Demoaraphic Report Wvomina Vallev Jewish Community

Robert Smith Chairman Jewish Federation Lona Ranae Plannina Committee Jewish Federation of Wvoming Valley Lona Range Plannina Committee

Report of Demoarahics of the Jewish Communitv of the Wvomina Valley

December, 2005

PURPOSE OF STUDY

This report is an analysis of the demographics and charitable support of the Wyoming Valley Jewish Community. The study will be used in plailnirig future programming and planning the structure and nature of supported institutions of the Wyoming Valley Jewish Community.

Confidential and comprehensive synagogue member demographic data was collected from membership information kept at Ohev Zedek Synagogue, Temple B'nai B'rith, the Luzerne Synagogue and from Temple Israel. Additional member data was collected from the member lists at the Jewish Community Center. Charitable gifl data was taken from the Jewish Federation records. Formatting and data tabulations were done at Wilkes University.

DATA COMPARISONS

In an effort to cast perspective on data results, comparisons are made throughout the report with other population groups-- in some cases with the U.S. population (2000 census); with the National Jewish Population survey (2001 survey); and at times with Luzerne County population (2000 census).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Gratefully appreciation is extended to synagogue staffs; to Denise Rogan and the JCC staff; to Larry Newman; to Dr. Steve Tillman, Department of Mathematics at Wilkes University and to Wilkes University. DEFINITION OF TERMS

The Wyoming Valley-The Wyoming Valley is defined as the area from the Back Mountain (West) to Bear Creek (East) to Pittston (North) and Nanticoke (South).

Affiliation-For purposes of this study "affiliation" is defined as "synagogue affiliation." There are 1834 persons with synagogue affiliation.

Unaffiliated-To arrive at a number of unaffiliated, JCC membership lists were used and compared with synagogue membership'lists. Known unaffiliated families were identified. There are 315 persons affiliated with the JCC but unaffiliated with synagogues. The study does not account for those who have neither a synagogue nor a JCC affiliation.

Active Jewish Community-For the purpose of this study, the "Active Jewish Community" is defined here as those persons who are the primary users of the resources in the Wyoming Valley Jewish Community, namely, the Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Family Service, and the United Hebrew Institute.

Therefore, for purposes of this study, the "Active Jewish Community" of the Wyoming Valley consists of both synagogue affiliated and synagogue unaffiliated persons who have registered their primary residence as within the Wyoming Valley. The Active Jewish Community consists of 1989 persons.

lnactive Jewish Community-For the purpose of this study, the "lnactive Jewish Communitv" is defined here as those Dersons who seldom if ever use the resources-in the Wyoming Valley ~ewishCommunity, namely, the Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Family Service, and the United Hebrew Institute.

The lnactive Jewish Community is defined as all those who listed their primary residence as "out of town", and those with residences in the Pocono or Scranton area. The inactive Jewish Community consists of 160 persons. GENERAL POPULATION

There are 1834 persons of all ages who are affiliated members of synagogues in the Wyoming Valley. Among those individuals 99 persons have listed their primary residence out of town (e.g. Florida); 14 additional persons listed their primary residence as the Poconos; and 47 listed their primary residence as within the ScrantonMazleton corridor but outside of the Wyoming Valley. Additionally, based on an analysis of JCC membership, there are 315 persons affiliated with the JCC but unaffiliated with synagogues.

Affiliated and Unaffiliated Persons in Active Community P Jewish Persons and Their Residence Persons with synagogue affiliation 1834 .Persons with Primary Residence-Out of Town 99 -Persons with Primary Res-Poconos/Scranton/Haz 61 Persons in Active Community -Affiliated 1674 Persons in Active Community-Unaffiliated 315 Total Persons in Active Community 1989 Total Persons- Active & Inactive 21 49

Of the active Jewish Community, 15 individuals reside in Scranton and 4 in Hazleton.

w ------Source: Synagogue and Jewish Community Membership Lists AFFILIATION PERCENTAGES

84% of persons in the Active Jewish Community are affiliated with a synagogue and 16% are not. 5

Svnaawue Affiliation Rate-Total Jewish Community of Wvomina Vallev FAMILY SIZE OF POPULATION

The Jewish population resides in 901 households. The average number of people in Jewish households in the Wyoming Valley is 2.1 compared to 2.3 for the U.S. Jewish population. About a third (32%) of Jewish households in the Wyoming Valley contain two persons: 7% have 3 persons; 10 have 4 persons and 6% have five and over.

Of major significance is that fact that 44Ok of Jewish households in the Wyoming Valley contain one person, compared to 30% of the Jewish population of the US., and 31% of the families in Luzerne County. All single person households in the U.S. are 26% of the total households. See graph 3

One Person Households as a Percentaae of Total Ho- Jiouseholds in the Wvomina Vallev and in the United States and One Person Householdsp United States

Percent lewish households Percent lewish householdr Percent All Denominations- Percent All Denominations- containing one person- containing one pemon- householdr containing one househplds containg one Wyoming Valley United States persan-Luzerne County person-Unlted States

Graph 3 Source: Source: Synagogue and Jewish Community Membership Lists AGE CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATION

The Jewish population in the Wyoming Valley is aging, as is the National Jewish population. The median age of the population of the United States is 35.3 years of age while the median age of the Luzerne County population is 40.8 years of age. In startling contrast the median age of the Wyoming Valley Jewish population is 53 years of age.

Within the Jewish Community there are 323 persons under 18 years of age. This comprises 17.6% of the total Jewish population. See Graph 4

Children 48years. Jewish Community of Wvomina Vallev. as a Percent of Total Population. Com~arisonswith U.S.. Luzerne County.

Population <18, United States. All Population <18. Luzerne County. All Population <18,lewish Community, Denominations Denominations Wyoming Valley

Graph 4 Source: Synagogue and Jewish Commun~tyMembership Lists, U.S. Census (2000)

Note: Jewish children 48as a percent of total Jewish population is 48% lower than the U.S. average and 19% lower than Luzerne County. SENIORS IN THE WYOMING VALLEY

There is a startling contrast between the Jewish populations of the Wyoming Valley over 65 years of age and all other comparative senior populations. Whereas, the U.S. population over 65 is 12.4% of the total population, and the Luzerne County population over 65 is 19.7% of the total population, and the national Jewish population >65 is 19% the Jews over 65 years of age in the Wyoming Valley constitute 36.5% of the total Jewish population, almost 100% higher than the Luzerne County or National Jewish population over 65 years of age. See Graph 5.

Comparisons of the Percentage of the Population over 65 Years of Age. United States. Luzerne County, and the Jewish Population of the United States and Wvomina Vallev.

United States Luzerne County Jewish Population Jewish Population Population 265 Population 265 265 of the United 265 of the Wyoming states Valley

Graph 5 Source: Synagogue and Jewish Community Membership Lists, U.S. Census (2000), National Jewish Population Su~ey(2001) LOCATION OF JEW-ULATION

78% of the Jewish population reside on the West side of the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley and 22% reside on the East side, mostly in Wilkes-Barre. The largest centers of population are Kingston (43.3% of total Jewish residents) and Wilkes-Barre (14.7%of total Jewish residents). See Graph 6.

Location of Jewish Community of the Wvomina Valley

I East of Susquehanna-22%

West of Susquehanna- 78%

~ou'rce:Synagogue and Jewish Community Membership Lists

The top four centers of Jewish Population are Kingston. Wilkes Bare, Shavertown, and Dallas. CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY

Service and support to the Jewish Community are sustained largely by charitable contributions from the Jewish population to the Jewish Federation Campaign. The Jewish Federation funds, among other things, the Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Family Service, and the United Hebrew Institute. In addition the Jewish Federation of the Wyoming Valley provides charitable support to programs and services around the world.

Traditionally, fund raising efforts have been between $900,000 and $1,000,000. Using the 2004-year, $950,000 in contributions was raised from the Jewish Community of the Wyoming Valley, equivalent to a per capita share of $477 or a family contribution of $1003. In reality however, as in all charitable endeavors, there are various levels of individual contributions. In the Wyoming Valley Jewish Federation Campaigns, typically 50% of the total raised is contributed by a small number of major donors. Using the 2004-2005 campaigns, 55 individuals (34 families) contributed approximately $540,000, or over 50%, of the total campaign dollars received.

Among the individual contributors in the Major Donor category, 66% have ages between 65-84, and 51% are over 75 years of age. The following chart identifies the level of giving by age. See Graph 7

Amounts of Givina bv Aae. Major Gift Cateaoty. Federation ~am~aian,2004- 2005

Graph 7 Source: Federation Gift Data

Note: Major gifts are concentrated in 30-40 families. There are 34 families shown in the above chart. Noteworthy is the fact that among these families, only 6 families have adult children living in the Wyoming Valley (18%). 10-YEAR PROJECTION

Examining a 10 year trend and not accounting for other variables (such as retirement to another community, an influx of new givers, etc.) charitable donations to the Federation would be dependent in large measure on a philanthropic community of individuals >85 years of age. See Graph 8

10-Year Proiection of Gifts bv Aae. Wvomina Vallev Jewish Community

Graph 8 Source: Federation Gift Data

Note:

These projections are static projections, that is, the projections assume that there will be no change in the Jewish population of the Wyoming Valley in the next 10 years. These projections do not take into account such things as relocation, either out or in, or a change in the level of charity over time. SUMMARY

The active members of the Jewish Community of the Wyoming Valley consist of 1989 persons residing in 901 households and have a very high synagogue affiliation rate of 84%. Of the 901 households, 44% are singe person households, 50% higher than this cohort in the U.S population, and 42% higher than the Luzerne County population. Individuals < 18 years of age (323) constitute 17.6% of the overall Jewish population, 48% lower than the US average and 19% lower when compared with Luzerne County. In contrast, the Jewish Senior population 165 years is 36.5% of the total Jewish population, compared to a Luzerne Count >65 population percentage of 19% and a US senior population of 12.4%.

The Wyoming Valley Jewish population resides largely on the west side of the Susquehanna River (78%). Wilkes-Barre is home to 15% of the Jewish population and Kingston to 43%. Financial support for the Jewish community lies in the hands of its active members who contribute a per capita amount just over $1000 per family. However the Jewish Community's "Major Donors" contribute over 50% of the total raised by the Federation to support the Jewish Community infrastructure. Major donors are at the moment 34 families, 6 of whom have adult children living in the Wyoming Valley. 66% of the 55 individuals constituting the Major Donors are 65-84 years of age and 51 % are over 75 years of-age. A 10- year projection of total giving by age demonstrates that $380,000 of the total raised could depend on persons over 85 years of age.

CONCLUSION

Jewish Federation officials visiting the Wyoming Valley remarked on a recent visit that the Wyoming Valley Jewish Community, a community of only 2000 persons, appeared as if it were acting like a community of 12,000 persons because of the generosity of our giving. The community supports a wondelful infrastructure of comprehensive services for all members of its active community. However, the continual support of such an infrastructure is now in jeopardy. The task before this community is how to prepare for the inevitable changes that are expected to occur. Addendum

The data and conclusions in this report were based upon the collection efforts of synagogue and Jewish Community Center staffs. While there was no oversight of those collection efforts, I believe that the data represent the best current data in the community and, based on a review of the information collected, I believe that the data and conclusions are reasonably accurate in their reflection of the Wyoming Valley Jewish Community.

Robert Smith Chairman Long Range Planning Jewish Federation of the Wyoming Valley.

December, 2005