The Changing Demographic and Cultural Context for Jewish Chaplaincy Jennifer Rosenberg Director of Research, UJA-Federation of New York Presented at The Challenges to Jewish Chaplaincy in Today’s Changing World: Assessing a Growing Elderly & Jewishly Alienated Population in a Time of Economic Crises November 15, 2011 / 18 Cheshvan 5772

Overview The art of understanding the demographics of the Jewish population Aging in the Jewish community The changing demographic context The changing cultural context 2

The Art of Understanding the Jewish Population Data challenges Existing data sources More valuable information to come… 3

Aging in the Jewish Community 4 Age % %21% %12% %15% %11% %9% 75+5%11% Total100% Jewish Persons by Age, Eight-County New York Area 1991 and 2002 Comparisons Numbers in this and subsequent tables may not add to totals due to rounding. Source: UJA-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 (October 2004) and Jacob B. Ukeles, “What do we know about aging in the Jewish Community?”, May 2004

Aging in the Jewish Community: Vulnerability GroupLiving Alone Two- Person House- holds Three or More Person House-holds Total %24%66%100% %61%21%100% 75+37%51%12%100% 5 Nearly 80 percent of Jews age 75+ who live alone in the New York area are women Of Jewish seniors age 75+ living alone, 44 percent do not have an adult child living in the area. Living Situation of “Aging” Adults, Eight-County New York Area Jewish Households, 2002 Source: UJA-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 (October 2004) and Jacob B. Ukeles, “What do we know about aging in the Jewish Community?”, May 2004

Aging in the Jewish Community: Vulnerability GroupLess Than $35,000 $35,000 to $49,000 $50,000 + TotalIn Poor Jewish Households %13%70%100%8% %13%52%100%22% 75+55%13%32%100%28% 6 More than half of the people age 75+, living in Jewish households in the New York area, have incomes of less than $35,000 per year. Three out of ten people 75 and over living in Jewish households in the New York area have incomes under 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline Household Income and Poverty Status of “Aging” Adults, Eight-County New York Area Jewish Households, 2002 Source: UJA-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 (October 2004) and Jacob B. Ukeles, “What do we know about aging in the Jewish Community?”, May 2004

Aging in the Jewish Community: Special Groups GroupAging Adults in Russian-Speaking Jewish Households Aging Adults in Jewish Households that Are Not Russian-Speaking %56% %24% 75+19% Total100% 7 There are over 120,000 “aging” adults in Russian-speaking Jewish households in the New York area The “Aging” Russian-Speaking Jewish Community, Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Source: UJA-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 (October 2004) and Jacob B. Ukeles, “What do we know about aging in the Jewish Community?”, May 2004

Aging in the Jewish Community: Special Groups GroupPercent of People in Poor Jewish Households that are Russian-Speaking Households Percent of People in Poor Jewish Households that Are Not Russian-Speaking Households Total %70%100% %57%100% %26%100% 75+53%47%100% 8 The majority of people over age 60 in poor Jewish households are Russian-speakers Poverty in the “Aging” Russian-Speaking Jewish Community, Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Source: UJA-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 (October 2004) and Jacob B. Ukeles, “What do we know about aging in the Jewish Community?”, May 2004

Aging in the Jewish Community: Special Groups Nearly one out of six (15%) Jewish adults age 57 and over in the New York area in 2002 was a Nazi victim The median age of Jewish Nazi victims then was 72 years Most Nazi victims in the New York area live in two person households (56 percent), but a quarter live alone. 9 Source: UJA-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 (October 2004) and Jacob B. Ukeles, “What do we know about aging in the Jewish Community?”, May 2004

Aging in the Jewish Community: Special Groups Household Annual IncomePercent Below 150% of Poverty Guidelines51% Above 150% of Poverty Guidelines, Below $35,000 income11% $35,000 to $49,99912% $50,000 to $99,99912% $100,000 and over15% Total100% 10 About half of all Jewish Nazi victims in the New York area live in poor households Eight out of ten “Russian” Nazi victims live in poor households; only two out of ten Nazi victims who are not “Russian” live in poor households Household Income and Poverty Status of Nazi Victims, Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Source: UJA-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 (October 2004) and Jacob B. Ukeles, “What do we know about aging in the Jewish Community?”, May 2004

Aging in the Jewish Community: Chronic Illness GroupSought Help with Serious or Chronic Illness Did Not Seek Help with Serious or Chronic Illness Total %85%100% %77%100% %70%100% 75+35%65%100% 11 Sought Help with Serious or Chronic Illness in Past 12 Months, “Aging” Jewish Households, Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Source: UJA-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002 (October 2004) and Jacob B. Ukeles, “What do we know about aging in the Jewish Community?”, May 2004

The Changing Demographic Context Median Age 2000 Median Age 2010 New York City Nassau Suffolk Westchester New York State United States U.S. Age Distribution, 1970 – 2010 Median Age, New York and U.S and 2010 Comparisons Source: U.S. Census data from 2000 and U.S. Census Bureau, “Age and Sex Composition: 2010,” May Jan K. Vink, “The Changing Age Composition in New York State, Based on Census 2010 Demographic Profiles,” Program on Applied Demographics Cornell University, March 24, 2011.

The Changing Demographic Context 13 Source: A Demographic Perspective on Aging, Peter Lobo, NYC Department of City Planning, presentation to Philanthropy New York, February 8, 2011 Seniors as a Percent of the Enumerated and Projected Total Population, New York City and the United States, 2000 and 2030 Growth = 44%Growth = 106%

The Changing Demographic Context 14 Source: A Demographic Perspective on Aging, Peter Lobo, NYC Department of City Planning, presentation to Philanthropy New York, February 8, 2011 Population Distribution by Race/Hispanic Origin and Age, New York City, 2008

The Changing Demographic Context Poverty Median Income, Householder Under Age 65 56,74255,276 (-2.6%) Median Income, Householder Age ,87231,408 (-1.5) Poverty Rate, People Age %13.7% Poverty Rate, People Age Poverty in the U.S., 2010 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements (CPS ASEC) Poverty in the U.S., 2010 Comparison of Official Poverty Measure and Supplemental Poverty Measure Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance in the U.S., 2010, U.S. Census Bureau, September Also, The Research - Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2010, U.S. Census Bureau, November 2011.

The Changing Cultural Context 16 Source: “Aging Among Jewish Americans: Implications for Understanding Religion, Ethnicity, and Service Needs,” Allen Glicksman and Tanya Koropeckyj-Cox, The Gerontologist Advance Access published June 19, Also: Jewish Community Study of New York: Denomination of Senior Respondents, Comparison between NJPS 1990 and NJPS Denomination of Senior Respondents, Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Total: 87 Total: 72

The Changing Cultural Context 17 * Attending synagogue at least once a year Jewish Ritual Observance of Senior Respondents, Comparison between NJPS 1990 and NJPS Jewish Ritual Observance of Senior Respondents, Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Source: “Aging Among Jewish Americans: Implications for Understanding Religion, Ethnicity, and Service Needs,” Allen Glicksman and Tanya Koropeckyj-Cox, The Gerontologist Advance Access published June 19, Also: Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002.

The Changing Cultural Context 18 Congregation Membership, by Household Composition Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Source: Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002.

The Changing Cultural Context Jewish Respondents Younger than Age 50 Jewish Respondents Age 65+ Survival of the State of Israel89%96% Making the World a Better Place87%89% Jewish Value of Tzedakah68%69% Learning About Jewish History & Culture68%65% Importance of Being Jewish60%71% Being Part of a Jewish Community49%55% Jewish Art, Music, and Culture36%49% 19 Jewish Values and Beliefs, Comparison of Jewish Respondents Younger than Age 50 with those Age 65+ Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Source: Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002.

The Changing Cultural Context Adults Seniors 65+ No Childhood Jewish Experiences30%42% Minimal Jewish Experiences15%26% Moderate Jewish Experiences21%19% Relatively High Jewish Experiences14%8% Very High Jewish Experiences19%5% Total100% 20 Jewish Respondent Childhood and Teenage Experiences, Comparison of Non-senior and Senior Adults, Eight-County New York Area, 2002 Source: Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002.