IS
0
1
NEW YEAR'S
GREETINGS
Generateonal Differences Reveal Commitment Trends
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, Sept. 8, 1972—B-13
By BEN GALLOB
Human strength lies not in
(Copyright. 1972, JTA Inc.)
extremes, but in avoiding ex-
An intensive study of the
tremes. —Ralph W. Emerson
25,000-member Jewish com-
munity of North Jersey
Greetings and Best Wishes
served by its Jewish federa-
SPICK CLEANER
tion has disclosed that gen-
erally the younger the age
8 FURRIERS
IN THE NEW ADDITIO
group of Jews the less com-
AT
Specialising in All Alterations
mitment there is to tradi-
on Ladies', Men's and
TEL-TWELVE MALL
tional observances and be-
Children's Clothing
liefs and, among the younger
355-2467
24813 Greenfield EL 7-1141
Jews, a progressively declin-
ing commitment to the basic
* ideas on which the Jewish
dorm- and . Inc tiChuurtz and all the Girls wish all
community rests.
their friends and customers a Happy. Ileakhs - Neu. Ieur
Dr. Marvin V. Verbit, the
* Brooklyn College sociologist
*
who served as consultant for
*
the survey and author of the
TONY'S
SHOE REPAIR
*
*
*
*
*
report, warned that "unless
the leaders of organized Jew-
ish life are willing to risk end
probably confront a diminish-
ing base of support for their
communal institutions, they
should consider how to deal
with what is realistically to
be seen as a serious long-
range problem."
In line with similar studies
of other Jewish communities.
the federation analysis found
that college attendance has
become almost universal.
with the rate of college grad-
uation rising with each suc-
cessive .generation and that
North Jersey Jews include
few unskilled laborers_ The
findings are based on demo
graphic data gathered from
1.7 = households and inter-
views with 631 individual
Jews.
The study found there
are fewer young families
than would he expected in a
"normal" Jewish population:
"While a 'normal' popu la -
Jews. A largt
lion's age-sex pyramid rises eration area
from a broad base of young majority of all of the a4..,e
to a narrow point of old groups agreed that a - Jew can
people, the Federation area live as full a Jewish life in
has fewer people under 10 the United States as in Israel
for
and between 20 and 40." With What Israel has done
ma,rori , v
the exception of Wayne, the American Jews, the
study found that the area agreed, was to provide a fr.',
of pride in Jewish
"does not seem to be attract - ing
ing or retaining its young achievements and to renew'
of American
marrieds," the report said. the interest
There are more profes• Jews in Jewish history.
sionals among Jews in the gion and culture. The ma-
Jewish Federation of North jority also agreed that Israel
tie
Jersey area than in any is the basic homeland of
other single occupational Jewish people. that every
in
category and about two- Jew should help 1 , rati
." that
thirds of the working Jews sDine "significant ,a ∎
cw
are salaried and one-third he should feel a special
rural or religious bond with
self-employed.
Is
Slightly more than 213 per Israel and not relate
cent are owners or managers, rael "as to any other f, d- et•.n
about a third are an teehm- nation "
usually.
:•ebjects
Twelve
po,si -
cal, clerical or
were
lions. Less than 4 per cent of taught in Jewish schools
all employed Jews are un- rated by the respondents
Camas • Metal•Elb,rglas
group
niem
age
skilled laborers.. Nearly 40 The student
Estimates Cheerfully Given
per cent of the heads of hers attributed less impor
Best Wishes for A Happy New Year
households and their wives lance to almost all of the
to Our Friends and Patrons
18326 Jchn R TO 9 - 6000
were born in New York City. subjects than did the other
Mr. and Mrs. Irving A. Steinberg & Family
About 13 per cent of the age groups. The study noted
r-
households reported they that though the impact of Is-
Happy New Year To Our
plan to move soon. Almost rael on the younger Jews was
NEW YEAR GREETINGS
Friends and Patrons
half of the households headed obvious, "subjects related to
MIDWEST FIRE
by men in their twenties Israel and ethics fare at least
plan to move. as badly among the young
ADJUSTERS, INC.
About two-thirds of the group as do other subjects."
Mackey Co.
Chas I. Jacobson, David Gross
The extent to which the
Jews identify themselves with
and Allen Gross
UN 4-6600
13505 W. 7 Mile at Hartwell
14877 WYOMING
Conservative Judaism. Slight- Jews said thekregularly read
14744 FENKELL
WE 3-9070
ly -more than one-fifth iden- a periodical of Jewish inte-
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New Orleans Mall 10 Mi. at Greenfield EL 7-1291
L
tify with Reform and the rest rest ant sd with age. The
consider thentSelves Ortho- older the group the greater
dox, Yiddishist or secularist. the proportion claiming to
Orthodoxy is most frequently read stith a periodical. The
listed by Jews over 60. range was from 34 per cent
Yiddishism as a form of in the t4tudent category to 78
Jewish identity has declined Per eon of the sen or group
From
over the years, the report and most of the periodicals
incere wishes for
EDDIE
said, but. secularism alias read were organizational
held its own." Attitudinal ma gazines.
CITRON
Most of the interviewed
data were analyzed for four
a new Year,
23077 Greenfield
age categories: students, Jews claimed to have read
at least one book "of Jew-
young adults, middle age,
Advance Building
and seniors, the latter being ish content during the pre-
(Lower Level)
ceding year, most frequent-
appiness
JeWs 55 and older.
Southfield, Mi. 48075
ly popular works of fiction
In all groups, the notion
In something lives on spin- with Jewish themes or
itually after death drew more
Most respondents said
disbelief than belief. Con- characters.
trary to the popular belief there was "a little" or a
that acceptance of a spiritual "moderate amount" of anti-
From All Of Us To All Of You —
immortality is most widely Sernitism in the area. The
accepted
by elder Jew's, the student group found the least
Year!
A Peaceful, Happy, Joyful
study found it is most widely anti-Semitism and the young
accepted by those of student adult category the most.
• Layaways
• Master Charge
• BankAns•rkard
age among the area's Jews. The generations differed
JACK AND DIANA TIEGER
Avowed atheism is almost most on the issue of commit-
to a strong Jewish
28748 TELEGRAPH ROAD
non-existent but up to 20 per men[
SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN 48075
LI 3-4115
cent claim to be agnostics. community which the author
13745 W. NINE NILE RD.
355-5280
The most widely accepted of the report considered "the
most important finding of the
definiti OR of the Jewish Pe o-
by the stud)" w as study." Each successive
%:-:,. plc fw"(1
ounger group "showed less
:-:-:-:-:•:-:-:•:-:-:•:-:-:-:-:-:.:•:-:-:•::•:-:-'-:-:-:•:-:•:-:-:-:-',:•:-:-:-:-:-:-:•:-:-:-:•:•:•:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:•:-----
•
that they are "an ethniC•
/win'. commitment on such issues
•:•1•1; cultural" group.
as supporting Israel and local
lions of "adherents of a
religion" and the "chosen Jewish agencies, keeping in-
formed about Jewish affairs,
people" concept are next
responsibility
ibility of Jews for
Jews,
in acceptance. The two lat.
intermarriage
ter definitions are almost Wier
and
the
community's respon-
equally - accepted by the
sthility to provide services."
middle age Jews, with sen-
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HOLIDAY GREETINGS
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A Happy, Healthy & Prosperous
NEW YEAR
S
Pied with
La t4 h
JILL
OgRO N
&M ICE
and peace
i
ikilditilig.
gitt.
Lingerie and Corsets
BRODY'S TOTS-N-TEEN SHOP
1
- : for age Jews giving great-
est acceptance to the rho-
....:i
.•-:•:-. sen people idea. Very few
::::;: respondents in * all of the
We Extend Our Best Wishes For a Year of
Abundance, Peace, Health and Prosperity
To All Our Friends, Customers and Employees
JEWISH MASTER
BAKERS ASSOCIATION
The study sought informs-
lion on sentiment about the
• •Jew i shness" of various
cial service agencies. A lars:e-
majority in all age groups
age groups defined Jews felt that Jewish-sponsored
as a nationality.
nursery schools should oh-
There appeared to be no h
serve Jewish holidays and
consistent relationship be- their some Jewish contentin
::,: tween age and observance of h
palrograms. A fairly sub-
:: particular rituals. Older peo- stanti
wanted
i pie in the -sample tended to such nursery schools to ob-
::: be either observant or non- serve the j
se dietary
le ary laws, have
.:: observant and the younger large ly
: Jews tend to be partially ob- mostl y
ewish enrollees
staffs and
Y Jewish
.*i:i servan t. The Jewish dietary Th ere was generalin
sum-
general agreel
laws are expectedly observed mentfow
r
by the senior group and least mer camps, particularly
Young
on adults. .
among students. Substantial
Kippur support was expressed for at
byFth
asetin
and commitment to ritual least some Jewish content in
circumcision decline with programs for teenagers and
each successive age group. a majority said they should -
Hanuka candles and the observe Jewish holidays.
1;:mezuza, however, are used Some two-thirds felt such
is by a higher percentage of programs should be guided
the young adult category by Jewish values and tradi-
?than in the othe r groups.
tions. The student group
Negators of the galut
members had a minority in
ar to he rare among fed- support of that view.