January 19, 2001
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… of being a Jew," says Gershon, who has visited six different synagogues with his wife since arriving in Detroit 1 V2 years ago. "But it has nothing to do with being religious. Maybe it's like my…
… Gershon, 30, a CPA, was affiliated with a syn- agogue in Israel, which they say is common, except among Orthodox Jews. Synagogues of other streams of Judaism are not widely available in Israel. "I'm proud…
… nationality — half Jewish, half Israeli." Both believe the choices here are very important. For their son, Evyatar, born this past May, they hope only measure of Jewish identification. debate among synagogues…
… assimilation. A flurry of programs Jews into the Jewish community, says was soon established. Most notable is Kotler-Berkowitz, who is working on Synagogue 2000, a comprehensive pro- the new national Jewish…
… population gram to make synagogues more inviting study to be released this year. But, he and more of a center for learning and says, the most dramatic story revolves living Jewishly, not just for praying…
…. Rabbi L ass around the number of Jews who no According to the survey, only 39 per- longer choose to practice their religion cent of Jews in the United States as synagogue members. described themselves as…
… current synagogue mem- Over the last few years, synagogues have bers. But this figure, cautions Dr. Laurence developed outreach programs to welcome inter- Kotler-Berkowitz, senior project director of the…
…. So when the survey asked, "Have you the leading edge with outreach. "Every Reform ever been a member (as an adult) of a syna- synagogue is autonomous; our synagogues run gogue?" the percentage, which…
… includes the 39 the whole gamut on interfaith membership," percent currently affiliated, climbs to 58 percent. says Kathy Kahn, assistant director of outreach "Synagogue affiliation is related to lifecycles…
… and fessionals or empty-nesters — especially those arrive at a policy," she adds. "And then let peo- who move." ple know the decision is not arbitrary, explain- Synagogue membership, however, is not the…