Unmarried Jews: A Pivotal Demographic

Hello UJC, Synagogue movements, et al, this post is particularly for you:

Steven Cohen and Ari Kelman, in connection with the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies and the Reboot Identity Project, released a new study on Friday,

Uncoupled: How our Singles are Reshaping Jewish Engagement.

The study highlights that young single non-Orthodox Jews aged 25 – 39 (or the “Uncoupled”) is larger than ever before therefore making them the most pivotal demographic for the future of Judaism in the United States.

While this population is defined by low levels of communal and ritual involvement they show surprisingly high levels of Jewish pride, rivaling the levels of their married counterparts.

This powerful dichotomy of low involvement and high interest indicates that the Uncoupled could go either way when they do eventually get married and have children, thus presenting a tremendous challenge and opportunity for traditional Jewish institutions:

the need to engage them now or potentially loose them forever.

According to Dr. Cohen, “The Uncoupled demographic represents the “swing vote” for Judaism in America.

Here is a group that demonstrates high interest in engaging Jewishly, but is not finding fulfillment through institutional Judaism, which has built the communal model around the family unit.

As greater numbers of Jews stay unmarried later in life, their choices – and how they “vote” – will determine the future of Jews, Judaism and Jewishness in the United States.”

You can read the complete Uncoupled here: Uncoupled_Study_pdf

updated: you can read an overview here: Uncoupled_Study-overview