Jews in North America
The Growth of the Haredi Communities in the Diaspora

New Subjects in the Field

Annual assessment for 2022 – main recommendations
The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) Releases 2022 Annual Assessment of the Situation and Dynamics of the Jewish People, Indicators of Jewish Safety and Well-being in Decline.

Despite the Gloomy Headlines, American Jewry has Grown in Size
American Jewry has grown in size, is largely connected to Israel, and the young generation can be engaged; is more diverse and divided than in the past Highlights from Prof. Leonard Saxe’s lecture at JPPI (edited by Dan Feferman). Despite (some of) the gloomy headlines from the recent Pew Study of American Jewry, along with reports about anti-Semitism, BDS and…

Implications of the Pew Report
The October 2013 Pew report and other studies raise major questions as to whether this pattern of activity can continue, at least in its current form. These questions are less concerned with the concrete attitudes and positions the Jewish leadership and the Jewish community are currently advocating, and more concerned with the type of Jewish identity that underpins such advocacy…

The Challenge of Peoplehood: Strengthening the Attachment of Young American Jews to Israel in the Time of the Distancing Discourse
This policy paper analysis trends of distancing and put forward policy proposals for strengthening the attachment of young American Jews to Israel in the time of the distancing discourse. To read the full paper: The Challenge of Peoplehood: Strengthening the Attachment of Young American Jews to Israel in the Time of the Distancing Discourse

‘Jews Not by Religion’
– 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…

Who are the “Jews by Religion” in the Pew Report?
Originally posted in The Times of Israel, by Dr. Shlomo Fischer, November 18 Since its publication on October 1, 2013, the Pew report, A Portrait of Jewish Americans, has generated copious commentary and debate, mainly around its findings concerning the more than one million “Jews of no religion.” I suggest that much of the commentary reflects a misunderstanding about the meaning of…

Patrilineal Descent in American Reform Judaism
The American Jewish Reform movement’s 1983 Patrilineal Descent decision declaring that the children of Jewish fathers have the same Jewish status as the children of Jewish mothers affected all of American Judaism, because more American Jews call themselves Reform than any other wing of Judaism. Many advocates, including the influential Rabbi Alexander Schindler, celebrated the decision as promoting “the full…

St. Louis Federation Hosts Powerhouse Delegation from Jewish Think Tank in Jerusalem
Mr. Avinoam Bar Yosef, and Brig. General (reserve) Mike Herzog from the JPPI brief St. Louis on trends affecting Jewish People- and Geopolitical challenges for Israel and the Middle East To read more: Jewish Federation Hosts Powerhouse Delegation from JPPI To St. Louis Jewish Federation website