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- BRoodwoy 3 - 9450 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- 23077 Coolidge, Oak Park THE FABULOUS STAR BAKERY * HOLIDAY GREETINGS ACME AWNING CO. SPECIFICATIONS SERVICE CO. 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.