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South African Jewish Population Study

Sponsored by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies

Advance Report No. 11

RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE

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Division of Jewish Demography and Statistics The Institute of Contemporary Jewry The Hebrew University of 1978 This is one of a series of Advance Reports on the findings of the South African Jewish Population Study sponsored by the S.A. Jewish Board of Deputies. These concise reports, intended for preliminary circulation among interested researchers and Jewish communal leaders, aim to promote further discussion and research on the topics presented, and should only be regarded as part of a more comprehensive study which is in the process of preparation.

Already Issued:

No. 1. Methodology of the Study No. 2. Emigration No. 3. Demographic Characteristics No. 4. Country of Birth and Period of Immigration No. 5. Mortality No. 6. Educational Attainment and Languages No. 7. First Data on Fertility No. 9. Geographical Distribution and Mobility No. 10. Occupational Characteristics No. 11. Religion and Religious Observance No. 12. Jewish Community Activities No. 13. Marriage and Mixed Marriage

Forthcoming Reports:

No. 8. Jewish Fertility: A Cohort Analysis No. 14. Jewish Population Size: Retrospect and Perspectives SOUTH AFRICAN JEWISH POPULATION STUDY Sponsored by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies

Advance Report No. 11

RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE by S. Delia Pergola and D. Tal

Contents Page

1. Religious Composition of the Population 1 2. Conversion to 3 3. Characteristics of Non- in Jewish Households 5 4. Affiliation 7 5. Religious Observance 8 a. Synagogue Attendance 8 b. Household Rituals 10

Division of Jewish Demography and Statistics The Institute of Contemporary Jewry The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 1978 RELIGION AND RELIGfOUS OBSERVANCE

1. Religious Composition of the Population

According to the 1970 census, the Jews, with a population of 118,200 (3.1%) constituted the seventh largest religious denomination in South . They were preceded by the relatively largest Nederduits Gereformeerde Church (40.1%), by the Anglicans (10.7%), the Methodists (9.6%), the Roman Catholics (8.2%), the Nederduitsch Hervormde (6.0%), and the Presbyterians (3.2%). In the previous 1960 census the Jews were the sixth largest religious group in the country. Such a loss of one position is explained by the fact that the inter- censal growth rate of the Jews (3%) was the lowest of any major South African religious group, and compared with an average increase of 22.6% in the total number of Whites between 1960 and 1970 (see Table 1).

Table 1. White Population of South by Religious Denominations, 1960, 1970

% change Religious denomination 1960 1970 1960-1970

N. 3,077,699 3,773,282 Total 100.0 100.0 22.6 Nederduits Gereformeerde 43.0 40.1 14.2 Gereformerde 3.2 2.9 11.0 Nederduitsch Hervormde 6.2 6.0 17.4 Anglican 12.5 10.7 5.1 Methodist 8.7 9.6 35.4 Presbyterian 3.6 3.2 6.8 Congregational 0.5 0.6 38.0 Lutheran 1.1 1.1 23.2 Roman Catholic 6.2 8.2 61.0 Apostolic Faith Mission 2.0 1.9 20.1 Other Apostolic 1.5 2.2 77.6 Baptist 1.1 1.2 36.8 Full Gospel 0.7 0.9 61.5 Greek Church 0.4 0.7 124.7 Seventh Day Adventist 0.4 0.4 27.9 Other Christian Churches 3.1 4.2 68.2 Jewish, Hebrew 3.7 3.1 3.0 Other 0.1 0.3 330.4 Object to state and no religion 1.2 1.8 88.6 Unknown 0.8 0.9 45.4

Source: (1970) Statistics describing the religious exposition of South African Whites are fairly accurate, since only 2.7% of the population objected to stating its religious affiliation, reported no religion, or failed to answer the question in 1970 (as against 2.0% in I960). It is there- fore unlikely that a large number of Jews hid in this residual category, though this may have been the case for a few individuals.

The 1974 survey aimed at questioning the Jewish population as thoroughly as possible although its sampling design included a bias to- wards the more identified sections of the community CD. Only households with at least one Jewish member were taken into consideration, so that most households including persons converted from Judaism could not be included in the survey. However, because of the ongoing process of assimilation - and especially because of mixed marriagesC2) - there are some non-Jewish members in Jewish households. We shall refer to the aggregate total of Jews and their non-Jewish household members as the "enlarged Jewish population".

We shall refrain here from entering into a detailed discussion of the various methodological problems involved in the definition of "Who is a ?" (Herskovits, 1960; Glazer and Moynihan, 1963). We shall only note that in the 1974 survey, as well as in official censuses, some room was left for self-definition : people claiming to be Jews were recorded as such, without checking if they actually were according to Jewish traditional criteria (). Moreover, people with unknown or no religion, but born of a Jewish mother, were considered as Jewish for the purposes of the survey.

Table 2 shows that the proportion of non-Jews in Jewish house- holds was very small indeed (1.3%). When we refer, however, to the children of heads of households, either living with their parents or not, the percentage of non-Jews was twice as high (2.6%), which is explained, at least partially, by intergenerational patterns of assimilation.

The detailed breakdown of religious denominations of non-Jews in Jewish households, and of non-Jewish children of heads of Jewish households, is considerably different from the basic denominational structure of the South African White population. The incidence of members of different branches of the Dutch Reformed Church is very small, in comparison with that of Anglo-Saxon patterned Christian denominations, and of a relatively large group of persons with "other and no religion". This confirms the known trend of the Jews to identify linguistically, culturally and socially, and to intermingle with the British, rather than with the Boer sections of the South African population.

(1) See: Advance Report No. 1, Methodology of the Study, p.3, in this series. C2) See: Advance Report No. 13, Marriage and Mixed Marriage, in this series.

2 Table 2. Enlarged Jewish Population, by Religion and Generational Status, 1974 ׳« Population in Jewish Children of heads of Religion households households

N. 99,045 28,078 Total 100.0 100.0 Jewish 98.7 97.4 Other, total 1.3 100.0 2.6 100.0 Catholic 0.2 13.0 0.4 15.2 Dutch Reformed 0.0 0.2 0.1 5.2 Christian Jews 0.0 0.2 0.1 2.1 Anglican 0.3 26T 1 0.2 6.1 Other Christian 0.3 22.6 Moslem 0.2 9.7 37.9 כ1y 0u. 5 Other, no religion 1.6 61.7

2. Conversion to Judaism

On the whole, religious conversion appears to play a minor role with regard to the Jewish community of South Africa. Research referring to the 1960's, reported by Dubb (1973), clearly showed that few Jews were actually approached by missionaries and even fewer sought conver- sion to on their own initiative. It is much harder to assess the quantitative impact of the purely secular process of dis- sociating socially from Jews, abandoning any vestige of , and denying totally the relevance of one's Jewish origin. Both may be associated with intermarriage - either as a consequence of alienation or as one of its causes.

On the other hand, the growing impact of intermarriage is un- doubtedly related to a recent increase in the number of converts to Judaism. Though no real statistical comparison could be made, one receives the impression that the conversions balance related to family formation may well lead more people into the fold of Judaism than it takes away from it.

The general impact of this process, however, is still quantitatively marginal in the framework of South African Jewry. In 1974, 1.1% of the enlarged Jewish population had converted to Judaism during their life- time (see Table 3), while 97.6% were bom Jewish, and 1.3% were not Jew- ish. In other words, about 44% of non-Jewish-born members of the en- larged Jewish population had been converted to Judaism, and about 56% had maintained their original religious affiliation. This balance holds true within most socio-demographic sub-groups in the enlarged Jewish population.

3 Table 3. Converted Members of Jewish Households, Aged 15 and Over, by Selected Characteristics, 1974

Converted Jews % Converted Jews Characteristics % enlarged Jew- % non-Jewish distribution ish population born

Total 1.1 43.9 Sex 100.0 Male 19.1 0.5 38.2 Female 80.9 1.5 45.6 Age 100.0 15-29 31.2 0.9 41.7 30-44 38.3 1.6 58.2 45-64 30.5 0.9 40.2 65+ 0.0 0.0 0.0 Town of residence 100.0 23.4 0.4 47.2 Capetown 49.7 1.7 48.6 14.4 2.0 43.5 5.3 1.1 61.0 4.2 1.6 71.8 Bloemfontein 3.0 2.3 62.5

There were four times more females than males among converts to Judaism, in connection with more frequent male exogamy. Most converts were young adults, the largest age-group being between 30 and 44. It can be assumed that the group who was 15 to 29 years old in 1974 will event- ually incorporate a higher number of neophytes. Regional variations in the percentage of converts reflect, too, the different local frequencies of mixed marriage. Since there is a gross inverse relationship between Jewish community size and intermarriage, the proportion of converts is relatively small in the largest survey centre (Johannesburg), and is relatively large in smaller localities (especially in Bloemfontein). A higher incidence of conversion to Judaism was also found in Durban.

Table 4 describes more in detail the pattern of religion at birth and - where applicable - conversion in each of the six survey centres. It appears that a majority of converts (58%) went through a Reform con- version, although the absolute majority of affiliated Jewish population is linked with Orthodox . The latter require more stringent and exacting procedures for conversion, while admission to Judaism according to Reform rituals is much easier. Only in Durban and in Bloem- fontein did a majority of converts undergo the Orthodox rituals. These are also the two towns with the highest percentages of non-Jewish-born members of Jewish households (6.3% and 3.7%, respectively, against 1.5% in Johannesburg).

4 Table 4. Enlarged Jewish Population, by Religion of Parents and Town of Residence, 1974

Religion at birth and Johan- Cape- Dur- Pre- Port Bloem- Total religion of parents nesburg town ban toria Eliz- fontein abeth

N 99,045 59,576 25,659 6,429 3,881 2,339 1,161 Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Jewish at birth 97.3 98.5 96.7 93.7 97.7 97.5 96.7 Non-Jewish mother, total 2.7 1.5 3.3 6.3 2.3 2.5 3.3 ג(thereof, (a Converted, Orthodox 0.5 0.2 0.6 1.5 0.4 0.3 1.3 Converted, Reform 0.7 0.4 0.8 0.5 0.8 1.1 0.6 No conversion 1.5 0.9 1.9 4.3 1.1 1.1 1.4 (b): Jewish father, self Jewish 1.1 0.8 0.8 3.2 0.9 0.7 2.2 Jewish father, self non-Jewish 0.3 0.1 0.5 .. 0.3 0.5 0.1 Non-Jewish father 1.3 0.6 2.0 3.1 1.1 1.3 1.0

On the other hand, with regard to religion Of father, about one half of persons bom to a non-Jewish mother had a Jewish father. Most of these regarded themselves as Jewish.

3. Characteristics of Non-Jews in Jewish Households

Table 5 presents the percentage distribution and relative frequency within each category of non-Jewish members in Jewish households, accord- ing to various demographic and social characteristics. As it was noted above, 1.3% of the enlarged Jewish population covered by the survey were not Jewish in 1974. Of these, 72% were females; 51% were less than 30 years old, i.e. their age distribution was younger than among the total Jewish population, and was strongly affected by spouses and children of mixed marriages. Most of non-Jewish males were single, while 53% of females were married (with Jewish husbands). Nearly 74% were born in South Africa (against 79% among total ); 40% of the foreign-born immigrated after 1945. The proportion of non-Jews is relatively higher among immigrants born in the (5.4% of all members of Jewish households born in that country).

Most of the non-Jews in Jewish households had completed at least their secondary education (about 75%, of which 17% hold a university degree). They were concentrated in two occupational categories, among clerical (38.4%) and professional (35.5%) workers. Very few (7.5%) were employed in sales jobs.

5 Table 5. Non-Jewish Members of Jewish Households, by Selected Characteristics, 1974

Non-Jews Non-Jews % % enlarged % % enlarged Characteristics Characteristics distri- Jewish distri- Jewish bution population bution population

Total 1.3 Sex 100.0 Age 100.0 Male 27.9 0.7 Female 72.1 1.8 0-14 22.9 1.3 15-29 28.1 1.5 Country of birth 100.0 30-44 14.9 1.2 South Africa 73.9 1.2 רJ ו.L- 24.4 45-64 United Kingdom 13.9 5.4 65+ 9.7 1.0 Western 5.4 2.0 Marital status Eastern Europe 5.3 0.6 Other 1.5 0.5 Males, total 100.0 Period of immigration 100.0 Single 68.1 1.0 Married 29.5 0.4 Up to 1899 5.7 (7.3) Widowed 0.0 0.0 1900-1929 29.1 1.2 Divorced 2.4 2.2 1930-1945 25.6 1.4 After 1945 39.6 3.1 Females, total 100.0 Education 100.0 Single 41.2 ,1.9 Married 52.9 2.0 Primary 7.4 1.7 Widowed 5.9 1.0 Uncompleted secondary 17.9 0.8 Divorced 0.0 0.0 Secondary 48.2 1.0 Diploma 9.4 1.6 Town of residence 100.0 University 17.1 0.8 Johanne sburg 41.8 0.9 Occupation 100.0 Capetown 37.2 1.8 Durban 14.7 2.9 Professional 35.5 0.9 Pretoria 3.1 1.0 Administrative 18.6 0.7 Port Elizabeth 1.6 0.9 Clerical 38.4 1.8 Bloemfontein 1.6 1.7 Sales 7.5 0.4

Geographically, a relative majority lived in Johannesburg C42%), but considering the size of the Jewish population in each survey centre, the relative incidence of non-Jews was greater in smaller communities, and especially in Durban.

When interpreting these data one should keep in mind that the statistical material presented here is based on very few cases. This cursory profile, however, provides an indirect but clear description of the socio-demographic factors most likely to be associated with Jewish

6 exogamy in South Africa. Mixed marriages appear to be concentrated especially among young, educated males, employed in occupations featur- ing high social mobility, and living in smaller communities. A minor concentration of non-Jews among people born abroad suggests the hypothesis of a small migration to South Africa of mixed households (especially from Western countries) whose Jewish identity may have been weak in the res- pective countries of origin.

4. Synagogue Affiliation

Preferences for a given type of synagogue - i.e. for a Jewish ideological trend - and type of affiliation are presented in Table 6. Only 5.3% of the Jewish population stated they had no interest in any kind of a synagogue, and were not keeping any link whatsoever with synagogues. There were, on the whole, 79.2% paying members, 8.2% non- paying members, and another 7.3% of "sympathizers", i.e. people not formally supporting any institutions but still interested in their existance.

Table 6. Jewish Population, by Preferred Type of Synagogue and Type of Affiliation, 1974

Type of affiliation Preferred type of Synagogue Paying Non- Total member paying Sympathizer None member

N. 97,907 77,581 8,070 7,115 5,141 Column percentages Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Orthodox 77.1 82.2 88.4 64.2 - Reform 16.6 17.2 10.0 30.1 - Both 1.0 0.6 1.6 5.7 - None 5.3 - - - 100.0 Row percentages Total 100.0 79.2 8.2 7.3 5.3

Orthodox 100.0 84.5 9.5 6.0 - Reform 100.0 81.9 4.9 13.2 - Both 100.0 45.4 13.1 41.5 - None 100.0 — — — 100.0

With regard to ideological preferences, 77.1% stated their support of Orthodox synagogues, 16.6% of Reform temples, 1% of both, and 5.3% of none. Percentages computed without the latter two categories would in- dicate a ratio of Orthodox to Reform of 82.1% to 17.9%.

7 Orthodox synagogues appear to have a slightly more active member- ship (84.5% of paying members, against 81.9% among Reforms). The small group who did not express their preference clearly included only 45.4% of paying members, against 41.5% of mere sympathizers.

5. Religious Observance a. Synagogue Attendance

The degree of religious observance among South African Jews was measured through a number of variables representing traditional individ- ual and household Jewish behaviours. The degree of conformity or divergence from the traditional norms mentioned in the questionnaire, provided a measure of religiosity among the surveyed population.

The most typical pattern of synagogue attendance is related to the main : an absolute majority of the Jewish population aged 15 and over appear at synagogue functions at least a few times a year. At the two extremes of this distribution, 17.4% of Jews never attend, while 16.5% attend at least every Sabbath, besides all Holidays. The median number of synagogue appearances is between 7 and 8 times a year (see Table 7).

The frequency of synagogue attendance is affected by demographic characteristics of the population. It is higher among males than among females : 20% of males, against 13% of females, attend at least weekly, .attend ״while 15%, against 20%, never

Variation by age appears to be affected by two contrasting factors: aged people would have a tendency to include a higher proportion of traditionally oriented Jews, but there are among them also a higher num- ber of disabled persons. As a consequence, attendance frequencies tend to increase along with age at both ends of the spectrum: daily atten- dance rises from 1.6% among Jews aged 15 to 29 to 5.3% among those aged 65 and over, and no attendance rises from 15.6% to 25.6%, respectively. The synthetic indicator provided by the median number of yearly appear- ances at a synagogue increases consistently from age group 15-29 to age group 45-64, and decreases among older people. Similar patterns have been recorded in other Western Jewish communities (Goldstein and Goldscheider, 1968; Delia Pergola, 1976).

Much sharper differentials in synagogue attendance appear with regard to town of residence. People never attending a function range between 21.8% in Johannesburg, and 3.9% in Bloemfontein. On the other hand, Jews appearing at a synagogue at least weekly range between a minimum of 9.3% in Durban, and a maximum of 23% in Port Elizabeth. Here, the correlation between Jewish community size and synagogue attendance has a U-shape. On the whole, median yearly attendance in the smallest survey centre is nearly twice than that in the largest. When one considers that the synagogue does not fulfill an exclusively

8 Table 7. Jewish Population Aged 15 and Over, by Synagogue Attendance and Selected Characteristics, 1974

Yearly synagogue attendance Median Characteristics : number Several Main Yom of yearly Total Every Every times Every Jewish Kippur appearances day week a month month Holidays only Never (100-365) (50-99) (15-49) C10-14) (2-9) (1) (0)

Total 100.0 2.5 14.0 7.1 13.8 42.1 3.1 17.4 7.6 Sex Males 100.0 4.3 15.8 9.6 14.2 38.2 3.0 14.9 8.7 Females 100.0 1.0 12.3 4.6 13.4 45.7 3.2 19.8 6.7 Age 15-29 100.0 1.6 15.1 8.4 14.2 43.1 2.0 15.6 5.3 30-44 100.0 1.6 12.9 7.9 15.5 45.0 3.6 13.5 6.8 45-64 100.0 2.6 13.8 6.1 13.9 41.9 3.7 18.0 7.4 65+ 100.0 5.3 14.1 5.0 11.1 35.4 3.5 25.6 6.7 Town of residence Johannesburg 100.0 2.4 15.3 5.9 10.3 42.4 1.9 21.8 7.0 8.1 11.6 ־ Capetown 100.0 3.3 11.5 7.5 17.5 43.2 5.4 Durban 100.0 0.9 8.4 10.3 26.4 36.7 3.8 13.5 9.1 Pretoria 100.0 4.2 14.2 8.3 17.2 43.2 4.7 8.2 8.9 Port Elizabeth 100.0 2.3 20.7 13.4 17.2 36.5 3.1 6.8 11.0 Bloemfontein 100.0 3.0 17.7 21.3 17.0 35.6 1.5 3.9 12.6 Religion Jewish at birth 100.0 2.5 14.1 7.2 13.7 42.5 3.1 16.9 7.6 Jewish convert 100.0 0.0 12.1 3.7 25.5 39.3 7.3 12.1 8.2 (Non-Jewish) (100.0) (2.7) (2.6) (1.2) (6.5) (0.0) (2.5) (84-5) (0.0) religious role in Jewish community life, but to some extent represents an occasion for social encounter, it seems quite clear that the larger, more complex and more diversified the community, the less the synagogue functions as a focus of Jewish activities. In larger communities, the Jewish institutional infrastructure is wider and richer, and several alternative channels exist for expressing one's Jewish identity, be- sides the traditional site of ^3^. Thus one can recon- ciliate the apparent contradiction between lower frequencies of syn- agogue attendance, and lower percentages of mixed marriage recorded in the largest communities(4).

It is interesting to compare behaviours of Jews at birth and Jewish converts : the latter feature a higher median number of visits in a synagogue, though they are less prone to very intensive frequencies : 15.8% of converts attend at least several times a month, against 23.8% among Jews at birth. Although most non-Jews in Jewish households never attend a synagogue, about 15% do so from time to time (probably together with the entire household). b. Household Rituals

Even more than individual behaviours, observance of household rituals may provide a measure of Jewishness of the community. Table 8 presents frequencies of Jewish traditional observance within the house- hold (with the exception of individual data on performing a son's Bar- Mitzva - religious confirmation).

Although traditions selected for this study are presented here in a general form - without checking the degree of conformity with detailed traditional Jewish prescriptions - the overall impression is that cer- tain elements of Jewish household tradition are very largely practised among South African Jewry. There are, however, rather sharp differences in the perception' of the importance of single behaviours on the part of the Jewish households.

Thus, lorn Kippur (the day of Atonement) appears to be observed by 90% of households, and an even higher proportion (94%) mark in one way or another the festival of Pessah (Passover). 86% of households eat Matzah (unleavened bread); 67% conform to at least some other traditional prescriptions concerning food during the Passover week; about 67% perform the full Seder (the special Passover evening meal), and another 23% per- form it partially.

(3) See: Advance Report No. 12, Jewish Community Activities, in this series. (4) See: Advance Report No. 13, Marriage and Mixed Marriage, p.13, in this series.

10 Table 8. Percent Jewish Households Observing Selected Jewish Traditions, 1974

Jewish traditions Percent observing

N. 29,665 Kosher food 59.2 Thereof: fully 27.4 Lighting candles 83.9 Festive meal 71.4 Kiddush 67.6 Synagogue 35.9 Full observance 9.2 Pessah Seder 94.0 thereof: fully 66.5 partly 23.3 other meal 4.2 Matzah 85.9 Special food 67.1 Special dishes 42.2 Yom Kippur 88.9 Bar Mitzva 55.2ta)

(a) Persons aged 13 and over.

Degrees of.observance are somewhat lower, but still quite general- ised, with regard to traditions more frequently recurring throughout the year. Thus, concerning Sabbath observance, 84% light candles, 71% have a festive evening meal, 68% say the Kiddush (sanctification) before the meal, 40% go to the synagogue, but only 9% declare observance in full of the traditional Sabbath prescriptions (which include absten- tion from working, travelling, smoking, etc.). Kosher food is used at least sometimes by 59% of households, thereof 27% eat it exclusively.

The emerging image is one of a community deeply affected by cer- tain characteristic patterns of traditional Jewish culture, though the selective choice of observed traditions suggests the latter are not the expression of an orthodox-religious way of thinking, but rather of the interplay of secular and traditional elements in the overall pattern of Jewish identity in South Africa.

11 References

(1) Delia Pergola, S. Anatomia dell 'ebraismo italiano. Roma, Carucci, 1976. 358 p.

(2) Dubb, A. A. "Jewish - Gentile Intermarriage in a South African City". In: African Studies, Vol. 29, n.2, 1970. p.111-127.

(3) Dubb, A.A. "Changes in Ethnic Attitudes of Jewish Youth in Johannesburg". In: Jewish Social Studies, Vol. 34, n.l, 1972. p. 58-72.

(4) Dubb, A.A. "Retrospect and Prospect in the Growth of the Jewish Community in the Republic of South Africa". In: U.O. Schmelz, P. Glikson, and S. Delia Pergola (eds.). Papers in Jewish Demography, 1969. Jerusalem, The Hebrew University, Institute of Contemporary Jewry, and World Union of Jewish Studies, 1973. p.105-122.

(5) Dubb, A.A. Jewish South Africans. Occasional Paper, Grahamstown, University, Institute for Social and Economic Research, 1976.

(6) Glazer, N., and Moynihan, D.P. Beyond the Melting Pot. Cambridge and London, The M.I.T. Press, 2nd Edition, 1963. p.139-143.

(7) Goldstein, S., and Goldscheider, C. Jewish Americans : Three Generations in a Jewish Community, Englewood Cliffs, Prentice- Hall, 1968. 274 p.

(8) Herskovitz, M.J. "Who Are the Jews?" In: L. Finkelstein Ced.), The Jews : Their History, Culture, and Religion. New York, Harper, 3rd Edition, 1960, Vol. II. p.1489-1509.

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