Posted on 07/30/2013 7:04:43 PM PDT by amnestynone
A new survey of the Jewish population in the Greater New York area contradicts the conventional wisdom about the subject. It has long been assumed that any portrait of American Jews must tell us a story about an aging, liberal population that is rapidly assimilating. But, as the New York Times reports, the latest results show that the population of the largest center of Jewish life outside of Israel is actually growing. The survey’s estimate of New York City’s Jewish community pegs it at about 1.1 million, with 1.54 million being counted when you include the surrounding suburban counties on Long Island and Westchester (Jews in Northern New Jersey who would also be considered part of Greater New York were not counted). Of even greater import is that the rapid expansion of ultra-Orthodox and Hasidic Jewry are the sole reason for this population growth. By contrast, the numbers of Jews who identity with the heretofore much larger non-Orthodox movements have declined precipitately. The only other sector that is growing is made up of those Jews who reject all the denominations or eschew religion entirely.
If, as the survey tells us, 40 percent of Jews in New York City and 74 percent of all Jewish children are Orthodox, then this must inform our conclusions not only about what American Jews believe but also about its future. When combined with the nearly one-third of Jews who are abandoning Jewish identity altogether, this paints a picture of an American Jewish population that is comprised of two ships passing each other in the night — one becoming increasingly Orthodox and the other on the brink of not being Jewish at all. Because the Orthodox have radically different views on political issues from those of the non-Orthodox as well as generally identifying more thoroughly with Israel, this will inevitably alter the political balance of the community. Though the numbers may be different elsewhere in the country, with about one-third of American Jewry located in Greater New York, there’s little doubt this means the Jewish community of the future will be far less liberal.
2014 elections could be a proving point.
I don’t buy it.
So jews will vote 69-31 for the most liberal politicians rather than 75-25...
Wistful thinkin!
Naw, not buyin it.
I’ll believe it when I see it. Actually, I will probably still need some convincing. Still, it’s a nice thought.
Liberal Jews vote just like blacks...even though neither group can stand the other.
In 1916, the republicans won an incredible 45% of the Jewish vote, that is something to strive for again.
That was before Hitler (who acted like a liberal) starting slaughtering Jews, and Jews for some unknown reason rebelled against Americans.
I sure don’t get it.
We did everything perfectly. Yet we get blamed.
So I’ll say it. Buy American.
Any “liberal” versions of a religion seems to gain a lot of adherents at first, because some people want the comfort of religion without the strictures. The problem is, that drops off, because people find out that the liberal version doesn’t really offer them much comfort at all.
Besides being "conservative" on issues related to Israel, what are their opinions on social and domestic issues?
I think there is a lot of resentment toward the WASP strawman that supposedly still dominates the Republican Party. Lots of nominally conservative Asians and Jews will continue to register as Democrats just to stick it to the strawMAN.
If you're a liberal, which do you prefer?
striving? Okay...I cant think of a better attitude
Realistically its been nearly 100 years. Todays voter...aint the voter of 1916, Jewish or otherwise.
The “progressives” are evil...but sadly not dumb enough to let fly with a rash of Anti- Jewish insults,...in public.
Jews rebelled against Americans? What the hell are you talking about?
I heard the quote ....live like Presbyterians and vote like Puerto Ricans.
Maybe they all moved to Miami :)
OK let me reword that.
Not rebelled. But the Jewish voters in America seem overwhelmingly to be hard-core Democrats.
Not the ones here, but overwhelmingly in America, a very significant number of Jews are Democrats.
Overwhelmingly.
I get quite frustrated, with Jewish tendency to support the left.
It is very consistent.
I don’t know what you were trying to say in that post.
It's hard to see, because most of the liberal Jews today are anti-religious, and they vote. But they're old, and have no grandchildren. That number of 74 percent of children among New York Jewry being Orthodox or Hasidic. That's a world-changing number. The Orthodox are a whole 'nother smoke.
The demographic habit decimating liberal Jews is doing the same thing among liberal Protestants, Catholics, and atheists. They don't have children. They grow old and don't leave a trace.
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