OUR STORY CONTINUES HERE.

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1 2015 NASHVILLE AND MIDDLE TENNESSEE JEWISH COMMUNITY STUDY OUR STORY CONTINUES HERE. BE A PART OF THE NEXT CHAPTER CREATING AN EVEN BETTER BEST JEWISH NASHVILLE. Funded by OF NASHVILLE & MIDDLE TENNESSEE MATTHEW BOXER JANET KRASNER ARONSON MATTHEW A. BROOKNER ASHLEY PERRY

2 2016 Brandeis University Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies 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. The Cohen Center is also the home of the Steinhardt Social Research Institute (SSRI). Established in 2005, SSRI uses innovative research methods to collect and analyze sociodemographic data on the Jewish community.

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5 i Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee Acknowledgments The Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee would like to thank all those who contributed their time, talent, input, insight, and expertise in order to make this study as communally beneficial and useful as possible. We are grateful for continued partnership of our congregations, agencies, service providers, and social organizations that provided organizational lists and contributed questions for this study. We know we will all continue to work together as we integrate all that this study contains and respond creatively and collaboratively to strengthen our community. Our Demographic Study Advisory Committee has been significantly involved from the request for proposals to the analysis and at all points in between. Each stage of this process was improved by their contributions. Lori Fishel Randy Gross Carol Hyatt Shaul Kelner Amy Smith Irwin Venick The Federation board has provided the leadership and vision needed to undertake this study. Each officer and board member provided thoughtful direction and wise counsel during the almost two years of this project. We know our board members will continue to be instrumental as we come up with innovative responses to this wealth of data. Carol Hyatt - President Lisa Perlen Vice President Steve Hirsch Treasurer Irwin Venick Secretary Andrew May Immediate Past President Sandy Averbuch Dianne Berry Didi Biesman Daniel Biller Robin Cohen Michael Doochin Lori Fishel Robert Gordon Aron Karabel Rabbi Joshua Kullock Tara Lerner David Levy James Mackler Martin Ted Mayden

6 ii Arthur Perlen Manuel Ben Russ David Schwartz Michael Simon Janet Weismark Fred Zimmerman At every step of the way we relied on the knowledge, skill, and expertise of our research team at the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies and Steinhardt Social Research Institute. Led by Dr. Matt Boxer, each member of this team worked to understand and respond to our community s needs while at the same time maintaining the integrity and excellence of the study. They each individually and collectively made working together a pleasure. Matthew Boxer Janet Krasner Aronson Matthew A. Brookner Ashley Perry The entire staff of the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee contributed questions and valuable input toward this project. Special thanks go to Andrea Crowe, Donor Database Manager, for her diligent work updating and preparing the organizational membership lists. Lisa Smith, Communications and Marketing Specialist, offered her creative talents toward the cover design. Charles Bernsen, Observer Editor, has provided multiple articles and features in order to educate the community through his clear and insightful journalism. We are looking forward to a bright and rich future as we strengthen the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish Community. With appreciation, Mark S. Freedman Executive Director Harriet Schiftan Director of Planning and Partnership

7 iii CMJS/SSRI Acknowledgments The Brandeis research team is grateful to the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee for the opportunity to collaborate to develop and conduct the 2015 Community Study. The study was proposed and sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, whose staff, Board of Directors, and Community Study Committee provided valuable input on the study design, questionnaire, and report. We are, in particular, especially grateful to Executive Director Mark Freedman, Planning and Partnership2Gether Director Harriet Schiftan, and Community Study Committee member Prof. Shaul Kelner. They helped us learn about the community and ensured that our work would be of the highest quality and utility for the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community. We also thank the many respondents who completed the survey. Without their willingness to spend time answering numerous questions about their lives, there could be no study. We are grateful for the efforts of the Survey Research Division (SRD) of the Social Development Research Group at the University of Washington, who served as the call center for this study. Danielle Woodward was our initial point of contact at SRD and oversaw administration of the study. Mary Grassley and Collene Gaolach programmed the survey instrument, and Wilson Chau provided technical support. Special thanks to Lorelei Lin for supervising data collection efforts and to Deborah Cohen for serving as the lead caller for the study. We would also like to thank the many callers who collected data from respondents; the study would not have been possible without them. We would also like to thank Prof. Leonard Saxe, Director of the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies and Steinhardt Social Research Institute, without whose guidance and support this project would not have gone forward. This project also could not have been conducted without the assistance of a large team of our students and colleagues at CMJS/SSRI. We are appreciative and grateful for their efforts. Joel Abramson, a former Community Engagement Associate at the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, provided us with an insider s view of the community. Joseph Lebedew programmed new tools to aid in the statistical analysis. Ethan Aronson, Rebecca Delman, Alexander Dicenso, David Glass, Rebecca Hartman, Leora Kagedan, Eitan King-Levine, Gal Kramer, Devorah Kranz, Molly Moman, Alissa Platcow, Rebecca Rose, Gabriella Shapiro, Sophia Shoulson, and Breanna Vizlakh spent countless hours searching for missing contact information for members of the sample. Molly, Sophia and Gal also helped prepare mailings to contact households selected into the sample. Gal, Ethan, and Breanna also worked tirelessly coding responses to open-ended questions in the survey. David Manchester and Rachel Bernstein assisted in the qualitative coding, provided editorial assistance, and helped develop tables for this report. David also cleaned mailing and membership lists to prepare the survey sample and developed the maps. Sarah Meyer provided editorial assistance and helped with communications and testing of the instrument. We are also grateful to Deborah Grant for her editorial advice and feedback, and to Masha Lokshin and Ilana Friedman for their logistical and editorial support throughout the study.

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9 v Table of Contents Executive Summary... 1 Introduction... 7 About This Study... 7 Who is Jewish for Purposes of This Study?... 7 What is a Jewish Household?... 8 Non-Jews in Jewish Households... 8 Undercounted Populations... 8 How to Read This Report... 8 Involvement Chapter 1. Demographics Jewish Population Estimate Non-Jews in Jewish Households Age and Sex Composition Marital Status and Intermarriage Racial and Sexual Identification Political Views and Identification Educational Attainment Labor Force Participation Income and Standard of Living Chapter 2. Involvement in the Jewish Community Overall Involvement Relationship between Political Orientation and Involvement Relationship between Wealth and Involvement Chapter 3. Religious Identity and Upbringing Jewish Identity of Adults Religion and Parentage of Adults Religion and Parentage of Children Jewish Education of Adults Chapter 4. Geographic Profile Jewish Neighborhoods and Distribution Geographic Distribution by Age Geographic Distribution by Household Type Geographic Distribution by Communal Involvement Place of Origin... 34

10 vi Length of Residence Reasons for Moving to the Area Plans to Move Away Chapter 5. Jewish Social and Communal Ties Meaning of Judaism Jewish Friendship Networks Connection to Jewish Communities Alternative Practices Chapter 6. Synagogue Membership and Ritual Life Synagogue Membership Synagogue Programs Attendance at Religious Services Ritual Practice Chapter 7. Jewish Education of Children Preschool Children PJ Library Formal Jewish Education Informal Jewish Education B nai Mitzvah Chapter 8. Organizations and Program Participation Jewish Organizations Jewish Program Participation Types of Programs Attended Sources of Information Community Strengths Chapter 9. Volunteering and Philanthropy Volunteering Volunteer Causes Reasons for Not Volunteering Charitable Donations Reasons for Donating Bequests Non-Donors Reasons for Not Donating to Jewish Organizations Chapter 10. Israel... 65

11 vii Travel to Israel Connections to Israel Knowledge about Israel Political Views about Israel Community Attention to Israel Chapter 11. Relationships with the Broader Community Antisemitism Separation of Church and State Improved Relationships with Non-Jews Chapter 12. Young Adults Age and Gender Schooling and Employment Living Situation Religious Background Friendships, Dating, and Marriage Program Participation Volunteering and Philanthropy Connections and Attitudes Chapter 13. Health and Social Welfare Health Status, Counseling, and Need for Assistance Preferences for Senior Housing and Social Services Saving for College and Retirement Wealth and Poverty Economic Insecurity Chapter 14. In the Words of Community Members Cohesiveness and Collaboration Warm and Caring Not Feeling Welcomed Concerns for Social Justice Community Needs Looking Toward the Future Notes... 93

12 viii Table of Figures Figure 1.1. Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish Population Estimates, Figure 1.2. Age-Sex Distribution of All People Living in Jewish Households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee (n=685) Figure 1.3. Age-Sex Distribution of Jewish Individuals in Nashville and Middle Tennessee Figure 1.4. Household Involvement by Marriage Type* (n=873) Figure 1.5. Educational Attainment of Jewish Adults in Greater Nashville (n=941, Jewish respondents only) Figure 1.6. Occupations (n=639) Figure 1.7. Self-Reported Standard of Living (n=900) Figure 1.8. Household Income (n=892) Figure 2.1. Indexed Level of Involvement in Jewish Communal Life (n=852) Figure 2.2. Levels of Involvement by Political Orientation (n=841, Jewish respondents only) Figure 2.3. Levels of Involvement by Standard of Living* (n=603) Figure 3.1. Parental Marriage of Children Figure 3.2. Religion in which Children are being Raised by Parental Marriage Type* (n=289) Figure 3.3. Hebrew Literacy by Communal Involvement* (n=871, Jewish respondents only) Figure 4.1. Dot Density Map of Jewish Households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee Figure 5.1. Perceptions of Judaism Figure 5.2. Perceptions of Judaism as a Religion by Communal Involvement* (n=869, Jewish respondents only) Figure 5.3. Proportion of Jewish Friends by Communal Involvement* (n=873, Jewish respondents only) Figure 5.4. Connection to Jewish Life (Jewish respondents only, n=939) Figure 5.5. Connection to Global Jewish Community by Communal Involvement* (Jewish respondents only, n=848) Figure 5.6. Connection to Local Jewish Community* (Jewish respondents only, n=845) Figure 6.1. Shabbat and Kashrut Observance Figure 8.1. Level of Activity by Organization Type (Jewish respondents only) Figure 9.1. Types of Organizations Served (n=536, Jewish respondents only) Figure 9.2. Donations by Organization Type and Communal Involvement* (n= 831, Jewish respondents only) Figure Concern about Antisemitism (Jewish respondents only) Figure Age of Jewish Young Adults (n=178) Figure Educational Attainment of Jewish Young Adults (n=128) Figure Jewish Parentage of Jewish Adults* (n=1,005)... 76

13 ix Figure Importance of Jewish Dating, Marriage, and Children (n=90) Figure Connections with Israel and the Jewish Community (n=164) Table of Tables Table 1.1. Intermarriage Rate for Married Respondents by Age Table 1.2. Racial Identification of Respondents Table 3.1. Jewish Identification of Adults Table 3.2. Denomination of Jewish Adults Table 3.3. Jewish Parentage of Jewish Adults by Age* Table 4.1: Residence of Jewish Adults by Age Table 4.2: Household Types by Location Table 4.3: Communal Involvement of Jewish Households by Residence* Table 4.4: Where Jewish Adults Were Born and Raised Table 4.5: Length of Residence Table 4.6: Reasons for Moving to Nashville and Middle Tennessee Table 4.7. Reasons for Moving Away Table 6.1. Synagogue Program Attendance Table 6.2. Frequency of Attending Services by Involvement* Table 7.1. Proportion of Age-Eligible Jewish Children in Preschool Table 7.2. Reasons for Choosing a Preschool Table 7.3. Proportion of Age-Eligible Jewish Children in Formal Jewish Education Table 7.4. Reasons for Choosing a Jewish Part-Time School Table 7.5. Reasons for Not Enrolling Children in Any Formal Jewish Education Table 7.6. Proportion of Age-Eligible Jewish Children Enrolled in Informal Jewish Education in Past Year Table 7.7. Reasons for Choosing a Jewish Camp (Somewhat or Very Important) Table 7.8. Reasons for Not Enrolling Children in Jewish Camp Table 7.9. Proportion of Age-Eligible Children who Had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah Ceremony Table 8.1. Household Frequency of Attending Jewish and Non-Jewish Programs Table 8.2. Attendance at Special Programs Table 8.3. Attendance by Program Type and Sponsorship Table 8.4. Sources of Information about Jewish Programs Table 9.1. Hours Volunteered in the Past Month Table 9.2. Volunteer Roles by Organization Type Table 9.3. Volunteer Roles by Involvement and Organization Type... 58

14 x Table 9.4. Volunteer Causes Table 9.5. Reasons for Not Volunteering Table 9.6. Amount Donated in Past Year by Communal Involvement* Table 9.7. Donations to Jewish Organizations by Communal Involvement (Jewish respondents only) Table 9.8. Reasons for Donating Table 9.9. Effect of Jewish Sponsorship of Likelihood to Donate to Organizations by Communal Involvement* Table Reasons for Not Donating to Any Organization Table Reasons for Not Donating to JFNMT Table Times Visited Israel by Communal Involvement* Table Connection to Israel by Communal Involvement* Table Friends and Family in Israel* Table Knowledge about Nashville s Connections to Israel Table Dismantling Israeli Settlements in the West Bank Table Status of Jerusalem by Involvement* Table Establishment of a Palestinian State by Involvement Table Experience with Antisemitism in Past Year by Communal Involvement Table Denomination of Jewish Young Adults Table Engagement with Local Jewish Organizations Table Preference for Jewish or Non-Jewish Social Service Providers* Table Confidence about Savings Table Recipients of Public Benefits Table Basic Needs Ever Unmet in Past Year... 84

15 Executive Summary 1 Executive Summary Nashville and Middle Tennessee are home to a slowly but steadily growing community of Jews. At its core, the Jewish community is comprised of a small, tight-knit group of highly involved individuals who participate in many aspects of Jewish life. These individuals tend to be older and more financially secure. On the outskirts of the community are those who do not engage with the Jewish community. Somewhere in between is the majority of the community: somewhat, but not deeply, involved in Jewish communal and religious life. The vast majority of Jews in Nashville and Middle Tennessee define themselves as Jewish by religion, yet the community consists of a mix of those who see their Jewishness in religious, cultural, and ethnic terms. The Jewish community is somewhat older than the national average, derived from the Pew Research Center s 2013 study of the American Jewish population. Yet there is a healthy population of young adults and children. Most preschool-aged children from Jewish households are enrolled in non-jewish day care or preschool programs. If the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community can identify appropriate sites to establish such programs under its own auspices, doing so may provide additional opportunities to engage young Jewish families. A majority of households include married couples. The rate of intermarriage in Nashville and Middle Tennessee is slightly higher than the national average, and intermarried families are somewhat less involved in Jewish life than inmarried ones. Although a plurality of individuals identify as Reform, Nashville and Middle Tennessee is home to a diverse denominational population. Community members appreciate that leaders and clergy from multiple congregations work together to provide a sense of Jewish unity throughout the community, regardless of denomination. The community also includes many deeply rooted Jewish families who have been in the area for many years, if not generations. These long-term residents tend to be more involved in the community and have strong ties to the various Jewish organizations and congregations. One unintended consequence of such tight and long-standing connections, however, is that newcomers and less engaged individuals can find it difficult to integrate, make connections, and become involved in institutions. Infrequent turnover of leadership can also result in resistance to institutional change. Young adults, although less likely to be engaged than other members, express an overwhelming desire to become more involved in local Jewish life. Community members who live farther away from the center of Jewish life are also less likely to be engaged, though this may change if programs were offered in more convenient locations. There are many areas of opportunity for the leadership of Nashville and Middle Tennessee to strengthen and promote an inclusive and thriving community. In addition to engaging young people and geographically remote households, other opportunities lie in welcoming families of interfaith relationships and making them feel more included in the Jewish community. Similarly, reaching out to newcomers and giving them a sense of belonging in the community may help engage this portion of the population. Other segments that will need special attention in the coming years are the economically vulnerable, including the aging populations that are not financially secure going into their retirement, and those that are already having difficulties providing for themselves and their families.

16 2 Executive Summary Key findings of the study include: Community Size There are approximately 11,000 people currently living in approximately 4,700 Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, including 6,500 Jewish adults and 1,500 Jewish children as well as 2,200 non-jewish adults and 800 non-jewish children. The Jewish population in Nashville and Middle Tennessee is transient but stable; approximately the same number of residents is moving into the area as is moving away each year. Demographics The median age of all individuals living in Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee is 48 years; among Jews alone, the median age is 51. The median age of Jewish adults is 57, somewhat older than the national median age of 50 reported by the Pew study. Children aged 17 or younger comprise about one-fifth of the population (21% of all people; 19% of Jewish individuals) Over 90% of Jewish adults identify as Jewish by religion. Overall, three-fifths (60%) of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee include a married couple. Over half of these marriages (56%) are intermarriages, higher than the national average of 44%. Eighty-six percent of Jewish adults have received at least a bachelor s degree, and 54% have received an advanced degree. Thirty-one percent of Jewish households include at least one person who is a Vanderbilt University student, alumnus/alumna, or employee. Involvement in the Community Over 80% of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee have at least some involvement in Jewish communal life, and nearly half (47%) are moderately or highly engaged. Higher proportions of individuals whose level of involvement in Jewish communal life is low or moderate identify as politically conservative compared to those who are highly involved or not formally involved. Religious Identification Among Nashville and Middle Tennessee s Jewish adults, about three-quarters were raised Jewish by two Jewish parents. Just over half (54%) of Jewish children are currently being raised by two Jewish parents. Among children of intermarried parents, 40% are being raised exclusively Jewish, either by religion or by culture. The largest share (47%), however, are being raised with no religion or by parents who have not yet decided on the religion of the children. Only 13% of children of intermarriage are being raised as two religions or not as Jews. Nearly half of the Jewish adults in the Nashville and Middle Tennessee area (45%) are Reform. About one-quarter (24%) are Conservative, and another quarter (24%) are secular or cultural Jews, or just Jewish. Six percent identify as Orthodox.

17 Executive Summary 3 Geographic Profile Approximately 74% of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee live in Davidson County, another 16% are in Williamson County, and the remainder are in the surrounding area. In Williamson County, 49% of Jewish households have children, compared to 24% in Davidson County and 21% in the rest of the region. Highly involved Jewish adults are most likely to live in Davidson County; almost 60% of Jewish individuals in Davidson County are moderately or highly involved compared to just over 40% in Williamson County and 20% in the rest of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Jewish Social and Community Ties Many members of the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community consider it to be warm and welcoming, including to families comprised of interfaith or same-sex couples. Almost all (89%) Jewish adults report that at least some of their friends are Jewish. Synagogues and Ritual Life Over three-quarters (82%) of households have been to one or more programs organized by a local synagogue in the past year. Members of the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community frequently attend programs organized by synagogues to which they do not belong. For each congregation, between one-quarter (27%) and two-thirds (64%) of program attendees were not members of that synagogue, and about one-quarter of synagogue-based program attendees (28%) did not belong to any local synagogue. Less than half (42%) of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee belong to at least one local synagogue, which is comparable to the national rate of synagogue affiliation of 39%. A small proportion (5%) of households belong to more than synagogue. Almost half (48%) of those living in the area for more than ten years belong to a local synagogue, compared to 31% of recent residents. Nearly all (90%) of the highly involved belong to at least one local synagogue, and nearly one-quarter belong to multiple synagogues. Hanukkah candles are lit in 86% of households and 81% of households participate in a Passover seder. Half (49%) light Shabbat candles at least sometimes, and 16% usually or always. By comparison, the 2013 Pew study reported that only about 70% of Jews nationally attended a seder in the previous year and 23% usually or always lit Shabbat candles. Jewish Education Over half (55%) of preschool-aged Jewish children are enrolled in non-jewish preschools, compared to 31% in Jewish preschools. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of children of intermarried parents attend non-jewish preschools, and 22% attend Jewish preschools. The fit of the program to the child s needs and the program s quality were the most important considerations for choosing a preschool or formal childcare program. Nearly half (46%) of age-eligible families participate in the PJ Library program. About 10% of age-eligible Jewish children are enrolled in the Akiva School, and 55% are enrolled in a part-time school.

18 4 Executive Summary Nearly half (43%) of part-time school parents considered other schools before selecting the one in which they ultimately enrolled their children. Among all girls aged 12 and older or boys aged 13 and older, just over half (53%) have celebrated, or intend to celebrate, a bar or bat mitzvah. Organizations and Program Participation About one-quarter (23%) of Jewish households say they are members of the Gordon Jewish Community Center, but among these, 13% do not pay dues. Another quarter (28%) report that they are former members. Synagogues are the primary institutions through which the largest share of community members participate in the organized Jewish community. Community members learn about programs primarily from the Jewish Observer (66%) and from family and friends (63%). More than half of Jewish adults attended the Chanukah Festival (56%) and the Nashville Jewish Film Festival (55%). Members appreciate how synagogues, the GJCC, the Federation, and other local organizations collaborate. Volunteering and Philanthropy Half of Jewish adults in the community volunteered for any organization in the month before completing the survey, including 61% of synagogue members and 62% of Vanderbiltaffiliated adults. Just over one-quarter of Jewish adults (28%) volunteered for Jewish organizations in the month prior to completing the survey, including 84% of adults who are highly involved in the Jewish community, 47% of synagogue members, and 38% of Vanderbilt-affiliated adults. Almost all (95%) Jewish adults made a charitable donation other than membership dues to any charity in the past year; 72% donated to at least one Jewish organization. About one-third of non-donors said they did not find a cause that was right for them, and about one-third said they made no donation because no one asked. Israel Half (51%) of Nashville and Middle Tennessee s Jewish community members have been to Israel, including 21% who have visited more than once; by contrast, 43% of all American Jews have been to Israel, including 23% who have visited more than once. Nashville and Middle Tennessee s Jewish community feels more strongly connected to Israel than the national population. In the Pew study, the proportion who said they were very much connected to Israel was 32%; in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, the proportion is 42%. Half of Nashville and Middle Tennessee s Jewish community seek news about Israel at least weekly; 22% seek news about Israel at least daily. Almost half (44%) of Jewish adults are aware that Nashville has a community shlicha, or Israeli emissary. One-third (32%) of Jewish adults believe Nashville has a JAFI Partnership Region in Israel. Approximately 19% correctly identified this area as Hadera-Eiron.

19 Executive Summary 5 Relationships with the Broader Community A small proportion of adult Jews (15%) report personally experiencing antisemitism in the past year. A particular concern of local community members was the separation of church and state, most notably in the public school system. Young Adults Young adults (those aged without children) are more likely to identify as secular or culturally Jewish, or just Jewish than the overall population (31% vs. 24%). Younger adults are split on the community s efforts to reach out to their demographic. Some feel more work is needed, while others believe that the offered programs, particularly NowGen, are strengths of the community. Nearly all (94%) expressed interest in greater involvement in the community. Jewish young adults feel more connected to the worldwide Jewish community (63% somewhat or very much ) than they do the local Jewish community (33%). Health and Social Welfare Two-thirds (66%) of adults would be more inclined to use social services offered by a Jewish organization. Highly affiliated Jewish adults express stronger preference (78%) for Jewish providers of social services than do unaffiliated adults (40%). A not insignificant percentage of households, 11%, have had to cut back on basic needs in the past year including skipping or cutting the size of meals, not getting a prescription filled for medication, or missing at least one rent or mortgage payment as a result of financial circumstances. The Jewish community of Nashville and Middle Tennessee may be affluent as a whole, but a substantial proportion of the community is economically vulnerable and would benefit from additional assistance. In the Words of Community Members Those who live farther from Nashville, newcomers, and those who are less financially secure appear to have the most trouble integrating into the mainstream of the community. Community members appreciate that all of the local synagogues work together and collaborate in programming and in welcoming nonmembers.

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21 Introduction 7 Introduction The central goals of the present study of the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community are to help Jewish agencies in Nashville and Middle Tennessee learn about the size and demographic characteristics of their community; interest in and utilization of programs and services; synagogue and other organizational affiliations; and a wide array of additional topics that inform communal planning and resource allocation. The data from this study, provided by respondents from 1,015 Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee who completed a survey, will assist local Jewish organizations to make informed decisions about strategic priorities, the effectiveness of communal initiatives, and the future direction of the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community. With the data in hand, Jewish organizations will be better equipped to understand the community s needs and challenges and plan effectively for the next decade. About This Study This study follows a long-standing tradition of efforts to describe and understand the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community. Several previous population studies have been conducted; full reports are available for studies conducted in 1982, 1988, 1993, and The 2015 study was initiated and funded by the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee (JFNMT). Several goals were articulated for the study: - To estimate the size and geographic distribution of the Jewish community - To examine community members involvement in the organized Jewish community - To assess community members current demographic, social, and economic characteristics JFNMT contracted with the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS)/Steinhardt Social Research Institute (SSRI) at Brandeis University to conduct the study. Informed by previous research and in consultation with the Federation and its community study technical committee, CMJS/SSRI developed a research strategy and survey instrument to address the community s needs. In consultation with the Federation, the geographic focus of this study included the Jewish population of Cheatham, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties. Although our focus was limited to this seven-county area, any respondent who claimed membership in the Jewish community of Nashville and Middle Tennessee was included in the study. Who is Jewish for Purposes of This Study? Defining who is or is not Jewish is one challenge in producing a Jewish population estimate for any community. Those who say that Judaism is their religion comprise just one segment of the Jewish people. As the 2013 Pew study of the American Jewish population 1 illustrated, Judaism is recognized not only as a religion, but also as an ethnicity. Although most Jews in the United States and in Nashville and Middle Tennessee identify as Jews by religion (JBR), many others claim a Jewish identity not through religion (JNR) but through ancestry, ethnicity, or culture. Following Pew, we treat as Jews both those who identify as Jews by religion and those who identify as Jews not by religion. 2 We also include as Jews those who say they are both Jewish and something else. These individuals, frequently the adult children of intermarried parents, think of themselves as Jews and are

22 8 Introduction considered Jewish by the organized Jewish community in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Although the Pew study did not count such people, this study includes them in the Jewish population estimate. Similarly, children might be identified as Jewish if they are being raised exclusively Jewish, Jewish and another religion, or in no particular faith by Jewish parents. Accordingly, the total population estimate is derived from the sum of the JBR, JNR, and mixed Jewish adult population, plus the total number of children being raised Jewish in any way or in no particular religion by JBR, JNR, or mixed Jewish parents. Children whose parents have not yet decided how to raise them are also included in the population estimate. What is a Jewish Household? For the purposes of this study, a Jewish household was defined as any household in which at least one adult (aged 18 or older) who usually resides in the household considers him- or herself to be Jewish. One could consider one s self Jewish by religion or by some other means (e.g., culturally, ethnically, by descent, etc.). Respondents who indicated there were no Jewish adults in the household were screened out of the survey. Non-Jews in Jewish Households Not everyone who lives in a Jewish household was considered Jewish. Any respondent who selfidentified as a Jew and any adults identified by respondents as Jews were counted, while respondents who did not identify as Jewish in any way and adults identified by respondents as non-jews were not counted. If there were any children in the household, the respondent was asked if they were being raised exclusively as Jews, Jewish and something else, exclusively as non-jews, in no religion, or if the parents had yet to decide. Children who were identified as Jewish or Jewish and something else, as well as children whose parents were raising them in no religion or who had not decided how to raise them, were counted as Jewish for the purposes of this study. Undercounted Populations The goal of any community study is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the Jewish population. Nevertheless, some groups are likely to be undercounted and/or underrepresented. In particular, residents of hospitals, nursing homes, dormitories on college campuses, or other institutional settings, as well as adults who do not associate in any way with any Jewish organization in Nashville and Middle Tennessee are less likely to have been identified and contacted to complete the survey. We do not believe, however, that these undercounts introduce significant bias into the reported estimates. To the extent that these segments of the population are underrepresented, they are likely to resemble most closely those individuals who are least involved in the organized Jewish community. How to Read This Report Household surveys are designed to represent the views of an entire community by interviewing a randomly selected sample of households that stands in for segments of the community. In order to extrapolate survey data to the population as a whole, the data are adjusted using a technique called weighting. This technique adjusts each respondent s answers for the probability of having been

23 Introduction 9 selected at random into the survey, the probability of participating in the survey given selection, and known features of the population, yielding what is known as weighted data. Each individual response is weighted to represent a proportion of the overall population bearing certain characteristics. The weighted response thus stands in for the segment of the population and not only the household from which it was collected. (See Appendix A for more detail.) 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 the entire population been surveyed. In any report about a survey, 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 derived from data collected from a representative sample of the population, there is a degree of uncertainty. The amount of uncertainty depends on many 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. (See Appendix A for details about the magnitude of the confidence intervals around estimates in this study.) When size estimates of subpopulations (e.g., synagogue members, intermarried families, families with children) are provided, they are calculated as the weighted number of households or individuals for which the respondents provided sufficient information to classify them as members of the subgroup. When data are missing (e.g., synagogue membership, age, number of children), those respondents are counted as if they are not part of the subgroups for purposes of estimation. For this reason, all subpopulation estimates may undercount information on those least likely to complete the survey or to answer particular questions. Missing information cannot reliably be imputed in many such cases because the other information that could serve as a basis to impute data is also missing. In all such cases, the proportion used to estimate a subpopulation size is reported in the text and the proportion of actual responses is provided in a footnote. Tables and figures throughout the report refer to the number of respondents who answered the relevant question (n=#). Where comparisons are made between subgroupings within the population, statistically significant differences are noted with an asterisk (*) next to the title or relevant variable label, indicating that those differences are likely to reflect actual differences between groups rather than differences observed by random chance. When an observed difference between groups is statistically significant, it is unlikely that the distribution of the variable in question between the groups happened by chance. Following the standard practice of social science research, this report relies on a standard of 5% or less chance of error (i.e., p<.05), which means we can be 95% confident that findings of differences between subgroups for a particular variable are not the product of chance but rather a result of actual differences between the subgroups. Some tables and figures that present proportions do not add up to 100%. In some cases, this is a result of respondents having the option to select more than one response to a question; in such cases, the text of the report will indicate that multiple responses were possible. In most cases,

24 10 Introduction however, the appearance that proportional estimates do not add up to 100% is a result of rounding. All proportional estimates are rounded to the nearest whole number. The quantitative analysis in this report is supplemented and enriched by summaries of free-text comments provided by respondents to open-ended questions in the survey. These comments are not weighted to represent the full population. Instead, they are categorized and the approximate number of respondents who gave each response is reported (n=#). Some quotes from open-ended responses are included throughout the report. Quotes were chosen based on how well they represented sentiments expressed by a minimum of nine other community members, though sentiments expressed by fewer respondents are paraphrased in some places. Some responses were edited for clarity or to protect respondents privacy; otherwise they are presented verbatim in order to capture the thoughts and feelings of community members as they expressed them. Involvement Much of this report is framed by an involvement variable, which divides Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee into four categories based on their level of involvement in the Jewish community across three key dimensions: organizational involvement, program attendance, and altruistic behavior. - Respondents were asked to describe the degree to which they were involved in any synagogue, JFNMT or its Community Relations Committee (CRC), any Jewish school or camp, any Israel-related organization, and any other membership-based Jewish organization. Possible responses were not at all, a little, somewhat, and very much, coded with numeric values of 1, 2, 3, and 4. For each respondent who provided sufficient data, the average of the values for synagogue involvement, JFNMT/CRC involvement, and the highest of the remaining items were computed. Scores below 2 were coded as low organizational involvement, scores of at least 2 but less than 3 were coded as moderate organizational involvement, and scores of at least 3 were coded as high organizational involvement. - Respondents were asked how frequently they attended programs in the Jewish community in the past year. Those who said they attended either no programs or one or two programs were coded as having low program involvement, those who attended every few months or about once a month were coded as having moderate program involvement, and those who said they attended two or three times a month or more were coded as having high program involvement. - Respondents were asked if they had volunteered for Jewish organizations in the past month and if they made any charitable donations (other than membership dues) to Jewish organizations in the past year. Those who said they neither volunteered for nor donated to Jewish organizations were coded as having low altruistic involvement, those who did one or the other were coded as having moderate altruistic involvement, and those who did both were coded as having high altruistic involvement. An index was constructed from these three forms of involvement in the Jewish community. For each form of involvement, respondents who scored low were given one point, those who scored moderate were given two points, and those who scored high were given three points. When scores across each form of involvement were added up, respondents could have scores between

25 Introduction 11 three and nine points. Respondents with an index score of 3 were coded as having no formal involvement in the organized Jewish community. Scores of 4 were coded as having low formal involvement in the organized Jewish community; scores of 5 and 6 were coded as moderate involvement; and scores of 7, 8, and 9 were coded as high involvement. These categories are used throughout the report to help identify key differences between households that are deeply engaged in Jewish communal life, those who eschew traditional communal involvement, and those who fall somewhere in the middle.

26 12 Introduction

27 Chapter 1: Demographics 13 Jewish Population Estimate The overall estimate of the Jewish population of Nashville and Middle Tennessee can be measured as the number of households that identify as Jewish in any way or the number of people living in those households who are Jewish. It is estimated that as of 2015, there are approximately 8,000 Jews living in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, including 6,500 adults and 1,500 children. The size of the community is seen as a strength for many of its members (n=59). For those who come from a place with no Jews, Nashville is a large and diverse community Chapter 1. Demographics Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish Community Population Estimates, 2015 Adults 8,700 Jewish 6,500 Non-Jewish 2,200 Children 2,300 Jewish 1,500 Non-Jewish 800 Total people living in Jewish households 11,000 Total Jews 8,000 Total households 4,700 that is able to support multiple congregations and diversity of views. Those who hail from larger cities feel that the small size helps people to become connected. 3 One wrote, We re bonded because we are still such a minority in the area. [I have] never been more Jewish until I moved to Nashville. Another commented that It isn t easy to be Jewish in Tennessee, so those that are Jewish have determination. One member described the community as follows: Even though the Jewish community is small in numbers it is a very active and connected community in Nashville life as a whole. Nashville may be the buckle of the bible belt, but I have found the people very open to Jewish people and inclusive. Most of the Jews in Nashville are affiliated with a Temple and are very committed to Judaism as opposed to Los Angeles where there are lots of Jews but few are affiliated. Figure 1.1 illustrates the growth of the Jewish community of Nashville and Middle Tennessee over the past 33 years. The data in the figure are based on information gathered from the American Jewish Year Book and previous community studies. Population estimates are shown for years in which studies were conducted. Although a community study was conducted in 1993, a population estimate was not offered at that time. The 2002 population study estimate and the 2010 estimate from the American Jewish Year Book have been adjusted to reflect what are believed to be more accurate assessments of the size of the local Jewish community.

28 14 Chapter 1: Demographics Figure 1.1. Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish Population Estimates, ,000 8,000 7,000 8,000 6,000 5,000 4,983 5,490 4,000 3,000 2,000 1, The 2002 study reported an estimate of 7,826 Jewish individuals living in 4,022 households. On the surface, these figures make it appear that the number of households has grown substantially in the past 13 years, while the population itself has remained stagnant. In fact, however, we suspect that the population has grown significantly. As explained in the How to Read This Report section, all estimates reported in community studies exist within confidence intervals. The confidence intervals reported from the 2002 study suggest that the number of Jews may have been as low as 4,809 or as high as 12,589, and the number of Jewish households may have been as low as 2,565 or as high as 5,462. Based on other estimates reported from the 2002 study, most notably synagogue membership, which we were able to compare with archival records of the number of household units that were members of each of the local synagogues in 2002, we believe the reported estimates in 2002 were high though within the reported confidence intervals. Our projection as to the true population estimate for 2002 is between 6,500 and 7,000 Jews living in between 3,300 and 3,600 households. Accordingly, we believe the Jewish population of Nashville and Middle Tennessee has grown since 2002 by between about 14% and 23%. Non-Jews in Jewish Households Not everyone living in a Jewish household is Jewish. Largely due to the prevalence of intermarriage 4 among many members of the Jewish community (see below), many Jews have non-jewish family members. An additional 2,200 non-jewish adults and 800 non-jewish children live in Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. These 3,000 individuals bring the total population of people living in Jewish households in the region to approximately 11,000 people, including 8,700 adults and 2,300 children.

29 Chapter 1: Demographics 15 Jewish adults are classified as either Jewish by religion (JBR; they respond that they are Jewish when asked about their religious identity) or Jewish by means other than religion (JNR; they consider themselves to be Jewish through their ethnic or cultural background rather than their religious identity, or they consider themselves to be Jewish and another religion). Non-Jewish adults either claimed not to be Jewish in any way; said they had Jewish background (one or more of their parents are/were Jewish) but did not identify as Jewish in any way; or said they were Jewish but were not born to Jewish parents, were not raised Jewish, and did not convert. Over 90% of Jewish adults in the sample identified as Jewish by religion. Age and Sex Composition The population pyramids displayed in Figures 1.2 and 1.3 suggest a Jewish population that largely follows population trends for the United States as a whole, 5 with large cohorts of Baby Boomers (born ; aged in 2015), smaller cohorts from Generation X (born ; aged in 2015), and renewed growth from Millennials (born ). Overall, the non-jews living in Jewish households tend to be slightly younger than the Jews. The median age of all people Jewish and non-jewish, adults and children living in Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee is 48 years; for Jews alone, the median age is 51. The median age of all adults in the Jewish community is 54 years; for Jewish adults only, the median age is 57, somewhat older than the national median age of 50 reported by the Pew study. 6 Children aged 17 or younger comprise about one-fifth of the population (21% of all people; 19% of Jewish individuals), a slightly smaller share of the population than those aged 65 or older (21% of all people; 24% of Jewish individuals). By comparison, for the seven-county study area as a whole, 22% of white individuals 7 are children aged 17 or younger, compared with 13% of white individuals aged 65 or older. About one-quarter (27%) of households currently include children aged 17 or younger, another quarter (26%) consist entirely of adults aged 65 or older, and another 9% are made up entirely of young adults between the ages of 18 and 34. Overall, the age-sex pyramids suggest that the rate of natural increase 8 is such that the Jewish community of Nashville and Middle Tennessee can expect to grow at a slow pace or remain about the same size in the coming years. However, the size of the Jewish community is likely tied to prevailing regional economic conditions. If the economy is strong, the community will grow more; if it is weak, the community will likely shrink. The overall gender composition of the community is about 52% female and 48% male. A small number of individuals genders were identified as something besides male or female.

30 16 Chapter 1: Demographics Figure 1.2. Age-Sex Distribution of All People Living in Jewish Households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee (n=685) to to to to to to to to 17 0 to 9 8% 7% 7% 5% 4% 3% 5% 5% 2% 1% 1% 3% 3% 7% 7% 5% 7% 6% 5% 9% Male Female Figure 1.3. Age-Sex Distribution of Jewish Individuals in Nashville and Middle Tennessee to to to to to to to to 17 0 to 9 10% 8% 2% 3% 5% 4% 3% 4% 5% 5% 1% 3% 7% 7% 4% 6% 3% 5% 4% 10% Male Female Marital Status and Intermarriage Inmarriage is traditionally a leading indicator of engagement with Judaism and the Jewish community. Compared to intermarried Jewish adults, inmarried Jewish adults typically have stronger ties to the organized Jewish community, are more likely to raise their children as Jews and provide them with Jewish educational experiences, had more exposure to Jewish educational programs themselves as children, and are more religiously observant.

31 Chapter 1: Demographics 17 Overall, nearly two-thirds (60%) of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee include a married couple. 9 Over half of these marriages (56%) are intermarriages, higher than the national average of 44%. 10 There is also a significant difference by age; the intermarriage rate for Jews aged 65 or older is 36%, compared with 64% for those aged 64 or younger. Less than half (42%) of all intermarried households have children under 18. Table 1.1. Intermarriage Rate for Married Respondents by Age Age Intermarried % % % % Overall 56% Note: weighted estimates, n=626 Households with an intermarried couple tend to be far less involved in the organized Jewish community than are households with inmarried couples. One-third (35%) of inmarried households are highly involved in the community, compared to only four percent of intermarried households (Figure 1.4). The difference is particularly stark in synagogue membership: three-quarters (76%) of inmarried households belong to a synagogue, compared to one-fifth (22%) of intermarried households. Figure 1.4. Household Involvement by Marriage Type* (n=873) 100% 80% 17% 35% 4% 17% 60% 40% 32% 38% 39% 44% High affiliation Moderate affiliation Low affiliation No affiliation 20% 0% 21% 35% 12% 5% Unmarried Inmarried Intermarried Racial and Sexual Identification Although the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community is very diverse in some ways, it is relatively homogeneous in others. Community members were asked to describe their race as white, black or African American, Asian or Asian American, or something else, with the possibility for selecting as many of these options as they liked. They were also asked if they identified as Hispanic,

32 18 Chapter 1: Demographics Latino, or of Spanish origin, such as Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban. Nearly everyone identified as white or Caucasian. The two most commonly selected racial identities other than white were Hispanic (2%) and something else (3%), though the latter category consisted mostly of adults who preferred to identify racially as Jewish or human race. Table 1.2. Racial Identification of Respondents Race White (n=944) 96% Black or African American (n=944) <1% Asian or Asian American (n=944) <1% Something else (n=944) 3% Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin (n=937) 2% Note: weighted estimates, Jewish respondents only About 6% of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee include someone who identifies as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Although it is difficult to determine precisely how many Jewish adults identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, the proportion appears to be about 3-4%, on par with Nashville as a whole. 11 Additionally, 15% of those who do not identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual say they have a close family member who does. Political Views and Identification Overall, the Jews of Nashville and Middle Tennessee tend to identify as politically liberal. Individuals identified as liberal or very liberal by nearly a four-to-one margin over those who identified as conservative or very conservative (55% vs. 15%). By a nearly identical margin, Jewish adults were more likely to identify with the Democratic Party over the Republican Party (54% vs. 16%). Many who did not identify with either major party indicated that they supported part of each party s platform or that they voted by candidate rather than party (n=21); a few specifically indicated that they were disillusioned with politics altogether. Educational Attainment Jewish residents of Nashville and Middle Tennessee display patterns of very high educational attainment. Overall, 86% of Jewish adults had received at least a bachelor s degree, and 54% had received an advanced degree. 12 These figures are significantly higher than the national average of 58% of Jews with at least a bachelor s degree, including 28% with an advanced degree. 13 By comparison, only 37% of white residents 14 aged 25 and older in the seven-county study area have at least a bachelor s degree, including 12% with advanced degrees. 15 The discrepancy might be partially explained by the high proportion of Jewish households including at least one person who graduated from or currently studies at Vanderbilt University, or who works for the university or its associated Medical Center. Nearly one-third (31%) of households include at least one such person.

33 Chapter 1: Demographics 19 Figure 1.5. Educational Attainment of Jewish Adults in Greater Nashville (n=941, Jewish respondents only) High school or less, 2% Some college, 11% Doctorate or professional, 26% Master's degree, 29% Bachelor's degree, 32% Labor Force Participation Over three-quarters of Jewish adults are currently working, with 58% having full-time jobs and 12% having part-time jobs. About one-in-five (20%) adults are retired. The highly affiliated are less likely to be working full-time (48%) and more likely to be retired (26%); the difference in available leisure time may explain in part the deeper involvement in Jewish life. Of the 12% of individuals currently looking for work, just over half are either unemployed or are working part-time. Throughout the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area, the unemployment rate is currently 4.3%, and nationally the rate as of October 2015 was 5%. 16 Jewish community members hold jobs in a large number of fields. Figure 1.6 shows the proportions employed in the most common sectors.

34 20 Chapter 1: Demographics Figure 1.6. Occupations (n=639) Other, 25% Legal, 7% Medicine/healthcare, 17% Social services and non-profit, 13% Science, technology, engineering, 8% Education, 13% Business and finance, 17% Other fields of employment include arts and entertainment (n=21), administration (n=16), and sales (n=15). Income and Standard of Living Overall, the Jewish community of Nashville and Middle Tennessee is relatively affluent. About 85% describe their household s standard of living as prosperous or at least comfortable, and very few describe themselves as poor or nearly poor (2%; see Figure 1.7); more detailed information about economically vulnerable households will be presented in the Health and Social Welfare section of this report. Figure 1.7. Self-Reported Standard of Living (n=900) Nearly poor, 2% Just getting along, 13% Prosperous, 8% Living reasonably comfortably, 42% Living very comfortably, 35%

35 Chapter 1: Demographics 21 Income information is generally less reliable than perceived standard of living because about onequarter of respondents (27%) declined to provide their household income. However, those respondents who did provide their income suggest that the Jewish community is significantly more affluent by this measure than their neighbors in the surrounding community. Of respondents who reported their income, half (50%) reported household income of $100,000 or more in 2014 (Figure 1.8). Ten percent reported incomes lower than $25,000. By contrast, among all households in the seven-county study area with white householders, 17 only one-quarter (25%) had household incomes of $100,000 or more in 2013, the most recent year for which data are available, and 18% had household incomes lower than $25, Figure 1.8. Household Income (n=892) >$200,000, 24% < $25,000, 10% $25,000 - $49,999, 13% $150,000 - $199,999, 9% $100,000 - $149,999, 17% $50,000 - $74,999, 15% $75,000 - $99,999, 12%

36 22 Chapter 1: Demographics

37 Chapter 2: Involvement in the Jewish Community 23 Chapter 2. Involvement in the Jewish Community As previously described, much of this report will be framed by the degree to which Jewish households are actively involved in Jewish life in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. For purposes of this study, households and individuals have been arranged into four levels of involvement in the organized Jewish community: no, low, moderate, and high involvement. Levels of involvement were calculated based on affiliations with a membership-based Jewish organization, such as a synagogue, or any Jewish school or camp; frequency of attendance at programs in the Jewish community; volunteering for Jewish organizations in the past month; and making charitable donations to Jewish organizations. The scores from these indicators were combined and levels of involvement assigned based on a pre-established rubric. No involvement means that these households had the lowest scores possible in each of these areas. A more detailed description of how these levels were calculated can be found in the Introduction to this report. Not all of those who actively engage in Jewish communal life have similar interests and needs. Serving the whole community requires an understanding of these differences. This section explores some of the differences in involvement in the Jewish community. In the sections that follow, a number of examples illustrate salient differences in the interests and needs of members of the community who get involved at different levels. Overall Involvement Based on an index described in the introduction to this report (page 10), over 80% of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee are involved in some way in Jewish communal life, and nearly half (47%) are moderately or highly engaged. This is consistent with previous research suggesting that relatively small Jewish communities often have high rates of involvement in Jewish communal life among their members. 19 Figure 2.1. Indexed Level of Involvement in Jewish Communal Life (n=852) High, 18% None, 18% Moderate, 29% Low, 35%

38 24 Chapter 2: Involvement in the Jewish Community Relationship between Political Orientation and Involvement Figure 2.2 illustrates the relationship between political orientation and Jewish communal involvement among Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jews. Notably, there are higher proportions of individuals who identify as conservative or very conservative among those whose level of involvement in Jewish communal life is low or moderate than among those who are highly involved. The proportions of political moderates are highest among those who are either not involved or highly involved. Figure 2.2. Levels of Involvement by Political Orientation (n=841, Jewish respondents only) 100% 80% 16% 18% 18% 10% 60% 40% 38% 47% 37% 34% 20% 0% 39% 20% 25% 42% 12% 17% 13% 7% 4% 3% 2% No involvement Low involvement Moderate involvement High involvement Very conservative Conservative Moderate Liberal Very liberal Relationship between Wealth and Involvement Households that are more involved in the community tend to be more financially prosperous than those that are uninvolved, with nearly three-fifths (58%) of highly involved households saying they are prosperous or very comfortable compared to just one-quarter of uninvolved households. To some extent this reflects the cost of Jewish involvement, including membership in organizations and costs of Jewish education. Highly involved adults are older and have lived in the community longer, factors that tend to contribute to increased wealth and stability as well as to connections to the community. In addition, households with lower incomes may have less free time for participation in voluntary activities than wealthier households.

39 Chapter 2: Involvement in the Jewish Community 25 Figure 2.3. Levels of Involvement by Standard of Living* (n=603) 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 25% 23% 54% 20% Prosperous 23% 41% 1% 13% Living comfortably 15% 28% 34% 23% Living reasonably comfortably 10% 10% 33% 29% 50% 28% Just getting along 23% 17% Nearly poor/poor High involvement Moderate involvement Low involvement No involvement Several people commented on their perception that leadership in the community was limited to the wealthiest members. For example, one respondent wrote: Even though it has grown greatly over the last several decades and is more inclusive, there still seems to be an atmosphere of not being as welcoming as it should be, especially towards those not in higher income situations. Although more is being done to encourage people to be more active, I believe that leadership roles are still heavily governed by the ability to donate money and not nearly as much on other commitments such as time and skills. Indeed, the category with the greatest share of the highly involved is prosperous. Nevertheless, over half of those who say they are prosperous live in moderately involved households.

40 26 Chapter 2: Involvement in the Jewish Community

41 Chapter 3: Religious Identity and Upbringing 27 Chapter 3. Religious Identity and Upbringing Jewish identity can be measured in a variety of ways and begins with a positive affirmation of Judaism as a religion or an ethnic identity. In some cases, adults with no Jewish upbringing identify as Jewish if they marry a Jewish spouse, even in the absence of converting. In recent years, adults who are the children of intermarried parents have become more likely to identify as Jewish, whether or not they also identify with another religion. These trends illustrate the complex nature of Jewish identity as the result of parentage, upbringing, Jewish education, and choices in adulthood. Among Nashville and Middle Tennessee s Jewish adults, about three-quarters were raised Jewish by two Jewish parents. Just over half (54%) of Jewish children are being raised by two Jewish parents. Among children of intermarried parents, 40% are being raised exclusively Jewish, by religion or by culture. The largest share (47%), however, are being raised with no religion or the parents have not yet decided on the religion of the children. Just 4% of children of intermarried parents are being raised in another religion. Jewish Identity of Adults Adults in the community were classified based on responses to two questions about religion: 1) What is your religion, if any? and 2) Aside from religion, do you consider yourself Jewish? In addition, adults were asked if either of their parents were Jewish and in what religion they were raised. Adults who indicated their religion was Jewish and had Jewish parents, were raised Jewish, or converted were classified as Jewish by religion (JBR). Nearly all Jewish adults (93%) in the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish community were identified as JBR (Table 3.1). Adults who indicated they had no religion but considered themselves Jewish and had Jewish upbringing were considered Jewish not by religion (JNR). Just 4% of Jewish adults identified in the survey are JNR. It is not clear if the proportion is so low because JNRs were simply not recruited into the survey sample or if some people who truly are JNR identified as JBR because they recognized that this was a study of the Jewish community and they wanted to ensure they were counted; it is likely both factors affected the estimate. Another 3% of Jewish adults indicated that they were both Jewish and another religion. A small fraction of other adults in Jewish households can be considered part of the extended Jewish community. Two percent of these adults either have Jewish parents or were raised Jewish, but do not consider themselves to be Jewish (Jewish background); another 2% of adults consider themselves Jewish despite having no Jewish parentage, not being raised Jewish, and not converting (Jewish affinity). Some in this category are married to Jews.

42 28 Chapter 3: Religious Identity and Upbringing Table 3.1. Jewish Identification of Adults Religion All adults in Jewish HH Jewish adults Jewish by religion (JBR) 72% 93% Jewish not by religion (JNR) 3% 4% Jewish and another religion 3% 3% Jewish background 2% Jewish affinity 2% Not Jewish 19% Note: weighted estimates, n=1,015 Just under half of the Jewish adults in Nashville and Middle Tennessee (45%) are Reform (Table 3.2). About one-quarter (24%) are Conservative, six percent are Orthodox, and another quarter (24%) have no denomination and describe themselves as secular or cultural Jews or just Jewish. The proportion who identify with no specific denomination is similar to the proportion in the American Jewish community as a whole (30%). 20 Table 3.2. Denomination of Jewish Adults Denomination Orthodox 6% Conservative 24% Reform 45% Secular/culturally Jewish 14% Just Jewish 10% Reconstructionist/Renewal/Other 1% Note: weighted estimates, n=984 Religion and Parentage of Adults Three-quarters (77%) of Jewish adults in Nashville and Middle Tennessee were raised by a Jewish mother and father (Table 3.3). Another 15% had one Jewish parent. That proportion is significantly higher for the youngest adults, of whom 41% had one Jewish parent. Of the 9% of Jewish adults who had no Jewish parents, 98% (n=88) formally converted to Judaism. Table 3.3. Jewish Parentage of Jewish Adults by Age* Age Range Father Mother Both Neither only only parents parent % 26% 61% 4% % 4% 77% 10% % 5% 76% 12% 65 and older 1% 2% 91% 7% Total 6% 9% 77% 9% Note: weighted estimates, n=939

43 Chapter 3: Religious Identity and Upbringing 29 Religion and Parentage of Children Just under half (45%) of all children in Jewish households are being raised by two Jewish parents, and just over half (54%) of Jewish children are being raised by two Jewish parents (Figure 3.1). Figure 3.1. Parental Marriage of Children All children (n=298) Jewish children (n=266) 18% 45% 15% 31% Inmarried Intermarried 37% 54% Not married Nearly all (94%) children of two Jewish parents are being raised Jewish by religion (Figure 3.2). The largest share (43%) of children of intermarried parents are being raised with no religion or the parents have not yet decided on the religion of the children. Just 4% of children of intermarried parents are being raised in another religion. Figure 3.2. Religion in which Children are being Raised by Parental Marriage Type* (n=289) 100% 80% 60% 1% 1% 3% 4% 47% 13% 25% 4% 1% 40% 94% 9% 18% 57% 20% 22% 0% Inmarried Intermarried Not married Jewish by religion Culturally Jewish Partly Jewish None/not decided Another religion

44 30 Chapter 3: Religious Identity and Upbringing Jewish Education of Adults Thirteen percent of Jewish adults in Nashville and Middle Tennessee attended a Jewish day school in their childhood, and 79% attended a part-time Jewish school such as Hebrew school or Sunday school. Just over one-third (37%) attended Jewish camp and over half (55%) participated in a Jewish youth group. Over half of Jewish adults (54%) had a bar or bat mitzvah as a child and another 6% had one as an adult. Knowledge of the Hebrew language is a marker of Jewish education and exposure to Israel. In addition, such knowledge can ease access to Jewish experiences such as prayers and news about Israel. Just over a quarter (26%) of Jewish adults in Nashville and Middle Tennessee indicate that they understand at least some Hebrew; another 39% reveal that they can read the letters but not understand the words. Of uninvolved adults, 6% report that they understand most or all of what they read. Despite their Hebrew proficiency, they do not participate in the activities of the organized Jewish community (Figure 3.3). Figure 3.3. Hebrew Literacy by Communal Involvement* (n=871, Jewish respondents only) 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 2% 20% 35% 40% 40% No involvement 4% 1% 2% 4% 2% 2% 22% 35% Low involvement 27% 43% 25% Moderate involvement 8% 39% 39% 9% High involvement Can understand all of what is read Can understand most of what is read Can understand some of what is read Can read letters but do not understand the words Don t know Hebrew alphabet at all

45 Chapter 4: Geographic Profile 31 Chapter 4. Geographic Profile It is estimated that three-quarters (74%) of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee live in Davidson County, with an additional 16% in Williamson County. The remaining 10% of households are spread across the remaining counties around the City of Nashville. The Jewish community is primarily concentrated in the southwest portion of Davidson County between Interstates 40 and 65. For the purposes of this analysis, the region is divided into Davidson County, Williamson County, and the rest of Middle Tennessee. Figure 4.1 (next page) illustrates the residential density of Jewish households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee; additional maps showing the location of households of various types (e.g., synagogue members, families with children, etc.) can be found in Appendix D. Each dot is randomly placed within a ZIP code to represent five Jewish households residing there; the dots do not represent exact addresses. Households are closely clustered in a corridor running south-southwest from Midtown to the border between Davidson and Williamson Counties, with less dense pockets of concentration elsewhere. This corridor includes neighborhoods such as 12 South, Belle Meade, Forest Hills, and Bellevue. Jewish Neighborhoods and Distribution People who live in strong Jewish neighborhoods see the location as a strength in maintaining their Jewish identity. More members, however, commented on the difficulty of accessing Jewish life for those outside of the core geographic areas (n=26). One wrote: There is a fair amount of geographic snobbery in this community. Although we are ostensibly the Jewish community of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, there is little meaningful outreach outside of Davidson County. Given that the Jewish population here has historically been small and fairly centralized, that limited geographic scope is understandable. However, as the Jewish population of this area grows and becomes less centralized as it is already starting to do it is important that we not lose those members of the community living outside the core of Metro Nashville. Members suggested outreach and satellite programs that would reach outside the downtown area: We live outside the main metropolitan area of any congregations/services. It would be nice if there were outreach programs where something was brought to my area whether a service, Shabbat dinner, something inclusive. The family services people really work hard. They could create satellite services and areas so people do not have to go all the way to the JCC. That would be helpful. Nashville is so spread out, it is hard for people to have access.

46 32 Chapter 4: Geographic Profile Figure 4.1. Dot Density Map of Jewish Households in Nashville and Middle Tennessee 1 - Chabad of Nashville 2 - Congregation Micah 3 - JFNMT, GJCC, JFS, & Akiva School 4 - The Temple 5 - West End Synagogue 6 - Congregation Sherith Israel 7 - Vanderbilt Hillel Note: 1 dot = 5 households