Editor's Letter
When you
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If Numbers Could Talk
First of two parts
D
someone
socially as well as religiously or culturally in Jewish Detroit. A
job alone won't necessarily keep young professionals here.
etroit Jewry retains a solid geographic core but
there are fewer Jews in the metro area. Our median
age is up from 41 to 47, the highest outside Florida's
retirement communities. We continue to grow older against
the backdrop of young adult flight and
few new residents. We're still involved
religiously and culturally, more so
than in many Jewish areas. Few of us
marry non-Jews. We're well educated
and also upper-middle class. And we're
generous.
And we better laser focus on ser-
vices for our seniors and Jewish edu-
cation for our kids or we won't have
much of a community to worry about
in 15 years.
This is some of what I "heard" as I
read the numbers from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's 2005 community survey compiled by one of
America's renowned demographers, Dr. Ira Sheskin of the
University of Miami. This was the 37th such survey he has
done for Jewish America, giving him instant credibility.
Our geographic core remains in south Oakland County.
It has extended slightly to the east (Royal Oak) and west
(Walled Lake/Commerce). It's no surprise that of the top five
ZIP codes, two are in West Bloomfield, two are in Farmington
Hills and one is in Oak Park. Southfield has lost the most
Jews since the last Federation study in 1989, but remains a
viable Jewish community. That's due in part to Federation's
Neighborhood Project, which offered interest-free loans to
homebuyers and home renovators during
the 1980s and 1990s.
Since 1989, our population has fallen
from 96,000 to 72,000. My guess is that
the 1989 number actually was closer to
86,000 to 88,000. Still, our decline is dra-
matic. We've fallen from the 11th largest
Jewish community in America to 21st. By
contrast, Metro Detroit is home to at least
245,000 Arabs.
Almost 40 percent of our 30,000 house-
holds have adults 65 or older. Thirty percent have parents
with children 17 or younger, who we better instill with Jewish
identity if we want to perpetuate a vibrant Jewish community.
Only 7 percent have young adults ages 18-29 living there.
After earning a university degree, many of our young peo-
ple settle in urban hotspots like New York, Chicago, Boston,
Seattle, Atlanta and L.A. in search of jobs and nightlife.
Michigan's economy is driving many away. Some choose to
come back to raise a family if they happen to land a job here.
If the Detroit Jewish community doesn't take an active inter-
est in the gubernatorial race this year, and demand action
plans for reversing our economic tumble, we're — dare I say
— nuts. The economy is our greatest enemy to stability, let
alone growth. The other thing that we can do to stem the
flight is work together once in a while instead of only as indi-
vidual groups to offer cool, fun events for the young adults
we do have. By doing so, we can give this critical age group a
chance to connect with their peers in the Jewish community.
We must give this generation a sense that they can thrive
Extending Roots
We're nothing as a Jewish community if not deeply rooted.
Almost 60 percent of us were born here, suggesting that we
have three and even four generations of Detroiters still here.
Most adults today had some Jewish education as a child, per-
haps indicative of why our synagogue affiliation average of 50
percent is 10 percent higher than the national average. This
strong Jewish identity, punctuated by a growing Orthodox "
community, has translated into only 9 percent of married
Jews in Metro Detroit being married to non-Jews.
More than half of our homeowner households boast a
housing value of $150,000 to $350,00; 20 percent have a
value of $350,000 to $500,000. Forty-four percent of us have
a household income of at least $100,000. Our jobless rate
is very low, but that's offset by a rise in calls for short-term
financial help to Jewish Family Service, Hebrew Free Loan,
?VS and other Federation partner agencies, themselves ham-
pered by government cuts.
Larger individual donations have enabled Federation's
Annual Campaign to top $35 million for 10 years straight
despite the number of donors falling from 16,600 to 10,400
over the last 10 years. This year's yield is headed toward
$36.75 million — a near record. And we still post the fifth
largest Campaign. All givers deserve a "thank you:'
with a
disability,
you enrich
a life.
Yours.
A Pressing Matter
Our aging population obligates Federation to name a strategic
planning team to dissect the impact on communal services.
From housing to transportation, from prescription drugs to
Our aging population obligates Federation to
name a strategic planning team to dissect the
impact on communal services. The aging
problem is a crisis in the making for all Jews.
\t.
in-home support, from activities to nursing care, the needs
will be greater. So will the price tag.
Southfield businessman Mandell Berman funds the Mandell
L. Berman National Jewish Databank at the University of
Connecticut. He co-chaired and partially funded the 2000-
2001 National Jewish Population Survey of the United Jewish
Communities. "We better be prepared for what the cost of
serving the elderly will be he told me point blank last week.
"It's a delicate and sensitive issue — and so urgent:'
Put bluntly: The aging problem is a crisis in the making for
all Jews. Even older adults who are well off require the net of
comfort and security that only a community can cast.
The crisis isn't just service driven. The Jewish community
is influential far beyond its size politically and charitably. Will
our influence erode in proportion to growth in the local Arab
community, now more than triple our size? The ramifications
would be immense — and they would redefine who we are.0
1
The hardest part
about having a
disability isn't the
disability. it's having
your gifts and talents overlooked. Its
being left out by those who don't know
what you can bring to the party.
So do something nice for yourself.
Include someone with a disability in
your life. Discover how much more
we're alike than different. We can help
you make that connection.
Call ARC at 248-538-6610 ext. 349
or log onto larc.org .
wrn
Helping People With Disabilities
Be Included In Their Community -
All Through Their Lives
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June 8 • 2006
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