jews d
in
the
“Count Me
Detroit”
Jewish Federation launches new
population study in January.
Answering the Call
When “Count Me Detroit” appears on your caller
ID or the number (248-710-0524) appears on your
cell phone, Federation asks you to please answer
the call. The Population Study survey will begin
the week of Jan. 14, and calls will continue for 6-8
weeks or until at least 1,200 surveys are completed.
The calls will come from SSRS, an independent
research company. Interviews will be conducted with
adults who consider themselves Jewish and are by
random digit dialing. Calls average 15-20 minutes.
VIVIAN HENOCH SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
H
we put some of our assump-
ow many Jews live in
Metro Detroit? At last
tions to the test.”
count, according to
Some of the questions to
be answered: Who are we?
the 2010 Update to the Detroit
Area Jewish Population Study
Where do we live? What are
of 2005, that number is
the strengths and chal-
67,000.
lenges of our Jewish
community? Have our
The Jewish
Federation of
numbers — or neigh-
Metropolitan Detroit
borhoods — changed
hypothesizes that a
and, if so, how?
“What trends
lot has changed since
have arisen with the
2010. That’s why it has
growth and focus
commissioned another
population study, fund- Scott Kaufman
of Federation’s new
affinity groups like
ed by private donors
NEXTGen?” Kaufman
and foundations for
continues. “What community
$300,000, that will launch Jan.
14. Its purpose is to gather cur- services are we using and what
services are we missing? To
rent information and insights
what degree have changes in
into the demographics and
our population contributed
social characteristics of the
to enrollment in Jewish day
community.
schools and religious schools?
“Accurate and timely
“At the other end of the
data drive smart decisions,”
spectrum, given what we know
says Federation CEO Scott
from past studies showing that
Kaufman. “Much has changed
Detroit tops the charts in the
in Detroit in the 13 years since
nation’s aging Jewish communi-
the last comprehensive Jewish
Population Study, and it’s time
ties outside the Sunbelt, how
continued on page 22
20
January 11 • 2018
jn