THE JEWS OF SOUTH AFRICA 2005 - REPORT ON A RESEARCH STUDY SHIRLEY BRUK RESEARCH Prepared for Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research at the University of Cape Town May 2006 THE JEWS OF SOUTH AFRICA 2005 - REPORT ON A RESEARCH STUDY No part of the report may be reproduced without permission of the author ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study is a Kaplan Centre initiative, with the need for the study being recognised specifically by Mendel Kaplan. The study will hopefully make a useful contribution to the data bank relating to South African Jewry and will be yet another contribution from Mendel Kaplan to the Jewish Community of South Africa. We are fortunate to have been able to base the study design and questionnaire on the 1998 JPR study1 since this set the basic format and allowed for important comparative data to be obtained. There have however been a large number of changes to accommodate the 2005 objectives. This study was designed and undertaken by Shirley Bruk. Appreciation goes to Professor Milton Shain of the Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research at the University of Cape Town for his support and input. Valuable input relating to the questionnaire was also obtained from Yehuda Kay, National Director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. The review of the questionnaire by representatives of various Jewish communal and religious organisations provided useful suggestions prior to commencement of the survey. These suggestions and amendments were incorporated wherever possible. Thanks to all those who made a major contribution to this study i.e. Carmen Mayers and her team for their integrity, enthusiasm and commitment to quality and to the project as such. This appreciation also extends to the interviewers in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban, for their data-gathering and for their commitment which was often beyond the call of duty. In addition, thanks go to: David Saks of the Board of Deputies, Kevin Parry of Statistics South Africa and also organisations which provided communal register data for Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban. 1 The 1998 study was undertaken by The Institute for Jewish Policy Research in London (JPR) in association with the Isaac and Jessie Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research at the University of Cape Town. Decision Surveys International (DSI) was the market research company which conducted the fieldwork, sampling and data processing under the direction of Shirley Bruk who also provided input for making the questionnaire relevant to the South African situation. The study was reported on in: Barry A. Kosmin, Jacqueline Goldberg, Milton Shain, Shirley Bruk, Jews of the ‘new South Africa’: highlights of the 1998 national survey of South African Jews. CONTENTS Background.......................................................................................... 1 Study Objectives…………………………………………………………... 2 Methodology and Sample Details……………………………………….. 6 Sample Composition: Additional Data…………………………………… 10 Questionnaires, Interviewer Instructions and Showcards…………….. 17 Fieldwork and Data Processing………………………………………….. 18 Timing………………………………………………………………………. 18 Presentation of Results…………………………………………………… 18 REPORT ON THE FINDINGS I. Schooling, with focus on types of schools A. Background........................................................................... 20 B. Nursery schools/preschools.................................................. 21 C. Primary and Middle/High schools......................................... 23 D. Jewish versus non-Jewish schools....................................... 28 II. Focus on Jewish Education A. Perceived quality of Jewish Education......... ....................... 37 B. The role of formal Jewish Education ………………………… 39 III. Attitudes to South Africa A. Political Party Affiliation………………………………………… 44 B. Racial Prejudice, Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism……………. 48 C. SA: Quality of life, Overall situation, Jewish community……. 56 D. Rating of South Africa on various factors…………………….. 61 E. Additional input on Attitudes to South Africa…………………. 66 F. Future for Jews in South Africa………………………………... 68 IV. Migrants who have returned A. Proportion who have emigrated but returned………………… 75 B. Countries went to……………………………………………….. 77 C. When emigrated………………………………………………… 77 D. When returned………………………………………………….. 78 E. Reasons underlying leaving and reasons for returning…….. 78 V. Likelihood of moving within and from South Africa with related preferences, reasons and attitudes A. Likelihood of moving from current address…………………… 81 B. Within own city, to another city, to another country………….. 83 C. Suburb preferences and City preferences…………………….. 84 D. Country preferences ……………………………………………. 88 E. Likelihood of staying in/leaving SA, reasons and attitudes….. 99 VI. Focus on Israel A. Reasons for not wanting to emigrate to Israel........................ 107 B. Rating of Israel on various factors……………………………… 110 C. Bonds with and extent of attachment to Israel ……………….. 114 D. Middle East situation…………………………………................. 119 E. Jewish/Zionist Youth Movements............................................ 120 VII. Jewish Identity, Related issues and Activities A. Insight into Jewish Identity and Bonds………………………….. 124 B. The link between Jews, their Future, their Past………………… 129 C. Marriage/Partners, Intermarriage, Conversion…………………. 132 D. Participation in Jewish Educational and other programmes, trips, websites, other activities……………................................. 141 VIII. Religiosity A. God, Torah and Prayer……….……………………………………. 143 B. Classification in terms of Jewish Religious Practice ……………. 148 C. Upbringing in terms of Jewish Religious Practice……………….. 157 D. Observance of practices/rituals (incl. synagogue attendance)… 159 E. Focus on Kosher Meat Issue………………………………………. 170 F. Types of Synagogue………………………………………………... 175 IX. Jewish Community and Communal Organisations A. Jewish Community and Role (perceptions of those not married). 182 B. Requirements from Jewish Community Structure………………... 185 C. Jewish community support/facilities for specific groups…………. 189 D. Membership and participation in organisations…………………… 192 E. The Organisations……………………………………………………. 196 F. Focus on fourteen selected organisations………………………… 204 G. Summary table for the fourteen organisations……………………. 236 STUDY HIGHLIGHTS AND SUMMARY ……………………………………… 237 APPENDIX Contact Questionnaire Main Questionnaire Interviewer Instructions BACKGROUND: The last survey amongst Jewish people in South Africa was conducted in 1998. It was recognised that a new survey is necessary. The initial brief for the survey was that the focus this time should be on gathering data which will be helpful to the community. A two-pronged approach has been utilized to achieve this i.e. Where relevant, questions from the 1998 survey were repeated to allow for comparisons and thus detection of trends and changes. With the results from the 1998 survey as a benchmark, the repetition of key questions allowed for the monitoring of changes in the last seven years. Furthermore, the issues can be remeasured in future surveys thus enabling us to keep a finger on the pulse of what is happening within the Jewish community i.e. we would be developing an “attitude-needs-and- behaviour-pattern barometer”. In addition, a battery of new questions have been included to heighten the usefulness of the survey to the community This study, as was the 1998 study, is a Kaplan Centre1 initiative. The study design and questionnaire have been based on the 1998 JPR2 survey to allow for comparisons and for detection of trends. However, the questionnaire was sizeably trimmed, amended and supplemented in accordance with the new 2005 objectives. To ensure that the survey was indeed geared to communal requirements, preliminary versions of the questionnaire were submitted to representatives of various Jewish communal organisations for their comments and suggestions. In addition, there were a number of meetings and amendments relating to the study and questionnaire so as to ensure the gathering of useful, meaningful information. 1 The Isaac and Jessie Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research at the University of Cape Town. 2 The 1998 study was undertaken by The Institute for Jewish Policy Research in London (JPR) in association with the Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research at the University of Cape Town. Decision Surveys International (DSI) was the market research company which conducted the fieldwork, sampling and data processing under the direction of Shirley Bruk who also provided input for making the questionnaire relevant to the South African situation. The study was reported on in: Barry A. Kosmin, Jacqueline Goldberg, Milton Shain, Shirley Bruk, Jews of the ‘new South Africa’: highlights of the 1998 national survey of South African Jews. Additional documents relating to more detailed analysis of the findings were prepared by Shirley Bruk. 1 STUDY OBJECTIVES: Some key issues investigated in this survey are: ¾ Schooling: Type of school at which adults finished school (e.g. whether private school or not; whether Jewish school or not); type of school children currently attend; attitudes to Jewish vs. non-Jewish schools; perceived quality of Jewish education at schools; attitudes to the role of formal Jewish education. ¾ Emigrated but returned: Proportion who emigrated and returned and underlying reasons for each of these actions; which country they emigrated to; who – demographically speaking – are the returnees? ¾ Likelihood