Population: The number of Jews in Broward decreased from 243,000 in 1997 to 149,000 in 2016. The percentage of Broward’s population that is Jewish decreased from 16% in 1997 to 8% in 2016, mostly due to mortality in the large elderly population.
♦ From 1997 to 2016, the Jewish population in all areas of Broward decreased, except in the Northwest, which experienced a 13% increase in Jewish households.
♦ The percentage of snowbird households (3-7 months of the year in Broward) decreased from 9% in 1997 to 4% in 2016.
Diversity:
♦ Broward has 13,200 Hispanic Jewish adults, almost as many as the 14,700 in Miami.
♦ Broward has 13,600 Israeli adults, compared to 9,000 in Miami.
♦ 11% of Jewish households in Broward include an LGBT member.
Age: The percentage of the population age 65 and over decreased from 46% (123,500 persons) in 1997 to 27% (46,500 persons) in 2016; The number of persons age 75 and over decreased from 77,000 in 1997 to 23,000 in 2016.
♦ The median age in Broward County Jewish households is 53;
♦ 14% of household members are between 65 and 74, while another 13% are at least 75. In 2016, 39% of adults 75 and over lived alone, compared to 35% in 1997.
The number of children age 12 and under decreased from 29,000 in 1997 to 17,500 in 2016, while the number of teenagers remained about constant at 10,000.
Place of Birth: 19% of adults in Broward Jewish households were born in Florida (9% in Broward); 33% were born in New York, 5% in New Jersey and 6% in Pennsylvania; another 18% were born elsewhere in the US;
♦ 19% of all adults in Jewish households were born outside the US; 86% of the foreign born are US citizens compared to 44% of all foreign born persons in Broward County.
Marital Status and Age Patterns: In 1997, 40% of adults age 18-34 were married. In 2016,only 14% were married.
♦ 55% of all adults are married while another 5% are living together; 20% are single and were never married (compared to 11% in 1997); 9% are widowed; 10% are currently divorced, although 23% of all adults in Jewish households have been through a divorce.
Education and Income: The percentage of Jews with a college degree increased from 35% in 1997 to 61% in 2016. The 61% of Jews with a college degree compares to 30% for all residents of Broward County.
♦ Median Jewish household income increased from $60,000 in 1997 to $82,000 in 2016 (adjusted for inflation). The $82,000 compares to $52,000 for all residents of Broward County.
♦ 17% of Jewish households report incomes under $25,000 and another 15% between $25,000 and $50,000; 38% report incomes of at least $100,000.
Denominational Identification: In 2016, 37% of Jewish respondents identified as Just Jewish, 30% as Conservative, 28% as Reform and 4% as Orthodox. Comparable numbers in 1997 were Just Jewish: 34%, Conservative: 37%, Reform: 28% and Orthodox: 4%.
Jewish Connections: 92% of respondents say being Jewish is either very important to them (66%) or somewhat important (36%). 93% of Jewish households are involved Jewishly in some way.
♦ The percentage of Jews observing home religious practices and attending services has not changed significantly since 1997. For example, the percentage of households who always/usually participate in a Passover Seder was 75% in 1997 and is now 78%.
♦ Synagogue Membership: In contrast to almost every other American comparison Jewish community, synagogue membership increased from 27% in 1997 to 34% in 2016, although this is still well below average among the comparison Jewish communities. The increase can be attributed to the decrease in Broward’s elderly population and the growth of Chabad.
♦ Similar to 1997 patterns, younger Jewish respondents are less likely to report attending synagogue services than older respondents; 40% of Jewish adults under age 35 report that they never attend synagogue services (excluding weddings and b'nai mitzvah attendance) compared to 33% of those 35-49 and 22% of those 75 and older.
♦ In contrast to synagogue membership, membership in Jewish organizations (other than synagogues and JCCs) has decreased from 37% to 20%. This reflects the significant decrease in the number of elderly living in housing developments with Jewish organizations that operated within the housing developments.
Intermarriage: The percentage of couples who are intermarried in Broward County Jewish households increased from 18% in 1997 to 23% in 2016, but Broward County's intermarriage proportion is much lower than most local Jewish communities and the Pew national estimate of 61%.
♦ 46% of children in intermarried Jewish households raised as Jews, 21% as partly Jewish and 33% are not being raised as Jews; the proportion being raised exclusively as Jewish has remained essentially the same in 2016 (46%) as in 1997 (43%).
Jewish Education of Children:
♦ Based on the survey, an estimated 21% of Jewish-raised children are currently enrolled in a Jewish day school while 36% are involved in supplemental Jewish education: 46% of all Jewish children ages 5-12 are not enrolled in any formal Jewish education.
♦ In contrast, only 11% of Jewish children ages 13-17 are currently enrolled in a Jewish Day school and 16% in a supplemental school. While the 73% of Broward Jewish children ages 13-17 who do not attend any Jewish formal educational setting is high nationally, when previous Jewish education is considered, only 6% of Jewish children ages 13-17 had never attended a Day School or supplemental school, a very low proportion among Jewish communities nationally.
Israel/Holocaust: Connections with Israel are strong. As of 2016, 61% of households have been to Israel, compared to 52% in 1997; 22% of households with children have sent at least one child to Israel. 55% of respondents are extremely or very attached to Israel.
● An estimated 3,300 Jewish survivors of the Holocaust live in Broward County (1997: 7,360)
♦ 27% of households contain a survivor, the child of a survivor or the grandchild of a survivor.
Philanthropy: 83% of all surveyed Jewish households report making a charitable contribution inn the year preceding the survey; 72% report a contribution to a non-Jewish charity while 61% report a Jewish charitable contribution.
♦ From 1997 to 2016, the proportions of charitable giving to any charity to a non-Jewish charity and to any Jewish charity remained more or less stable, except that reported contributions to the Jewish Federation of Broward County declined sharply. In 1996, 46% of Jewish households reported a local Federation contribution compared to 23% in 2016.
♦ While 23% reported a Federation contribution in 2016, 69% reported that they had not been asked for a contribution; 8% of all Jewish households reported that they were asked, but did not contribute. The 23% who report a Federation contribution is very low nationally compared to other local Jewish communities.
Anti-Semitism: 12% of Jewish survey respondents report a personal anti-Semitic experience in the 2016 survey compared to an almost identical 11% in 1997. In 1997, 16% of households with children reported that a child 6-17 experienced anti-Semitism compared to 13% in 2016.
♦ 7% of respondents feel that there is a great deal of anti-Semitism in Broward County, 34% a moderate amount, 44% a little and 15% "none at all."
♦ Among seniors 75 and over, 5% personally experienced anti-Semitism but 60% thought that there was a great deal or a moderate amount of anti-Semitism in Broward.
♦ Among respondents under age 35, 29% personally experienced anti-Semitism, but only 21% perceived a moderate amount/great deal in Broward County.
Political Party Identification: 56% of Jewish respondents report that they are Democrats, 17% Republicans and 26% Independent. 96% of Jewish respondents report that they are registered to vote.