Every 10 years, JUF sponsors a study to understand the unique needs of this Jewish community. Our community—and the world—faced a year unlike any other, and the 2020 Metropolitan Chicago Jewish Population Study offers a snapshot of this critical moment in time.
This year's study was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago and Brandeis University’s Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies. The study was funded in part by generous grants from the Crown Family Philanthropies, Michael Reese Health Trust, the Walder Foundation, and the Jewish Federations of North America Research Benchmarking Project, with support from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.
Our community continues to be strong, stable and growing
The diversity of our community is increasing
Participation in Jewish life is evolving in rich and broad directions
Identified needs of individuals and households, in part due to the pandemic, provide an imperative for our continued work
The largest percentage of Jewish households and individuals reside in City North, followed by the Near North Suburbs.
Data was collected between Oct. 2020 and Jan. 2021 via web and telephone surveys. Households were selected at random—3,877 completed surveys in the main sample, with an additional 1,755 completed surveys from a supplemental sample contacted by email only.
The high number of completed surveys supports valid estimates for an increased number of geographic areas in the Chicago metro area and improves the quality of estimates for key subgroups within the Jewish community.
Please contact us with any questions about the study.
Community powered, we consider the totality of local and global Jewish needs and how to address them. From generation to generation, we help people connect to Jewish life and values, fueling a dynamic, enduring community that comes together for good.
