A Blueprint for Our Future
San Diego
Jewish Community Study
Demographic Overview
San Diego Jewish Community Study
56,200
Jewish households
4.6%
of San Diego County households
100,700
Jewish persons
3.1%
of San Diego County households
The growth of the San Diego Jewish population is similar to the growth of the overall County population.
Most Jewish households are made up of couples and single adults without children.
The San Diego Jewish community is older than the general population.
While 47% of the overall San Diego County population are under age 35, only 36% of the San Diego Jewish population are under age 35.
Only 12 percent of Jews in San Diego are children and youth under age 18 – compared to 21% of San Diego County and 24% of U.S. Jews.
How can community members uplift one another in finding a sense of purpose and wellbeing at all different life stages?
How can organizations adapt to serve both older adults and younger Jewish adults who are moving to San Diego? Are there ways to foster connections between them?
More than half of Jewish newcomers to San Diego are young adults.
Thirty percent of Jewish adults are relative newcomers to Greater San Diego. Of these, 16% have lived in the area for five to nine years, and 14% have moved to the area within the past four years. More than half of these newcomers are under the age of 35.
Nearly one in five Jewish individuals identifies with a racial identity other than white or as Hispanic.
Four out of five Jewish adults were born in the United States.
In about one quarter of Jewish households, people speak a language other than English on a regular basis.
Regions At A Glance
San Diego Jewish Community Study
Diverse Community
San Diego Jewish Community Study
The San Diego Jewish community is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse.
Across all Jewish households, 6% of individuals (adults and children) identify as people of color.
Notably, the proportion of Jewish children whose parents identify them as people of color is higher than the proportion of Jewish adults who self-identify as people of color. This suggests that future generations will continue to be more multiracial and multiethnic.
PERCENT OF JEWISH CHILDREN AND ADULTS IDENTIFYING AS PEOPLE OF COLOR
Half of Jews who are married/partnered have a non-Jewish spouse/partner.
This is similar to national trends: Among all U.S. Jews who are legally married, 42% have a non-Jewish spouse.
More inquiry is needed to understand the degree to which Jewish organizations have achieved diversity, equity, and inclusion among their staff, leaders, and members.
This includes, for example, perceptions of inclusion among communities of color, LGBTQ+-identifying individuals, and those with disabilities or special needs.
“There is more to do to make all Jewish spaces and events welcoming to the diverse identities of our Jewish community whether considering race, LGBTQ, ability...lack of inclusivity also gives power to gatekeepers who try to say who is allowed to call themselves a Jew."
— Study Participant
How do we ensure that the programming and leadership of Jewish organizations reflect the diversity of the community they serve?
How do we achieve equitable access and participation across diverse community groups?
Jewish Attitudes and Perspectives
San Diego Jewish Community Study
For most, being Jewish is a matter of culture.
The majority of Jewish adults believe a great deal that being Jewish is a matter of culture. San Diego’s Jewish adults feel less strongly that being Jewish is a matter of community, ethnicity, or religion.
BEING JEWISH IS A MATTER OF...
Social justice arose as an important value for members of the San Diego Jewish community.
Nearly all Jewish adults in San Diego agree that leading an ethical and moral life, remembering the Holocaust, working for justice and equality in society, and connecting to family and traditions are important or essential to being Jewish.
“[There is a] genuine concern for the wellbeing of Jewish and non-Jewish neighbors; concerns for equal rights, women’s rights, and environmental issues.”
— Study Participant
The majority of Jewish adults are very concerned about antisemitism – around the world and in the United States.
Thirteen percent of Jewish adults report that they personally have experienced antisemitism in the past year.
How do these attitudes and perspectives compare to your experience of Jewish community in San Diego? What are the differences?
Jewish Engagement
San Diego Jewish Community Study
Jewish engagement is a complex, multidimensional expression of Jewish identity.
The study identifies five patterns of engagement that are unique to the San Diego Jewish community. They differ in terms of the types of behaviors people engage in – the ways in which people spend their time and involve themselves in Jewish life. The Index of Jewish Engagement can be used to improve planning based on people’s different needs and interests.
The ways people participate in congregations vary by relationship status and age.
Couples are more likely than single adults to belong to a congregation.
Young adults attend services at community organizations more often than synagogues.
The majority of older adults who attend services go to synagogues.
Jews in San Diego are very active in volunteerism and philanthropy.
Half of Jewish adults in the San Diego Jewish community volunteered for at least one organization or cause in the previous year.
People from most Jewish households (82%) report making a charitable contribution in the past year.
How is our understanding of the ways that people engage in Jewish life evolving? What are the different expressions of contemporary Jewish life?