Population booms

Phoenix ranks as 13th largest Jewish community in nation

LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor

Between 1984-2002, Jewish households in Greater Phoenix increased at a faster rate than general household growth, according to a new study.

Results from the 2002 Greater Phoenix Jewish Community Study, released this week, show the Jewish population in Greater Phoenix is comprised of 44,000 households - up 138 percent from 1984, which is significantly more than the 78 percent growth of general households in the Valley in the same period.

"This is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas of the United States, and ... the Jewish community has increased at an even faster rate," said Jacob B. Ukeles, project manager and president of Ukeles Associates, Inc., the research team that conducted the study. Ukeles presented study results to board members of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix on Dec. 3.

Nearly half of Jewish households have lived in Greater Phoenix less than 10 years; 23 percent - 10,000 households - have lived in the Valley five years or less.

"This is a community of newcomers," Ukeles said.

This growth places Phoenix as the 13th largest Jewish community in the United States, on the basis of currently published and available data from other Jewish communities.

"(Phoenix is) one of the fastest growing Jewish communities in the United States," Ukeles said. "The only community that I can think of that's comparable is Las Vegas, which has reported very similar rates of growth."

This growth poses a challenge to Jewish communal leaders.

"(Phoenix) is now a major locus of Jewish households in the United States," Ukeles said. "Its rapid growth represents tremendous challenge and opportunity."

Howard Cabot, chairman of the Community Study Committee, agrees. "Where we are now is important, but where we're going in the future is much more important."

The study, initiated and managed by the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, was underwritten primarily by a gift from Harold and Jean Grossman.

The community's last population study was conducted in 1983-1984.

One characteristic of Greater Phoenix's Jewish community is its high rate of disconnection.

"While there has been tremendous growth, the Jewish community has what we consider a high rate of disconnection,"

Highest concentration live in Northeast Valley

Ukeles said. "Only 29 percent belong to a synagogue, which is low by any definition."

Phoenix also is on the low end in terms of general Jewish organizational affiliation and the percentage of children in intermarried households who are being raised Jewish, Ukeles noted.

However, the numbers are very similar to other Jewish communities in the western region, he said. The only area where Phoenix is noticeably behind is in the percentage of households that contribute to the federation - 25 percent, compared to about one-third in other western communities.

One explanation for the low connection rate could be the number of newcomers. But it's not only newcomers who feel disconnected, Ukeles said. "It isn't as if none of the newcomers feel connected and all the old-timers feel connected."

Seventy-three percent of those living in Greater Phoenix nine years or less feel "only a little" or "not at all" part of a Jewish community, in contrast with 53 percent of those living in Greater Phoenix 20 years or more. For those living here 10-19 years, 62 percent feel that way.

A finding that Ukeles found "perplexing" was "such an incredibly high rate of people for whom being Jewish is very important - over 60 percent - in the very same community where synagogue affiliation is less than 30 percent."

Even more striking, perhaps, is that although such a large percentage feel being Jewish is important, the percentage that feels connected to the Jewish community is low.

"Usually those two march in the same direction," he said.

Although the Greater Phoenix Jewish community has gotten "older" since 1984 - the percentage of seniors in Jewish households has risen from 12 percent to 20 percent - it's far from a retirement community. Jewish households include the same percentage of children under age 18 as seniors ages 65 and older.

The quantitative data estimates in the study are based on 793 completed telephone interviews with Jewish households conducted between Jan. 23-May 15.

The results will be published not in book form, but on a computer disk with a data file that can be mined and analyzed and reanalyzed, Ukeles said. "We are not going to leave an 800-page book that nobody reads. We're going to leave a data diskette and we're going to train people in the community in how to analyze the data so we can not only answer today's questions, but answer tomorrow's questions as well."

Ukeles told federation board members: "The data will not tell you what to do, but it will help you focus your energy and your thinking on what the really important issues are."

Vicki Cabot, president of the federation, said, "We are committed to not let this (information) sit on the shelf and collect dust."

The next step is to digest the information revealed by the study, said Fred Zeidman, federation assistant executive director and director of planning and allocations.

"We want to build a broad-base coalition that will work in partnership and identify the next steps," he said. "We're committed to a working partnership with the community in finding those next steps."

Other survey highlights

Household and population estimates

82,900 Jews live in 44,000 Jewish households in Greater Phoenix. The 1984 study reports 18,500 Jewish households.
An additional 24,000 non-Jewish persons live in these households - 22 percent of the total number of people in Greater Phoenix Jewish households.
Since 1984, the number of people living in Jewish households has increased from 45,000 to 106,900.

Demographics

In 1984, 12 percent of people living in Jewish households were age 65 or older; in 2002 the percentage of seniors has risen to 20 percent.
The Northeast Valley and north and central Phoenix are the major Jewish living areas (see sidebar).
51 percent of Greater Phoenix Jewish households are females; 49 percent are males.

Jewish connections

44 percent of Jewish respondents identify themselves as Reform Jews, 24 percent as Conservative, 4 percent as Secular Humanist, 3 percent as Orthodox and 18 percent as "No denomination - just Jewish."

Intermarriage and raising children Jewish

40 percent of currently married couples in Greater Phoenix Jewish households are intermarried. In 1984, the intermarriage rate was 24 percent.
55 percent of couples married between 1990 and 2001 are intermarried, compared to 57 percent of couples married between 1980 and 1989 and 25 percent married prior to 1980.
Out of the approximately 20,700 children under age 18 who live in Greater Phoenix Jewish households, 60 percent are being raised Jewish and 9 percent as "Jewish and something else."
The 9,200 children who are being raised in inmarried (both partners Jewish) and conversionary (one partner Jewish, one partner "considers self" Jewish) households are all being raised Jewish. Out of the 9,200 children being raised in intermarried Jewish households, 50 percent are not being raised Jewish.

Vulnerable populations and human services

14 percent of Jewish households in Phoenix report annual incomes under $25,000; 16 percent of Jewish households report incomes in excess of $150,000.

Philanthropy

85 percent of respondents report that their households made a charitable contribution during 2001: 85 percent to a non-Jewish cause/charity, 51 percent to a Jewish organization, 25 percent to the federation
The youngest respondents, ages 18-34, are the least likely to donate to any charitable cause and are more likely to donate to non-Jewish rather than Jewish causes.

In upcoming issues, Jewish News will feature a more in-depth look at the survey results and their implications.

Contact the writer at leisah_namm@jewishaz.com.

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