal counseling
in the past year.
113. 3% (308 households) of households needed financial assistance in the past year.
114. 12% (840 households) of households with adults age 18-64 needed help in finding a job
or choosing an occupation in the past year.
115. 12% (274 households) of households with Jewish children age 0-17 needed programs for
Jewish children with learning disabilities or other special needs such as developmental
disabilities in the past year.
116. Most households who received social services in the past year received them from non-
Jewish sources.

Social Service Needs of the Elderly

117. 15% (764 households) of households with elderly persons needed in-home health care in
the past year.
118. 13% (653 households) of households with elderly persons needed senior transportation
in the past year.
119. 6% (293 households) of households with elderly persons needed an assisted living facility
in the past year.
120. 4% (182 households) of households with elderly persons needed home-delivered meals
in the past year.
121. 3% (172 households) of households with elderly persons needed nursing home care in the
past year.
122. 2% (121 households) of households with elderly persons needed adult day care in the past
year.
123. Most households with elderly persons who received social services for the elderly in the past
year received them from non-Jewish sources.

Other Social Service Issues

124. 15% of households in which the respondent is age 40 or over have an elderly relative who
lives outside the respondent’s home and in some way depends upon the household for
care.

11
 Major Findings
125. 44% of households in which the respondent is age 75 or over have at least one adult child
who has established his/her own home in Greater New Haven and 21% have adult
children who have established their own homes outside Greater New Haven but within 90
minutes.
126. 39% of Jewish respondents age 40 and over would very much prefer Jewish-sponsored
adult care facilities; 26% would somewhat prefer them; 32% would have no preference;
and 3% would rather not use them.
127. 7% of respondents under age 50 contacted a professional about adopting a child at some
time.

Israel
128. 50% of households contain a member who visited Israel.
129. 20% of households contain a member who visited Israel on a Jewish trip and 30%, on a
general trip.
130. 6% of households with Jewish children age 0-17 have sent a Jewish child to Israel on a
Jewish trip and 17%, on a general trip.
131. 17% of households with Jewish children age 0-17 will not seriously investigate sending
a Jewish teenager on a trip to Israel.
132. 17% of Jewish respondents are extremely emotionally attached to Israel; 30%, very
attached; 36%, somewhat attached; and 17%, not attached.

Anti-Semitism
133. 14% of Jewish respondents personally experienced anti-Semitism in Greater New Haven
in the past year.
134. 17% of households with Jewish children age 6-17 contain a Jewish child age 6-17 who
experienced anti-Semitism in Greater New Haven in the past year, mainly at school.
135. 7% of respondents perceive a great deal of anti-Semitism in Greater New Haven; 29%, a
moderate amount; 48%, a little; and 16%, none at all.

The Media
136. 19% of Jewish respondents always read Shalom New Haven; 7%, usually; 18%,
sometimes; and 56%, never.
137. 17% of Jewish respondents who always/usually/sometimes read Shalom New Haven
perceive it as excellent; 61%, good; 20%, fair; and 3%, poor.
138. 47% of Jewish respondents used the Internet for Jewish-related information in the past
year.
139. 17% of Jewish respondents used the Internet for information about the Greater New
Haven Jewish community in the past year, including 8% who visited the Jewish
Federation website.

Philanthropic Profile–Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven

140. According to the Telephone Survey, 37% of households donated to the Jewish Federation
of Greater New Haven (JFGNH) in the past year, 48% were not asked to donate, and 15%
were asked but did not donate.
141. 28% of households asked to donate to JFGNH in the past year did not donate.

12
 Major Findings
142. According to the Telephone Survey, 63% of households did not donate to JFGNH in the past
year; 17% donated under $100; 13%, $100-$500; and 7%, $500 and over.
143. According to the Jewish Federation Survey, the JFGNH Annual Campaign raised
$2,894,681 in 2010. The average donation per Jewish household is $263.
144. Not adjusted for inflation, the JFGNH Annual Campaign fluctuated from $2.8-$3.1 million
from 2000-2010. Adjusted for inflation, the JFGNH Annual Campaign decreased by $310,286
from 2005 to 2010 and the average donation per Jewish household increased by $29.
145. 58% of households are on the JFGNH mailing list.

Philanthropic Profile–Other Charities

146. 11% of households donated to Other Jewish Federations (Jewish Federations other than
JFGNH) in the past year.
147. 45% of households donated to Other Jewish Charities (Jewish charities other than Jewish
Federations) in the past year.
148. 55% of households did not donate to Other Jewish Charities in the past year; 18% donated
under $100; 16%, $100-$500; and 11%, $500 and over.
149. 83% of households donated to Non-Jewish Charities in the past year.
150. 17% of households did not donate to Non-Jewish Charities in the past year; 28% donated
under $100; 31%, $100-$500; and 23%, $500 and over.

Philanthropic Profile–Overlapping Donations

151. 60% of households donated to Jewish Charities (Jewish Federations and Other Jewish
Charities) in the past year.
152. 89% of households donated to Any Charity (Jewish and Non-Jewish) in the past year.
153. 16% of households donated to Other Jewish Charities but not to Jewish Federations
in the past year; 14% donated to Jewish Federations but not to Other Jewish Charities; 29%
donated to both Jewish Federations and Other Jewish Charities; and 41% did not donate to
Any Jewish Charity.
154. 29% of households donated to Non-Jewish Charities but not to Jewish Charities in the
past year; 6% donated to Jewish Charities but not to Non-Jewish Charities; 54% donated to
both Jewish Charities and Non-Jewish Charities; and 11% did not donate to Any Charity.

Philanthropic Profile–Market Share

155. Of all charitable dollars donated by Jewish households in the past year, 15% were
donated to the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven (JFGNH); 3%, to Other Jewish
Federations; 28%, to Other Jewish Charities; and 53%, to Non-Jewish Charities.
156. Of all charitable dollars donated by Jewish households in the past year, 47% were donated
to Any Jewish Charity (including JFGNH).
157. Of all charitable dollars donated by Jewish households to Any Jewish Charity in the past
year, 33% were donated to JFGNH.

Philanthropic Profile–Wills
158. 16% of respondents age 50 and over do not have wills; 67% have wills that contain no
charitable provisions; 10% have wills that contain provisions for Jewish Charities; and 8%
have wills that contain provisions for Non-Jewish Charities only.

13
 Major Findings
Philanthropic Profile–Volunteerism
159. 28% of Jewish respondents volunteered for Jewish organizations in the past year and
48%, for non-Jewish organizations.
160. 9% of Jewish respondents volunteered for Jewish organizations but not for non-Jewish
organizations in the past year; 29% volunteered for non-Jewish organizations but not for
Jewish organizations; 19% volunteered for both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations; and
43% did not volunteer for any organizations.

Philanthropic Profile–Attitudes
161. Respondents in households who donated $100 and over to the Jewish Federation of Greater
New Haven (JFGNH), Other Jewish Federations, or Other Jewish Charities in the past year
were asked about the importance of each of several motivations in their decision to
donate to a Jewish organization:
„ providing services for the Jewish elderly (49%, very important; 42%, somewhat
important; 9%, not at all important).
„ providing Jewish education for children (46%, very important; 38%, somewhat
important; 17%, not at all important).
„ helping Jews overseas who are in distress (43%, very important; 49%, somewhat
important; 8%, not at all important).
„ supporting the people of Israel (42%, very important; 45%, somewhat important; 13%,
not at all important).
„ donating to a Jewish organization that helps both Jews and non-Jews (34%, very
important; 46%, somewhat important; 20%, not at all important).
„ providing individual and family counseling for Jews (29%, very important; 48%,
somewhat important; 23%, not at all important).
„ providing social, recreational, and cultural activities for Jews (29%, very important;
55%, somewhat important; 17%, not at all important).
„ supporting educational trips to Israel (25%, very important; 45%, somewhat important;
30%, not at all important).
162. Respondents in households who donated $100 and over to JFGNH in the past year were
asked whether each of several motivations would cause them to donate more to JFGNH.
Respondents would donate more to JFGNH if (they):
„ more of the money went to local needs (35%).
„ were asked by a close friend (30%).
„ had more say over how the money was spent (26%).
„ were asked in person (21%).
„ more of the money went to needs in Israel and overseas (17%).
„ received more recognition for their donation (1%).

14
 Comparisons with Other Jewish Communities
The statements presented below illustrate the most important ways in which Greater New Haven differs from other
Jewish communities. The Main Report contains a complete listing of the comparison Jewish communities to which
Greater New Haven is compared in each of the statements below. The approximate number of comparison Jewish
communities (comparisons) to which Greater New Haven is compared is shown in parentheses. Readers are also
cautioned that the comparison communities completed studies between 1993 and 2010.

Compared to other Jewish communities, Greater New Haven has:

Geographic Profile
1. The 7th highest percentage of households who own their homes (87%, 45 comparisons).
2. The 7th lowest percentage of households in which the respondent is age 50 or over who have
adult children who have established their own homes in the local area (30%,
35 comparisons).

Migration
3. The 2nd lowest percentage of households in residence in the local area for 0-4 years (6%, 45
comparisons).
4.The 8th lowest average number of households who moved to the local area each year during
the past five years (134 households, 45 comparisons).
5. The lowest percentage of households who have lived at their current address for 0-4 years
(14%, 45 comparisons).
6. The highest percentage of households who have lived at their current address for 20 or more
years (38%, 45 comparisons).
7. The 5th lowest percentage of households definitely or probably moving (either within the local
area or out of the local area) within the next three years (12%, 40 comparisons).
8. The 4th lowest percentage of households definitely or probably moving within the local
community (4%, 40 comparisons).

Age Distribution
9.The 5th highest percentage of persons age 50-64 in Jewish households (26%,
45 comparisons).

Household Structure
10. The 4th highest percentage of households with only adult children age 18 and over at home
(13%, 40 comparisons).
11. The 4th lowest percentage of single person households under age 65 (6%, 45 comparisons).
12.The lowest percentage of children age 0-17 in Jewish households who live in households in
which an adult is or was divorced (16%, 35 comparisons).

Level of Secular Education and Employment Status

13.The 5th highest percentage of adults age 25 and over in Jewish households with a four-year
college degree or higher (78%, 45 comparisons).
14. The 3rd highest percentage of adults age 25 and over in Jewish households with a graduate
degree (42%, 45 comparisons).
15.The 6th highest percentage of persons age 65 and over in Jewish households who are
employed (28%, 45 comparisons).

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 Comparisons with Other Jewish Communities
16. The 4th highest percentage of persons age 65 and over in Jewish households who are
employed full time (15%, 40 comparisons).

Household Income
17. The 5th highest median household income ($104,000, 55 comparisons).
18. The 5th highest median household income of households with children ($137,000,
45 comparisons).
19. The 2nd highest percentage of households earning an annual income of $100,000 and over
(52%, 30 comparisons).
20. The 4th highest percentage of households earning an annual income of $200,000 and over
(16%, 25 comparisons).

Com parisons with other com m unities on econom ic factors are com plicated by the significant downturn in the
econom y that com m enced in 2008 and continued through the study period.

Synagogue Attendance
21. The 7th highest percentage of Jewish respondents under age 35 who attend synagogue
services once per month or more (27%, 35 comparisons).

Synagogue Membership
22. The 2nd lowest percentage of households who plan to join a synagogue in the future (11%,
35 comparisons).

JCC Membership
23. The 7th highest percentage of households who participated in or attended a program at, or
sponsored by, the local Jewish Community Center (JCC) in the past year without being a
member of the local JCC (25%, 45 comparison JCCs).

Jewish Education of Children–Preschool/Child Care Program

24. The 3rd highest percentage of Jewish children age 0-5 who attend a non-Jewish
preschool/child care program (40%, 35 comparisons).

Jewish Education of Children–Current and Past Attendance

25. The 3rd lowest percentage of Jewish children age 5-12 who currently attend formal Jewish
education according to the Telephone Survey (67%, 15 comparisons).
26. The 7th lowest percentage of Jewish children age 5-17 who have received some formal
Jewish education (74%, 50 comparisons).

Jewish Agencies–Perception
27. The lowest percentage of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with the
local Jewish nursing home who perceive it as excellent (24%, 25 comparison Jewish
nursing homes).
28. The 2nd lowest percentage of respondents age 65 and over who are very familiar or
somewhat familiar with the local Jewish nursing home who perceive it as excellent (27%,
25 comparison Jewish nursing homes).

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 Comparisons with Other Jewish Communities
29. The 3rd lowest percentage of respondents who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with
one of the local Jewish day schools (Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy) who
perceive it as excellent (28%, 25 comparison Jewish day schools).

General Social Service Needs

30. The 2nd highest percentage of elderly single households who are health limited
(38%, 35 comparisons).
31. The 3rd highest percentage of elderly single households who are health limited and need
daily assistance (12%, 35 comparisons).
32. The 4th highest percentage of households with adults age 18-64 who needed help in finding
a job or choosing an occupation in the past year (12%, 25 comparisons). The New Haven
study occurred during the significant economic downturn that started in 2008.

Social Service Needs of the Elderly

33. The 7th highest percentage of households with elderly persons who needed senior
transportation in the past year (13%, 35 comparisons).
34. The highest percentage of households with elderly persons who needed an assisted living
facility in the past year (6%, 10 comparisons).

Other Social Service Issues

35. The 2nd lowest percentage of Jewish respondents age 40 and over who would very much
prefer Jewish-sponsored adult care facilities (39%, 25 comparisons).
36. The 2nd highest percentage of Jewish respondents age 40 and over who would have no
preference for Jewish-sponsored adult care facilities (32%, 25 comparisons).

Israel
37. The 7th lowest percentage of households in which a member who visited Israel visited on a
Jewish trip (40%, 35 comparisons).
38. The 3rd highest percentage of households with Jewish children age 0-17 who have sent a
Jewish child on a trip to Israel (23%, 40 comparisons).
39. The 3rd highest percentage of households with Jewish children age 0-17 who have sent a
Jewish child to Israel on a general trip (17%, 35 comparisons).
40. The 4th highest percentage of Jewish respondents under age 35 who are extremely or very
emotionally attached to Israel (51%, 30 comparisons).

Anti-Semitism
41. The 4th highest percentage of respondents who do not perceive any anti-Semitism in the
local community (16%, 35 comparisons).

The Media
42. The 5th lowest percentage of Jewish respondents who always/usually read the local Jewish
newspaper (26%, 25 comparisons).
43. The 7th highest percentage of Jewish respondents who never read the local Jewish
newspaper (56%, 35 comparisons)

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 Comparisons with Other Jewish Communities
Philanthropic Profile–Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven
44. The 2nd lowest percentage of households age 35-49 who donated to the Local Jewish
Federation in the past year (18%, 45 comparisons).

Com parisons with other com m unities on philanthropic donations are com plicated by the significant downturn in
the econom y that com m enced in 2008 and continued through the study period.

Philanthropic Profile–Other Charities

45. The 4th lowest percentage of households who donated to Other Jewish Charities (Jewish
charities other than Jewish Federations) in the past year (45%, 40 comparisons).

Philanthropic Profile–Market Share

46. The 7th lowest percentage of all charitable dollars donated by Jewish households in the past
year that were donated to the Local Jewish Federation (15%, 35 comparisons).
47. The 5th highest percentage of all charitable dollars donated by Jewish households in the past
year that were donated to Non-Jewish Charities (53%, 35 comparisons).
48. The 5th lowest percentage of all charitable dollars donated by Jewish households in the past
year that were donated to Any Jewish Charity (47%, 35 comparisons).

Philanthropic Profile–Attitudes
49. The lowest percentage of respondents in households who donated $100 and over to Jewish
Federations or Other Jewish Charities in the past year who consider “providing social
services for the Jewish elderly” to be a very important motivation to donate to a Jewish
organization (49%, 25 comparisons).
50. The 2nd lowest percentage of respondents in households who donated $100 and over to
Jewish Federations or Other Jewish Charities in the past year who consider “providing
Jewish education for children” to be a very important motivation to donate to a Jewish
organization (46%, 25 comparisons).
51. The lowest percentage of respondents in households who donated $100 and over to Jewish
Federations or Other Jewish Charities in the past year who consider “supporting the people
of Israel” to be a very important motivation to donate to a Jewish organization (42%, 25
comparisons).
52. The 2nd lowest percentage of respondents in households who donated $100 and over to
Jewish Federations or Other Jewish Charities in the past year who consider “providing
individual and family counseling for Jews” to be a very important motivation to donate to a
Jewish organization (29%, 20 comparisons).
53. The 2nd lowest percentage of respondents in households who donated $100 and over to
Jewish Federations or Other Jewish Charities who consider “providing social, recreational,
and cultural activities for Jews” to be a very important motivation to donate to a Jewish
organization (29%, 20 comparisons).
54. The 3rd lowest percentage of respondents in households who donated $100 and over to
Jewish Federations or Other Jewish Charities in the past year who consider “supporting
educational trips to Israel” to be a very important motivation to donate to a Jewish
organization (25%, 20 comparisons).

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