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May 17, 2002/Sivan 6, 5762, Vol. 54, No.35
Demographic study results postponed
BARRY COHEN
Editor
Difficulties in completing requisite interviews for the Valley's first Jewish demographic study in 18 years, combined with challenges of reviewing and organizing interview results, have delayed unveiling of the study's findings until fall.
"We had hoped to have the interviews completed by (April)," said Fred Zeidman, assistant executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix.
However, by early April, survey interviewers had failed to complete sufficient interviews for statistical validity with Jewish households in Phoenix and the East Valley, explained Ron Miller of Ukeles Associates, Inc., the national consulting group conducting the study. The households were identified during a telephone screening process, Miller said.
Households contacted in the East Valley included Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Ahwatukee and Sun Lakes, said Zeidman.
More Jewish households in Phoenix than expected refused to answer full telephone surveys, said Zeidman. In the East Valley, more screening calls had to be made to identify enough Jewish households. Once identified, the East Valley households were more willing to complete surveys than those in Phoenix, he added.
Approximately 775 interviews were completed, and the data is being reviewed and organized, said Zeidman. The interviews include more than 500 from the federation's list of known Jewish households and more than 200 identified through a random-digit-dialing screening process that began Jan. 5.
"The review process is labor intensive and tedious," said Zeidman.
The results are being examined to ensure that answers - corresponding to particular codes - have been placed in the right "answer fields" on the survey forms, he explained.
Officials had hoped to make the findings available in late spring, said Howard Cabot, chairman of the federation demographic study committee.
Instead, the committee will meet in late summer and early fall to review the survey findings and generate a final report for October release, he said.
The study is being funded by Harold and Jean Gross-man of Paradise Valley.
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