How Many Jews in America Belong to a Synagogue? 38% of American Jewish Adults Belong to a Synagogue in United States

Many organizations have claimed that the percentage of Jews in America that belong to synagogues was about 30-40%. Many people have claimed that "70% of Jews in America are not affiliated with a congregation or synagogue." However, it's been tough to find this data point.

We needed to track down this figure recently, and contacted Synagogue 3000, that did a research study.

According to their Fall 2006 report, 38% of American Jewish adults belong to synagogues in the United States. And 62% of Jewish people (adults) in the US do not belong to a synagogue.

Broken down by denomination:
89% of Orthodox Jews (183,000 households) belong to a synagogue in the US, and exhibit a life-long committment to synagogue membership.

63% of Conservative Jews (295,000 households) belong to a synagogue in the US.  Conservative Jews start congregational membership with marriage and children, but stay members past the Bar and Bat Mitzvah of their children.

52% of Reform Jews (348,000 US households) belong to a synagogue in the US, and tend to leave synagogues after their children reach Bar and Bat Mitzvah age.

The study gives other details, including US Synagogue Membership by Age, and Households with Synagogue Members (by category).

We've posted a copy of the US Jewish Demographic report here:
http://www.AdventureRabbi.org/congregation/how-many-jewish-people-belong-to-synagogues-in-US-study.pdf

Yom Kippur starts Friday Night - Join us for Kol Nidre for only $36

This Friday, I'd love for you to join us for an unforgettable Kol Nidre service in Boulder, Colorado.
A spiritual pinnacle of the night is chanting Kol Nidre outside beneath the stars, beside the roaring river. We can't promise that a fox will run through the center of the circle in the middle of chanting Kol Nidre like it did last year, but it certainly was amazing!
When:
Friday, Sep 17, 2010 - 7 pm
(Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Where:
Millennium Harvest House Boulder
1345 Twenty-Eighth Street
Boulder, CO 80302
Price:
$36. Register online >>
https://www.adventurerabbi.org/secure/yom_kippur2010.php
(Or pay at the door)

Free for members:
http://www.adventurerabbi.org/congregation/membership.htm

If you do not wish to handle money on Yom Kippur, please register in advance. If you would prefer to pay at the door, please arrive early so as not to miss the opening of the service.

I hope to see you there!

Also, we've now posted photos from the Rosh Hashanah retreat in Winter Park -- visit here >>
http://www.adventurerabbi.org/photo_gallery.htm

--Jamie

Rabbi Jamie Korngold, Adventure Rabbi

Easy, no-preparation ideas for ways to celebrate Shabbat

Shabbat is almost here!
Here are some easy, no-preparation-necessary ideas for ways to celebrate:
1. Put a white table cloth on the table. Even if you don't cook, order in Chinese food or pizza and serve it on nice dishes and a white table cloth.

2. Say the Sabbath blessings. Don't remember them? You can listen to them here: http://www.adventurerabbi.org/rabbi/Bar_Mitzvah_Hebrew_prayers.htm

3. Or, try this instead of or along with the blessings: Have everyone go around the table and say one great thing that happed this week.
4. If you are not all at the table at the same time, leave a note and ask everyone to write their highlight down so everyone else can read it when they do eat.
5. No one around to have Shabbat with? Call someone you really like and have a good long, none-rushed chat.
Wishing you a peaceful and joyous Sabbath.

-Rabbi Jamie Korngold



Do you have some suggestions of ideas you would share?  Please let me know...