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.

