22 | MAY 23 • 2024
J
N
A
ccording to just-
released data, the
Washtenaw County
area Jewish community is
much larger than previously
thought.
Estimates from the past 20+
years had suggested the local
Jewish population was approx-
imately 8,000 Jews in 3,000
households.
But with a population of
11,000 households and 20,000
Jewish individuals — including
3,900 Jewish children — the
unexpectedly large size of
the community is one of the
most significant and exciting
data points in the 2022-2023
Washtenaw County Area
Jewish Community Study: A
Data-Driven Collaboration.
The Jewish Federation of
Greater Ann Arbor, in part-
nership with local Jewish com-
munal organizations and con-
gregations, commissioned this
study and presented its results
publicly at a community Town
Hall on April 15. At the Town
Hall, attendees heard a presen-
tation of the study’s key find-
ings and discussed questions,
opportunities and challenges
raised by the data.
In addition to the commu-
nity-wide conversation, small-
group meetings with commu-
nity leaders were conducted,
allowing for deeper exploration
of topics like social services,
congregational life, community
engagement and youth/teen
education and engagement.
The goal of this Community
Study was to provide a current
portrait of the local Jewish
community and to give needed
insight to build the most wel-
coming, innovative and vibrant
Jewish community possible.
Board President of the
Jewish Federation, Jessica
“Decky” Alexander, noted the
significance of this effort.
“The Community Study,” she
says, “is an important start to
discovering and/or re-discov-
ering the backgrounds, beliefs,
values and priorities of Jewish
individuals in Washtenaw
County.”
The Jewish Federation is
pleased to share some key
findings below. It is important
to note that data for this study
were collected from November
2022 to January 2023, well
before the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks
and ensuing war in Israel and
Gaza. It is possible that some
results might have differed if
they had been collected after
Oct. 7, especially in the areas
of antisemitism and Israel.
A FEW KEY FINDINGS
Who and Where We Are
• 20,000 Jews in 11,000
households, representing 5%
of the total local population.
Undergraduate students were
not included in the study.
• 88% of Jewish adults feel
connected to the Jewish peo-
ple; only 35% feel connected to
the local Washtenaw County
Jewish community.
Congregations and Jewish
Ritual
• 20% of Jewish households
belong to a congregation, min-
yan or chavurah.
• 83% report lighting
Chanukah candles in the last
year, 80% attended a seder and
67% attended at least one syna-
gogue service.
Antisemitism
• When data were collected,
69% of respondents indicat-
ed they are concerned about
antisemitism in the U.S.
• 22% had experienced
antisemitism in the previous
year.
Connection to Israel
• When data were collected,
58% of respondents reported
feeling some level of emotional
attachment to Israel.
• About 50% of respondents
feel their views about Israel are
Bigger than Expected
Demographic study reveals 20,000 Jews in Washtenaw County.
EILEEN FREED SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
OUR COMMUNITY
The results of
the study were
presented at a public
town hall on April 15.