Recognizing the need for valid and actionable data that serves the entire community, the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, in partnership with local Jewish communal organizations and congregations, undertook a study of the Washtenaw County Area Jewish community in early 2023. The community study was conducted by an experienced research team at the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University and NORC at the University of Chicago. The Community Study Implementation Committee is chaired by Barry Nemon and Randy Milgrom.
The original intention was to present the data and begin a community planning process in Fall 2023. However, due to the tragic terror attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the shift to supporting Israel and addressing the impact locally, study organizers postponed the rollout of the results.
The group has reconvened, and the presentation of the data has been rescheduled for Spring 2024.
“We were disappointed to put a hold on this important work in which we’ve been engaged for the past 3 years,” said co-chair Barry Nemon. “But we wanted to continue this process in a thoughtful manner, and attention and resources were needed elsewhere. I’m excited that we’re getting back on track.”
A preview event of the final report will be held for Federation’s Major and Legacy donors on Thursday, March 21, 6:30pm by Zoom.
The official rollout will take place April 15 and 16, with an open community presentation and conversation with the researchers from Brandeis on the evening of the 15th at 7pm. More focused meetings for those invested in specific topic areas, such as congregational involvement and social services, will be held throughout the day on the 16th. Specific details will be provided in the coming weeks.
Data collection for the study took place November 2022 through January 2023. In developing the presentations, organizers will additionally take into consideration how the events in Israel have impacted the local community.
In the meantime, local volunteers who are experts in data analysis, strategic planning, and communications are reconvening to develop the presentations and begin work on the next – and most crucial – phase of the project: an actionable strategic visioning and planning process based on the study results.
Federation Board President Decky Alexander emphasizes that the next steps are a necessary continuation of the process started by the study. “As with other communities across the US who have engaged in data-driven planning, I hope that the study gives us, if not a roadmap, a light on how to best engage, serve and support each other now and in the future,” she says.
The Jewish Community Study of Washtenaw County is made possible by a collaboration of all local Jewish communal organizations, with financial support from the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Ann Arbor, the JCC of Greater Ann Arbor, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County, Temple Beth Emeth, Beth Israel Congregation, Jewish Federations of North America, and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.
For more information about this study, please visit www.jewishannarbor.org/communitystudy/ or contact Federation’s Executive Director Eileen Freed at eileenfreed@jewishannarbor.org or 734-773-3537.