51% of U.S. Jews Claim Synagogue Membership
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NEW YORK — An annual survey of American Jews says 51% reported membership in a synagogue, though 70% identified with a particular branch of Judaism.
The American Jewish Committee poll of 1,008 Jews showed 31% thought of themselves as Conservative, 30% Reform, 7% Orthodox and 2% Reconstructionist.
Asked to choose the quality most important to their Jewish identity, 41% said “being part of the Jewish people” and 21% said “commitment to social justice.” Only 13% chose “religious observance.”
Asked if anti-Semitism or intermarriage is the greater threat to Jewish life in the U.S., two-thirds chose the former. Respondents also expressed concern over anti-Semitism on American college campuses and in Europe.
The survey, concluded Jan. 5, had a sampling error of 3 percentage points.
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