Movement of Jews to Small Cities Puts New Life into Congregations

The movement of American Jews from large urban centers to smaller cities signals a new growth pattern for American Jews and new life for many congregations until now too small to engage a rabbi, according to a survey presented at the 95th annual meeting of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), the rabbinical branch of American Reform Judaism, which is meeting at Grossinger’s Hotel here.

The survey, made over a number of years by Rabbi Mark Winer of Commack, N. Y., focused on Jewish population shifts and what it means to Reform Judaism. He said his findings are based on personal interviews and the evaluation of data produced by the National Jewish Population Study and several large and small city Jewish Federations.

Winer told the 1,400 delegates attending the meeting that many Jewish professionals such as computer scientists, business specialists and hospital administrators have moved to cities like Durham, N. C.; Amarillo, Texas; Johnstown, Pa.; and Rockford, ill, In most cases, small synagogues of about 60 familes, were doubled in size, he said.

MANY YOUNG WOMEN

He pointed out that among these young professionals there is a noticeable increase of women in their thirties having children, thereby maintaining the stability of the Jewish birth rate. “They are going to the southwest and southeast parts of the United States in many cases, thus moving to areas where frequently the Reform synagogue is the only congregation in the community,” he said.

Winer also noted that intermarriage is a characteristic of some of these families and that “overwhelmingly, couples of intermarriage that join synagogues affiliate with the Reform Movement. Add to this our efforts to involve the unaffiliated and we have large numbers of perspective Temple members,” he said.

PESSIMISM REJECTED

Projecting a future growth of American Jews, Winer cited higher fertility rates, a longer life expectancy, increased conversions to Judaism and the identification of mixed marriage families with Jewish life. Those who view a reduction of the Jewish population in the U.S. below the present six million “may be more pessimistic than warranted,” he said. “In my opinion, we will at least maintain our present level and probably increase our numbers by the 21st century.”

In that connection, Winer said “We will need more Temple planning for day care centers and early childhood education programs such as nursery schools.” In many parts of the country such facilities are already showing an increase in Reform synagogues, he said.