– Jews “not by religion” are much less likely to pass on Jewishness to the next generation
– Jews “not by religion” are not “cultural” Jews, they are disconnected Jews
– The Jewish community must decide how much to invest in them vs. other priorities
– The alternatives for action are basically three:
1. Write them off (but this means a problematic abandonment of many Jews)
2. “Convert” them back to Jews “by religion” (but why would they want to transform)?
3. Develop new expressions of Judaism to fit their needs (but it’s not clear if needs exist)
To read the full paper: ‘Jews Not by Religion’: How to Respond to American Jewry’s New Challenge