Major Themes of This Study A Slowly Growing Community 17,500 persons live in 8,800 Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee. Of the 17,500 persons, 89% (15,500 persons) are Jewish. The number of Jewish households increased by only 600 households since 1992. Sarasota-Manatee is primarily attracting relatively wealthy persons of retirement age who are in good health. Planning should occur in an environment that assumes continuing slow growth in this Jewish retirement community. The Significant Growth in Bradenton Should Be Addressed The number of persons in Jewish households in Sarasota, Longboat Key, and Venice did not change significantly since 1992; however, significant growth (73%) occurred in the size of the Jewish community in Bradenton. While the possibility of expanding services into Bradenton should be considered, the number of persons in Jewish households in Bradenton (2,700 persons) is still small, and most measures of Jewishness for this area suggest that many households are not likely to avail themselves of services offered by the Jewish community. Longboat Key Is a Unique Area While the Jewish community is generally scattered geographically throughout Sarasota-Manatee, Longboat Key has a significant geographic cluster of 2,500 persons in Jewish households, many of whom live in high rise buildings. Longboat Key has a high-income population (median household income is $135,300 and median housing value is $446,900) that is 76% elderly. Planning for Longboat Key should account for its differences from the other geographic areas of Sarasota-Manatee. Sarasota-Manatee Is Not Home for Many Jewish Households Only 1% of adults in Jewish households were born in Sarasota-Manatee, and 21% of Jewish households are part-year households (reside in Sarasota-Manatee for 3-7 months of the year). These factors lead to a very high level of attachment to other Jewish communities as is shown by the 26% of households who donated to Jewish Federations outside Sarasota-Manatee in the past year. Also, more than half of Jewish respondents reported that they feel not very much or not at all a part of the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish community. Programs with themes that have the potential to bond people to the local Jewish community should receive particular attention. Programs to Engage Part-Year Households Should Be Developed 21% of Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee are part-year households (reside in Sarasota-Manatee for 3-7 months of the year). Part-year households represent a significant challenge because they maintain ties to other communities. Yet, the median household income of part-year households ($96,600) is 67% higher than the median household income of full-year households. 60% of part-year households are synagogue members, compared to only 41% of full-year households. Thus, the potential benefits from further involvement of part-year households in Jewish communal life are significant. The Number of Children and the Percentage of Children in the Community Has Remained the Same Since 1992 The number and percentage of children in Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee remained about the same as in 1992. 10% (1,785 persons) of persons in Jewish households are age 0-17, of whom 85% (1,519 persons) are being raised Jewish. This population is difficult to serve because households with children are geographically dispersed, mainly throughout Sarasota and Bradenton, and 40% of Jewish children age 0-17 (who live in married households) are being raised in intermarried households. -v-
The Needs of the Elderly Must Remain a Major Focus of the Jewish Community Sarasota-Manatee is a retirement Jewish community and elderly needs must continue to be a major focus of service provision. Compared to 1992, there are 1,600 more persons age 75 and over in Jewish households, including 600 persons age 85 and over. As the population age 85 and over increases, a higher demand for social services can be expected. The fact that only 17% of Jewish households in which the respondent is age 50 or over have adult children who have established their own homes in Sarasota-Manatee implies that for many elderly persons a local support system will not be available as they age. Since 1992, many households who moved to Sarasota-Manatee as married couple households now contain single persons (mostly female) who are widowed. 20% of persons age 65 and over live alone; 26% of persons age 75 and over live alone. Single persons living alone are more likely to need social services. Sarasota-Manatee Has a Relatively Healthy Population Whose Social Service Needs Are Being Met In light of the age distribution of persons in Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee (more than half of the population are age 65 and over and almost one-third are age 75 and over), health levels are relatively high. In fact, the percentage of households containing a health-limited member (15%) actually declined slightly since 1992 (17%) and is lower than in communities such as Broward (21%) and South Palm Beach (20%). The expressed need for social services among the elderly is surprisingly low in Sarasota-Manatee, and the unmet need for social services is very low. 90% or more of households containing elderly persons reported no need for elderly social services in the past year and less than 1% of households reported unmet needs. This obviously has implications for service provision. Significant Problems Exist with Jewish Continuity Intermarriage among younger couples in Sarasota-Manatee is very high, and 40% of Jewish children age 0-17 (who live in married households) are being raised in intermarried households. The percentage of Jewish children age 13-17 who are enrolled in some type of formal Jewish education is very low compared to other Jewish communities. Thus, significant efforts to engage Jewish households in Jewish life should be considered. While 87% of households are involved Jewishly in some way (either through religious practice, membership in Jewish institutions, or Jewish philanthropic giving), for many, overall levels of involvement in Jewish activity are low. Levels of religious practice and other involvement in Jewish activity are particularly low in intermarried households, although the percentage of intermarried households who are synagogue members increased from 11% in 1992 to 28% in 2001. Programs for intermarried households are probably best offered from the more neutral environment afforded by the Jewish Community Center. Programs for Jewish Singles Are Not Likely to Meet with Significant Success Sarasota-Manatee has one of the highest intermarriage rates among younger couples compared to about 20 comparison Jewish communities. While many of these marriages probably occurred elsewhere, even now only 8% (less than 100 households) of households containing single Jewish adults age 18-64 expressed a need for singles programs in the past year. -vi-
A Coordinated Effort Should Be Made to Increase Synagogue Membership In recognition of the importance of synagogue involvement, a coordinated effort to increase synagogue membership should be considered. The findings suggest that the vast majority of Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee contain synagogue people in that 80% of households do join a synagogue at some time during their adult lives. However, current synagogue membership is only 45% of households, and only 32% of households are members of synagogues located in Sarasota-Manatee. Attracting Jews to synagogues in Sarasota-Manatee, where less than 1% of adults were locally born, represents a significant challenge, and only a coordinated, community-wide effort can address this issue. Some progress may have been made already in that the percentage of households with children who are synagogue members increased from 34% in 1992 to 60% in 2001. The strong relationship between synagogue membership and household income suggests that cost may be an important reason why more households in Sarasota-Manatee are not synagogue members. JCCs and Synagogues Are Not Competing Institutions Only 4% of Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee are JCC members, but are not synagogue members. In addition, 67% of JCC members are also synagogue members. On the other hand, 52% of households are neither synagogue members nor JCC members. Synagogues and the JCC should work together to encourage membership in both institutions. Jewish Education Programs for Children Need to Be Expanded Only 12% of Jewish teenagers (age 13-17) in Sarasota-Manatee are currently enrolled in some form of formal Jewish education, and the 2% of Jewish children age 6-17 enrolled in Jewish day school is the lowest of about 30 comparison Jewish communities. About one in four Jewish children age 6-17 will not receive any formal Jewish education. A coordinated, community-wide effort should be undertaken to increase enrollment in Jewish education, particularly among teenagers. The geographic dispersal of Jewish children in Sarasota-Manatee makes this a particularly difficult issue. Organized Programs to Israel Should Be Expanded On just about every measure of Jewishness, this study shows a significant correlation with visits to Israel, particularly if the Israel trip was sponsored by a Jewish organization. Such trips, particularly for teenagers and young adults, should be expanded so that the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish community can capitalize on the transforming experience that a trip to Israel can offer. The Need for a Coordinated Marketing Campaign Is Clear The Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation and its agencies (with the exception of the Kobernick House and Anchin Pavilion) have low profiles compared to similar organizations in longer-established Jewish communities. However, compared to other Jewish communities, the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation and its agencies are relatively well-perceived by respondents who are familiar with them. These findings suggest that significant dollars should be allocated to market the organized Jewish community. The Sarasota- Manatee Jewish Federation should consider a centralized marketing campaign, which could lead to both increased usage of agency services and greater participation in the Annual Campaign. Efforts Need to Be Increased to Involve Young People in the Annual Campaign As in most Jewish communities, a disproportionate number of donations and a disproportionate share of the total dollars donated to the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign derive from the elderly. 83% of Jewish households under age 50 did not donate to the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation in the past year, compared to only 41% of households age 65 and over. In addition, 71% of households under age 50 were -vii-
not asked to donate to the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation in the past year, compared to only 37% of households age 65 and over. About half of respondents under age 50 are not at all familiar with the Sarasota- Manatee Jewish Federation. Methods need to be devised to involve more young people in philanthropic giving. Efforts Need to Be Increased to Involve More People in the Annual Campaign Almost half of respondents in Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee reported that they were not asked to donate to the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation in the past year, an increase from 40% in 1992. In addition, 38% of respondents are not at all familiar with the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation. Efforts should be made to raise the profile of the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation. In particular, campaigns should be developed around particular high rise buildings in Longboat Key, where median household income is high. While the percentage of households not asked to donate to the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation in the past year is lowest in Longboat Key, still 32% of households in Longboat Key were not asked to donate. Greater Emphasis on Endowment Giving Is Necessary In light of the age distribution of persons in Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee, greater emphasis should be placed on endowment giving. Particularly among older Jews, the level of philanthropic giving is relatively high. Almost 60% of Jewish households age 65 and over donated to the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation in the past year and almost 70% donated to other Jewish charities (Jewish charities other than Jewish Federations). The Jewish Foundation of the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation should build upon the proclivity of the elderly Jewish community to donate to Jewish charities. Only 7% of respondents age 50 and over do not have wills and 17% already have provisions for Jewish charities in their wills; however, only 2% of respondents have wills with provisions for the Jewish Foundation of the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation. About one-third of elderly respondents are not at all familiar with the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation. The Jewish Federation Should Encourage Volunteerism Sarasota-Manatee has the fourth highest percentage of adults in Jewish households who are retired (57%) among about 40 comparison Jewish communities. The Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation should consider establishing a volunteer department to encourage and coordinate volunteerism in both the Jewish and the general community. Anti-Semitism Is Not the Issue It Once Was The 11% of Jewish respondents in Sarasota-Manatee who reported personal experience with anti-semitism in the local community in the past year is the lowest of about 30 comparison Jewish communities. The 11% has declined slightly since 1992 (13%). The 37% of respondents who perceive that a great deal or a moderate amount of anti-semitism exists in the local community is the third lowest of the comparison Jewish communities, a decrease from 47% in 1992. This greater degree of comfortableness may be manifested in the increase in the percentage of Jewish households in Sarasota-Manatee with a mezuzah on their front door (from 55% in 1992 to 69% in 2001). Placing a mezuzah on the front door may be considered a public manifestation of Jewishness. Interestingly, despite the low levels of experience with, and perception of, anti-semitism, 80% of respondents in Jewish households who donated $100 and over to Jewish charities in the past year consider combating anti-semitism to be a very important motivation to contribute to Jewish organizations. -viii-
Major Changes from 1992-2001 The Main Report contains comparisons of the current results with the results from the 1992 Sarasota- Manatee community study. The comparisons presented below illustrate some of the most important changes from 1992-2001. 1. The number of Jewish households increased from 8,200 households to 8,800 households. 2. The number of persons in Jewish households in Bradenton increased by 73%. 3. The percentage of persons age 75 and over increased from 23% to 31%. 4. The median housing value (adjusted for inflation) increased from $165,400 to $206,500. 5. The percentage of households in which the respondent identifies as Just Jewish increased from 29% to 37%. The percentage of households in which the respondent identifies as Reform decreased from 47% to 38%. 6. The percentage of households who have a mezuzah on the front door increased from 55% to 69%. 7. The percentage of households with children who are synagogue members increased from 34% to 60%. 8. The percentage of intermarried households who are synagogue members increased from 11% to 28%. 9. While JCC membership has not changed significantly, JCC participation increased from 19% to 34%. 10. The percentage of respondents (who are very familiar or somewhat familiar with Jewish Family and Children s Service) who perceive JFCS as excellent increased from 27% to 45%. 11. The percentage of respondents who perceive a great deal or a moderate amount of anti-semitism in Sarasota-Manatee decreased from 47% to 37%. 12. The percentage of respondents who reported that their households were not asked to donate to the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation in the past year increased from 40% to 48%. -ix-
Compared to Other Jewish Communities The Main Report contains a complete listing of the comparison Jewish communities to which Sarasota- Manatee is compared in each of the statements below. In most cases, comparisons are made to about 20-45 other Jewish communities. The statements presented below were selected to illustrate some of the most important ways in which Sarasota-Manatee differs from other Jewish communities. Compared to other Jewish communities, Sarasota-Manatee has: 1. The fifth lowest percentage of persons in Jewish households who were locally born (8%). 2. The fourth highest percentage of households who own their homes (86%). 3. The second lowest percentage of households who will definitely or probably move within the next three years (10%) and the lowest percentage of households who will definitely or probably move out of the local metropolitan area within the next three years (1%). 4. The 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 metropolitan area (17%). 5. The third lowest percentage of persons age 0-17 (10%), the third highest percentage of persons age 65 and over (53%), and the second highest percentage of persons age 75 and over (31%). 6. The second lowest average household size (2.0 persons) and the fourth highest percentage of households containing two persons (59%). 7. The third lowest percentage of households containing married couples with children age 0-17 at home (9%). 8. The sixth highest median housing value (adjusted for inflation) ($206,500). 9. The seventh lowest percentage of Jewish respondents who identify as Conservative (23%) and the second highest percentage of Jewish respondents who identify as Just Jewish (37%). 10. The second lowest percentage of households who keep a kosher home (6%), the third lowest percentage of households who always or usually light Chanukah candles (65%), and the fifth lowest percentage of households who always or usually light Sabbath candles (17%). 11. The fourth highest percentage of Jewish respondents who never attend synagogue services (or attend only for special occasions, such as B nai Mitzvah and weddings) (32%). 12. The sixth highest percentage of households who are members of a Jewish organization (47%). 13. The second highest percentage of households who are associated with the Jewish community (someone in the household belongs to a synagogue, the JCC, or a Jewish organization) (64%). 14. The fifth highest percentage of households in which a member visited Israel (56%). 15. The third highest percentage of Jewish respondents who are extremely attached or very attached emotionally to Israel (49%). 16. The lowest percentage of Jewish respondents who experienced anti-semitism in the local community in the past year (11%). 17. The third lowest percentage of respondents who perceive a great deal or a moderate amount of anti- Semitism in the local community (37%). 18. The highest percentage of households who donated to Jewish Federations other than the local Jewish Federation in the past year (26%). 19. The third highest percentage of households who donated to other Jewish charities (Jewish charities other than Jewish Federations) in the past year (59%). 20. The third lowest percentage of households who donated to non-jewish charities, but not to Jewish charities in the past year (16%). 21. The third lowest percentage of charitable dollars donated by Jewish households to Jewish charities that were donated to the local Jewish Federation in the past year (21%). 22. The second highest percentage of respondents age 50 and over who have provisions for Jewish charities in their wills (17%). -x-