East Bay Jewish Community Study - Jewish Federation of the ...

Informal Participation in Jewish Life
Synagogue membership is the most common form of involvement in the Jewish community.
There are, however, more informal ways that Jewish residents participate in Jewish life, such as
volunteering with local Jewish organizations, attending local Jewish themed events, and
participating in activities meeting spiritual needs, like a Chavurah.
Just over 12 percent volunteer regularly — either weekly or monthly — with a Jewish
organization or charity. This number seems relatively low given the high value that East Bay
Jews place on helping others in need (77 percent very important).
Figure 47: Informal Participation in Jewish Life
For each of the following actions, please tell me how often you do each one - at least once a week, once or twice a
month, a couple times a year, hardly ever, or never
80
Weekly/Monthly
Hardly ever
A few times a year
Never
60
40
20
60
46
24
26
17
16 18
12 13
10 12
43
0
Volunteer your time for Jewish
organizations and charities
Attend a Chavurah, or informal
gathering for Jewish spiritual needs
or to share lifecycle events
Attend Jewish-themed events and
activities or participate in meetings
and committees that are sponsored
by Jewish organizations in the East
Bay
48