Federation-Commissioned 2014 Miami Jewish Population Study to Assess Community Needs

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation has commissioned a comprehensive study of Miami-Dade County’s Jewish community to determine its demographic and geographic composition, assess current needs of Jewish residents and plan for the future. Beginning January 19, the 2014 Miami Jewish Population Study research team will conduct a six-week phone survey to learn more about the Jewish population’s size, attitudes and behaviors, and to identify subsets requiring specific community services.

The final study results will be released by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation in the fall of 2014 as a detailed report to the community with analysis of demographic, economic and Jewish participation trends.

“Every decade, a comprehensive study of our Jewish community is conducted to provide a snapshot of who we are, where we are and where we’re headed,” said Amy Berger Chafetz, Chair of the 2014 Miami Jewish Population Study Committee. “This information helps to create a roadmap for local planners, agencies, congregations and communal organizations to serve changing Jewish needs for years to come.”

Study findings help to guide the creation, expansion or relocation of community facilities, services and programs, along with the need for associated outreach, engagement and fundraising efforts. Long-held beliefs about the community may be confirmed or dispelled, and new and surprising information may be revealed. The 2004 study, for example, found that, relative to other communities across the nation, Miami-Dade County had the largest percentage of Jewish residents born outside the United States.

Population Study Methodology

Working under the guidance of widely respected demographer Ira M. Sheskin, Ph.D. of the University of Miami, a team of trained callers will employ a random-digit-dialing system to contact a sampling of Miami-Dade households via telephone landlines and cellular numbers. It is estimated that as many as 70,000 telephone calls may be required to reach 1,800 respondents.

To be certain that the largest pool of phone numbers is available to Sheskin’s team, efforts are under way to collect non-local cell phone numbers. Numbers can be submitted anonymously for study purposes online.

Once a caller reaches a Jewish household, he/she will conduct a survey of standardized questions to determine specific demographic information and related data. Questions have been designed to elicit responses that will build a database of information for analysis. All responses are completely confidential, no personally identifiable details are linked to the answers, and no financial solicitations will be made.

Brian Bilzin, Chair of the Board of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, encourages those Jewish households contacted by the 2014 Miami Jewish Population Study team to participate in the survey and contribute to its representative database of local information.

“Participation is critical to the success of this effort,” Bilzin said. “We ask everyone who receives a phone call to please take the time to answer the questions and make their voice heard.”

For more information about the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s Jewish Population Study, visit JewishMiami.org/populationstudy or call 786-866-8495.