Local Jewish Community Population Studies
The Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS) and Steinhardt Social Research Institute (SSRI) at Brandeis University have deep expertise in research methods, theory, policy, and practice regarding US Jewish identity and engagement.
Our work is distinguished by cutting-edge application of social science methods and keen attention to the needs of the community. Our approach utilizes a set of validated methods, applied in innovative ways, to collect, analyze, and report accurate and actionable data that informs community planning. Our community studies are designed to open new doors to understand and animate Jewish life.
Spotlight: A Newsletter Devoted to Jewish Community Studies
Spotlight: New Community Studies, Upcoming Webinar (May 2024 Issue)
Spotlight: War in Israel, Resources at Brandeis University (October 2023 Issue)
Spotlight on Jewish Lou 502.0 (July 2023 Issue)
Spotlight on Survey Customization (June 2023 Issue)
Spotlight on Long Beach Area Jewish Community (May 2023 Issue)
Spotlight on Interfaith Families (April 2023 Issue)
Introducing Spotlight (March 2023 Issue)
Current Community Studies
Completed Community Studies
- Greater Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County 2022-23
- Baltimore 2020
- Berkshires 2008
- Boston 2015
- Boston 2005
- Buffalo 2013
- Chicago 2020
- Cincinnati 2019
- Collier County 2017
- Delaware and the Brandywine Valley 2022
- Greater Denver 2018-19
- Greater MetroWest NJ 2020
- Howard County 2019
- Kansas City 2021
- Long Beach 2021-22
- Los Angeles 2021
- Louisville 2021-22
- Nashville 2015
- Northeastern Pennsylvania 2024
- Orlando 2020-21
- Palm Beach County 2018
- Pioneer Valley 2019-20
- Pittsburgh 2017
- Portland 2022-23
- San Diego 2022
- Sarasota/Manatee 2019
- Seattle 2014
- South Palm Beach County 2018
- Twin Cities 2019
- Washington, DC 2017
- Western NC 2010
Related Topical Reports
August 2020
This multi-method study describes the experiences, perspectives and needs of the Toronto Jewish community’s growing population of young couples that include a Jewish partner and a partner from a different religious background. The study focuses on interfaith households with different levels of engagement with organizational Jewish life.
November 2019
This qualitative study describes the experiences and perspectives of members of the burgeoning population of interfaith couples in the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish community. The study focused on interfaith households including those that are and are not involved in home-based or communal Jewish life.
August 2019
This qualitative study describes some of the experiences and perspectives of the burgeoning population of interfaith couples in the Greater Boston Jewish community and focuses in particular on households with little involvement in home-based or communal Jewish life.
August 2017
Boston is home to the largest concentration of 18 to 37-year-olds in the United States. The 2015 Greater Boston Jewish Community Study found that young adults make up almost one-quarter of the local Jewish population, but also noted that the plurality are largely unaffiliated and are most likely to be engaged culturally, if at all. Employing two sources of information—a reanalysis of the Boston 2015 Jewish Community Study and new interviews with 50 young adults and key informants—the report creates a portrait of Jewish young adults living in Cambridge, Somerville and Jamaica Plain and, in particular, those who are marginally or not at all involved in Jewish life.
September 2013
To better understand the economic challenges and needs of Jewish households in Rhode Island, CMJS examined macro-level indicators, conducted a scan of services currently available in Rhode Island communities, collected systematic data about requests for assistance at the synagogue level, and held in-depth interviews with individuals currently experiencing economic hardship. Recommendations focus in part on establishing context, frameworks, and norms for community-wide investment. Other suggestions relate to meeting the more immediate needs of households.