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This book argues that the way to ensure that American Jewish life flourishes is to create vibrant local communities and that the ability to thrive will be won or lost in the trenches of each locality. For every generalization about the Jews of America, one can say, "maybe, but it depends where." In the United States, Jewish life is up close and personal where local variations on national themes make a huge difference.
The author presents case studies using in-depth analysis of data from nine Jewish community studies to illuminate eleven critical American Jewish policy issues. The analysis is used to formulate a range of policy options for different types of communities.
This book is for anyone who cares about the future of American Jewry. It should be of particular interest to the lay leaders and professionals who play a role in Jewish nonprofits. It is also of great interest to researchers and students of Jewish studies and Jewish communal service.
List of contents
Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. A Classification of American Jewish Communities.- Chapter 3. Porous Boundaries and Borderland Jews.- Chapter 4. Intermarriage.- Chapter 5. The Erosion of the Center.- Chapter 6. The Orthodox Resurgence.- Chapter 7. Are There Poor Jews?.- Chapter 8. The Impact of Cost on Living a Jewish Life.- Chapter 9. How Jewish Are Young Jewish Adults?.- Chapter 10. Baby Boomers: Generation in Transition.- Chapter 11. Seniors: Maximizing Autonomy.- Chapter 12. The Mosaic Within: Jewish Diversity and Inclusion.- Chapter 13. Jewish Geography: The Spatial Dynamics of Jewish Life.- Chapter 14. Performance-driven Culture: Enabling a Vibrant Jewish Community.- Chapter 15. Compilation of Strategic Options.- Index.
About the author
Jacob B. ("Jack") Ukeles directed or co-directed twenty studies of American Jewish communities and more than 150 other planning, policy research, and management projects while serving as president of Ukeles Associates, Inc. 1986 - 2018. Over an eight-year period, he also served as the principal advisor to the CEO of JDC, an international relief organization. In the 1980s, he was a senior executive at New York Jewish Federation. He taught urban planning at the University of Pennsylvania, policy analysis/management at Columbia University, and was the first Chair of Urban Affairs and Policy Analysis at the New School for Social Research. He has a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and was a Fulbright scholar in India.
Report
"Illuminating the bath to vibrant American Jewish communities: Linking data to policy is unique in the social scientific literation in that it addresses a social policy audience ... he combines his experience in both planning and social research to create a book that can serve as 'a road map to use of data, analysis, and strategic thinking to inform Jewish communal policies at the local level'." (Bruce A. Phillips, Contemporary Jewry, November 14, 2024)
