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The Respondents
1996-1997 Survey of Jewish Communal Professionals
In late Fall, 1996, a mail questionnaire
was distributed to two groups of communal professionals:
(1)the membership of the National Association of Jewish
Communal Professionals, consisting primarily of Jewish
social service workers who staffed Jewish community centers,
day camps, family service agencies, senior residences,
and child care programs; and (2)a sample of Jewish outreach
professionals who were on a mailing list previously purchased
by JOI. A total of 377 Jewish communal
workers responded by the middle of February, 1997: 276
Jewish Communal Professionals from the national organization
list and 101 from the list purchased by JOI.
In terms of representing Jewish Communal professionals
nationally, the
survey respondents:
- Were employed in a variety
of Jewish communal organizations. Respondents
from the National Jewish Communal Professional list
worked in the following types of organizations: 26%
Jewish Federations, 29% Jewish Community Centers,
9% Jewish Family Service agencies; 6% synagogues,
5% services to the aged, 4% Jewish vocational services,
4% Jewish education bureaus, and 3% in Jewish community
relations; other types of Jewish organizational settings
accounted for 14% of the respondents . Respondents
from the JOI list were more likely to be rabbis employed
in synagogues [49% of JOI list respondents worked
in synagogues], or employed in Federations, JCC, or
JFS.
- Averaged 18 years of service
with Jewish communal organizations. The
long-term commitment of these professionals to Jewish
social services was evident;
over 44% had been working in Jewish communal service
for over 20 years, 31% had worked from
ten to nineteen years, and only 9% had worked for
three years or less in Jewish communal services. Within
their current organization, respondents averaged eight
and one-half years of service.1
- Usually had earned a Masters'
Degree; over 30% had earned a masters of
Social Work degree, while another 35% had achieved
other Masters degrees; 15% had either completed more
advanced graduate work or ordination.2
- Were fairly evenly split
between males and females [51% vs. 49%];
- Were currently married [86%],
while 6-7% were divorced/separated/widowed, and another
6-7% were never married.
- Had married someone who was
Jewish by birth; 91% had married someone
born Jewish, 6% married someone who was Jewish-by-choice,
and only 3% were married to someone who was not Jewish.
- Were synagogue members: ninety
percent [90%].
- Were broadly representative
of American Jewish denominations. Jewish Communal
Professional List respondents were more likely to
be Conservative [48%] while another 12% said that
they were Orthodox; only 24% labeled themselves
Reform, 6% said Reconstructionist, 6% said Just Jewish,
and 2% said that they were Secular Jews. The JOI
list respondents were largely Conservative [43%] or
Reform [46%]; only 1% were Orthodox, while
5% were Reconstructionist and 5% were Just Jewish.
___________________
1Jewish
Communal Professional and JOI list respondents had each
worked approximately 18 years within Jewish communal
organizations, and each averaged slightly over 8.5 years
of employment with their organization. Throughout the
report, results will be reported for the sample of 377
as a collective unless JOI list and JCP list results
differed signficantly.
2JOI
list respondents were less likely to have social work
masters degree, and more likely to have other masters
degrees and/or ordination level education.
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