The Jewish Sector’s Workforce: Report of a Six-Community Study

Publication Date: May 2005

Publisher: Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies; Fisher Bernstein Institute for Jewish Philanthropy and Leadership

Author(s): Shaul Kelner; Michael Rabkin; Leonard Saxe; Carl Sheingold

Research Area: Culture and religion

Keywords: Employment; Communal Organization; Management

Type: Other

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

Among American ethnic groups, Jewish-Americans are notable for the degree to which they have created an elaborate organizational infrastructure. In recent years, there has been a growing concern over the ability to maintain this infrastructure into the future, particularly given the perception that Jewish organizations are struggling to recruit and retain professional staff. Over the past three years, CMJS and the Fisher Bernstein Institute for Jewish Philanthropy and Leadership conducted a multi-stage research project in an effort to inform further discussion of human resource policies that can strengthen Jewish organizations. The first phase of the project entailed a review of existing research. The second phase was based on in-depth interviews with 101 Jewish-sector professionals in six communities across the United States. The third phase was a survey of the population of workers in 196 synagogues, day schools, Federations and agencies in these six communities.