What works: The impact of Jewish programmes and experiences on Jewish identity outcomes in the UK

In this report:

This landmark study uses statistical modelling and data generated by the JPR 2022 National Jewish Identity Survey to examine the long-term impact of several early Jewish educational and family experiences on various Jewish identity outcomes. The study authors have sought to quantify the extent to which different programmes and experiences shape Jewishness in the long run.

The report was funded by and prepared for the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) as part of its ‘Forge the Future’ programme.

Some of the key findings in this report:

• The type of Jewish upbringing people receive in their childhood home—especially Orthodox or Traditional upbringing—is the most important and enduring predictor of Jewish identity outcomes, and far more so than any single programme.
• In the long run, involvement in a Jewish youth movement is statistically more impactful than attending a Jewish school or a short-term Israel programme. Indeed, not only are peer-led experiences the most impactful, they are also the cheapest to run.
• The impact of educational programmes is slightly greater on those who were aged 18–39 than those who were aged 40–59 whereas the impact of upbringing is greater on the 40–59 year olds. This suggests that the impact of educational experiences in childhood ‘wears off’ over time, whereas Jewish upbringing is more enduring.
• Parents need to recognise their key role in fomenting Jewish identity outcomes through the home; the task cannot be outsourced, however good the programmes seem to be.
• But the amount of impact even upbringing has on Jewish identity outcomes is surprisingly limited. There are simply too many unknown and random variables that impact Jewish identity formation.
• Ultimately, none of the experiences we examined dramatically shift long-term Jewish identity trajectories; there are no silver bullets and no short cuts. It is far better therefore to conceptualise the task of Jewish identity development in terms of a Jewish ecosystem of interrelated learning opportunities.