the Jewish bserver www.jewishobservernashville.org Vol. 81 No. 2 • February 2016 22 Sh’vat-20 Adar I 5776 Study finds “slow and steady” growth of Middle Tennessee Jewish community over past decade Communal engagement and connection to Israel are high By CHARLES BERNSEN online and by telephone over a three- month period last year by the Steinhardt he results of a new demo- Social Research Institute, which is part graphic survey show that of Brandeis University’s Cohen Center Nashville and Middle for Modern Jewish Studies. The findings Tennessee have a “slow- are based on a detailed questionnaire Jewish population growth in Nashville and Middle Tennessee since 1982* ly but steadily growing” completed by a representative sample Jewish population that is of 725 Jewish households, plus a supple- Tolder and more intermarried than the mental sample of 290 households that national average but highly engaged in makes it possible to better analyze var- Jewish communal life and strongly con- ious subgroups within the community. nected to Israel. Overall, the results are accurate to about In all, the survey commissioned by plus or minus 7 percent. the Jewish Federation of Nashville and The Federation has scheduled a series Middle Tennessee found that there are of meetings this month to present and about 8,000 Jews – 6,500 adults and discuss the results with representatives of 1,500 children – living in about 4,700 various Jewish institutions and organiza- Jewish households in the metro area tion as well as an informational meeting that includes Davidson, Williamson, from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at Rutherford, Wilson, Robertson, the Gordon Jewish Community Center Cheatham and Sumner counties. that is open to the entire community. In Counting non-Jewish family mem- addition, The Observer will be publishing bers, including 2,200 adults and 800 an ongoing series – Jewish Nashville: By children, the total number of individu- the Numbers – examining the results in als living in these Jewish households is more detail. *Based on data from the American Jewish Year Book and previous community about 11,000. “The Federation undertook this population studies. The 2002 and 2010 figures have been adjusted to reflect The study, the first of Jewish study in an effort to analyze the growth more accurate assessments of the survey conducted in 2002. Nashville since 2002, was conducted Continued on page 2 Source: 2015 Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish Demographic Study On Tzedakah Tzunday, Federation will seek Jewish “super heroes” by phone and on social media By CHARLES BERNSEN involved, especially young adults,” said the Federation to tell their Jewish stories, Aron Karabel, who with his wife, Batia volunteer and be involved in the Jewish zedakah Tzunday is going Karabel, co-chairs the Tzedakah Tzunday community by making a donation, no online. planning committee. The Karabels also matter what the amount.” said Batia. 3GHR Oh, there will still are co-chairs of the philanthropic arm To that end, the online campaign be dozens of volunteers of NowGen Nashville, the Federation’s will pick up on the Tzedakah Tzunday <B-,)3)0 making telephone calls to group for Jewish professionals ages 22-40. theme and encourage members of the about 2,500 Jewish homes Tzedakah Tzunday typically community to “be a super hero for the <B=6,)A in the Nashville area seeking pledges for accounts for 20 percent of the donations Jewish world” by taking their lunch to SGDE@SDNESGDVNQKC T HRHMXNTQG@MCR the 2016 annual campaign of the Jewish to the annual campaign, which helps work and using the savings to make a Federation of Nashville and Middle fund more than 75 program and insti- pledge to the annual campaign. Those Tennessee. tutions in Nashville, Israel and Jewish who participate will be asked to post But in conjunction with the annual communities around the world. But its photos of their lunch bags on Facebook 21)(%58$5< telethon on Feb. 14, the Federation will importance goes beyond fundraising. and Twitter and to indicate why they <28+$9(7+( 23325781,7<72%($ 683(5+(52)257+(-(:,6+:25/' conduct a parallel social media cam- It also helps raise awareness of the contributing to the annual campaign. 6,03/<$16:(57+(&$// $1'0$.($32:(5)8/'21$7,2172 paign aimed at expanding the reach of Federation’s work and, perhaps most Continued on page 2 )('(5$7,21<28·//&+$1*(/,9(6$1' 675(1*7+(17+(&20081,7<$7+20( ,1,65$(/$1':+(5(9(5-(:6$5(,11((' Tzedakah Tzunday, its biggest fundraiser important, inspire engagement in the $5281'7+(*/2%(³$//:,7+287 E9(1'211,1*$&$3($16:(5%< The Federation is asking members of 3+21(2521/,1(0$.($683(5+80$1 of the year. Jewish community. ',))(5(1&( the community to be “super heroes” by “The online presence will help us “Tzedakah Tzunday provides an making pledges to the 2016 annual cam- ZZZMHZLVKQDVKYLOOHRUJJLYHEDFN reach people who might not otherwise be opportunity for individuals touched by paign on Tzedakah Tzunday, Feb. 14. A Publication of the “Jewish Indiana Hillel reaches Camps Jones” at out with new issue Chabad, Bible “week in the page 15 Players at Micah life” feature and more. page 8 Congregational News & Events page 6 and 7 Camps WWW.JEWISHNASHVILLE.ORG tifies him- or herself as Jewish. 2015 Jewish Population Estimates Study Some of the key results identified in Continued from page 1 the survey’s executive summary are: There are about 4,700 Jewish households* in Davidson and the of our Jewish community over the past • The Middle Tennessee Jewish pop- six surrounding counties. Here’s a demographic breakdown of the decade and to provide us with empir- ulation has increased by more than individuals in those households. ical and anecdotal data to assist us in 60 percent since 1982, at least 14 future planning efforts,” said Federation percent since the last demographic Jewish adults 6,500 Executive Director Mark S. Freedman. survey in 2002 and an estimated 7 “We are confident that the results of this percent since 2010. Jewish children 1,500 study will be an invaluable resource in • The median age of the entire Middle JEWISH TOTAL 8,000 continuing to assess our communal needs Tennessee Jewish population is 48; and strengthen our local Jewish institu- the adult median age is 57, some- Non-Jewish adults 2,200 tions and organizations.” what older than the national median One of the most sensitive issues adult age of 50 reported in the 2013 Non-Jewish children 800 in any survey of a Jewish population is Pew study. defining who is Jewish. Following the • As might be expected, a significant TOTAL JEWISH AND NON-JEWISH 11,000 criteria used by the Pew Research Center majority of the Middle Tennessee in its 2013 survey of American Jewry, the Jewish population – 74 percent – *Any home with at least one self-identified adult Jew. Brandeis demographers identified two lives in Davidson County. Another Source: 2015 Nashville and Middle Tennessee Jewish Demographic Study broad categories of Jews: those who iden- 16 percent lives in Williamson tified themselves as Jewish by religion County and the remaining 10 per- and those who identified themselves as cent in the other counties. However, Open Communitywide Meeting on Population Study Jewish by culture, ethnicity or ancestry. 49 percent of the households in Unlike the Pew survey, however, the Williamson County include chil- When: 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24 Nashville study includes adult respon- dren compared to only 24 percent in dents, typically the children of intermar- Davidson County. Where: Gordon Jewish Community Center ried couples, who said they were both • About 60 percent of Jewish house- Jewish and something else. holds include a married couple, with by religion compared to 78 per- Hyatt, Secretary Irwin Venick, board “The question of who is a Jew has 56 percent of those marriages being cent in the national Pew survey. member Lori Fishel and volunteers Amy been debated as long as there have between a Jew and a non-Jew. That However, synagogue membership in Smith, Randy Gross and Shaul Kelner, been Jews,” said Matt Boxer, a Brandeis intermarriage rate is significantly the Nashville area (42 percent) is assistant professor of sociology and Jewish sociology professor and one of the above the national rate of 44 percent statistically the same as the national Studies at Vanderbilt University. study’s authors. found in the Pew survey. average (39 percent). “This study gives us an opportunity In finding a balance between using • About 86 percent of Middle Tennessee • More than 80 percent of Jewish to redouble our efforts where it matters halachic standards that would be too Jewish adults have a college degree households in Middle Tennessee most, rethink efforts that are not impact- exclusive and counting anyone who and more than half – 54 percent – report having some involvement in ful, reach out to more Jews and revise our claims to be Jewish, Boxer said the study have advanced degrees. The high Jewish communal life. That’s a high goals to address unmet needs,” Schiftan relied on a “sociological definition” that number of advance degrees could be percentage, although Boxer said it’s said. “It will be very exciting as our entire would capture those who both identify connected to another finding: 31 per- not unusual for a relatively small community integrates all this feedback.” themselves as Jewish and are generally cent of all Jewish households include Jewish community like Nashville, For his part, Boxer said one of the acknowledged as Jewish in the Nashville at least one Vanderbilt University where those who want a Jewish life most interesting results of the study was community.