American Jews - Sarcasm Wiki

Contents

1. Overview
2. Etymology
3. Cultural Impact

One might, with a sigh of cosmic indifference, define American Jews as those American citizens who find themselves encompassed by the capacious—or perhaps merely convenient—label of Jewish , a designation that can cling through threads of shared ethnicity , the enduring weight of religion , or the subtle, pervasive dyes of culture . This demographic, often a subject of both fascination and statistical debate, represents a significant cultural and historical presence within the United States .

The sheer diversity within this group is, predictably, vast. A 2020 study, meticulously compiled by Pew Research , revealed that roughly two-thirds of American Jews trace their lineage to Ashkenazi heritage, a group originating predominantly from Central and Eastern Europe. A smaller, yet historically foundational, 3% identify as Sephardic (descendants from the Iberian Peninsula), while a sliver—a mere 1%—identify with the Mizrahi Jews , who trace their roots to the Middle East and North Africa. Interestingly, another 6% claim a more complex, interwoven identity, combining elements of these three primary categories, leaving a quarter of the population to simply exist without such explicit categorization. One must admire the human need to define, even when the definitions remain stubbornly fluid.

Historically, the initial trickle of Jewish immigrants during the colonial era was predominantly Sephardic Jews . These individuals arrived, often circuitously, via Portugal and from the Dutch colony of Brazil , establishing early communities such as the revered Congregation Shearith Israel . While their direct descendants now constitute a numerical minority, they remain a vital link to the earliest chapters of Jewish American history. Alongside them, the modern tapestry of American Jewry is woven with countless other threads: more recent waves of Sephardi Jews , Mizrahi Jews , the distinct Beta Israel-Ethiopian Jews , and numerous other Jewish ethnic groups , not to mention a modest, yet persistent, contingent of gerim (converts). This vibrant community, sprawling across the continent, showcases an extraordinary spectrum of Jewish cultural traditions and embraces the full range of Jewish religious observance , from the rigidly observant to the utterly secular.

Depending on the chosen metric—be it strict religious adherence or broader ancestral and cultural ties—the United States either hosts the largest or the second-largest Jewish community globally, jostling for position with Israel . As of the last reliable count in 2020, the estimated American Jewish population stood at approximately 7.5 million souls, a figure representing a solid 2.4% of the total U.S. population . This number, if one insists on dissecting it further, includes 4.2 million adults who explicitly declare their religion as Jewish , 1.5 million adults who, with a characteristic modern ambivalence, identify as Jewish but claim no specific religion, and a not insignificant 1.8 million Jewish children . Beyond this core, it’s believed that the “enlarged” American Jewish population —those who possess at least one Jewish grandparent and would therefore qualify for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return —could swell to as many as 15 million individuals, accounting for about 4.5% of the entire U.S. population . The human capacity for self-definition, it seems, is boundless.

Significant concentrations of American Jews can be found in various urban and suburban sprawls. The sheer density in the New York City metropolitan area is, frankly, astounding. Other notable pockets of Jewish life flourish in New Jersey , the sun-drenched expanses of South Florida , the historic avenues of Philadelphia , and the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles . Further east, communities thrive in Montgomery County, Maryland , Baltimore , and the political heart of Washington, D.C. . The intellectual hubs of Boston and Chicago also host vibrant Jewish populations , as do the scenic vistas of San Francisco , the industrial legacy of Cleveland , the burgeoning southern city of Atlanta , the midwestern resilience of St. Louis , the automotive soul of Detroit , the Rocky Mountain gateway of Denver , and the quiet strength of Milwaukee .

The linguistic landscape of American Jewry is equally complex, a testament to centuries of diaspora and adaptation. While American English is, unsurprisingly, the dominant tongue, a fascinating array of Jewish languages persists. Yiddish , the vibrant lingua franca of Ashkenazi Jewry for generations, continues to be spoken, particularly in Haredi communities. Hebrew , both its ancient Classical Hebrew form used in liturgical contexts and Modern Hebrew as spoken in Israel , remains a vital language. Echoes of antiquity resonate in Aramaic , especially in its Judeo-Aramaic dialects. From the Middle East, Farsi (Judeo-Persian) and various Judeo-Arabic dialects find speakers, while the Sephardic legacy is carried in Spanish and the melodic strains of Ladino . European influences manifest in pockets of French , German , Russian , Ukrainian , Romanian , and Polish . Even more exotic linguistic threads, such as Amharic and Tigrinya from Ethiopian Jews , and Judeo-Berber from North Africa, contribute to this rich linguistic mosaic. It seems humans cling to their ancestral sounds with a tenacity that defies logic, or perhaps, simply time.

Religiously, the American Jewish community is characterized by its broad denominational spectrum. A 2013 Pew Research survey indicated that, among those identifying with Judaism , 35% aligned with Reform Judaism , 18% with Conservative Judaism , and 11% with Orthodox Judaism , with 6% identifying with other, smaller movements. A significant 30%, however, declared themselves secular , often identifying as atheist, agnostic , or simply non-religious, proving that belief, or lack thereof, is a deeply personal, often contradictory, affair. Intriguingly, a small minority of American Jews also identify with Christianity , primarily Protestantism and, to a lesser extent, Catholicism , highlighting the complex intersections of heritage and faith.

Finally, the American Jewish community shares certain familial and historical ties with other groups. Anglo-Israelis and Israeli Americans represent direct connections to the modern State of Israel and the broader Jewish diaspora . These are the bare facts, presented without embellishment, though one can hardly avoid the inherent drama in such a winding, resilient history.

History

Main article: History of the Jews in the United States

Further information: Antisemitism in the United States and History of antisemitism in the United States

The presence of Jews in the nascent Thirteen Colonies dates back to the mid-17th century, a fact that often surprises those who assume American history began with a more homogenous population. However, their numbers were initially quite modest, barely reaching 200 to 300 individuals by the turn of the 18th century. These intrepid early arrivals were predominantly Sephardi Jewish immigrants, primarily of Western Sephardic (also known as Spanish and Portuguese Jewish ) lineage, bringing with them a rich heritage from their diaspora communities. Yet, by 1720, a demographic shift was already underway, with Ashkenazi Jews from Central and Eastern European diaspora communities beginning to outnumber their Sephardic predecessors, a pattern that would continue to define American Jewry for centuries.

A pivotal legislative change, the English Plantation Act of 1740 , offered a crucial, albeit pragmatic, pathway for Jews to attain British citizenship and, more importantly, to legally emigrate to the colonies . This was a significant step towards greater integration, though not without its lingering prejudices. The American narrative often highlights figures like Chaim Salomon , a Polish-born Jew who arrived in New York and, with a flair for finance, became an indispensable figure in the American Revolution . His efforts in fundraising were, by all accounts, instrumental in securing the financial backing required for the patriotic cause, demonstrating early on the profound impact Jewish individuals would have on the nation’s destiny.

Despite facing persistent limitations, such as being denied the right to vote or hold public office in various local jurisdictions, Sephardi Jews began to assert themselves in civic life during the 1790s. This period saw them finally granted political equality in the five states where their communities were most established, a hard-won victory in the slow march towards full integration. For a time, until around 1830, Charleston, South Carolina , held the distinction of hosting the largest Jewish population in North America , a testament to its early openness and economic opportunities.

The 19th century witnessed the commencement of large-scale Jewish immigration . By mid-century, a substantial wave of German Jews , fleeing increasingly restrictive and antisemitic laws in their homelands, arrived on American shores. These newcomers, often educated and entrepreneurial, quickly established themselves as merchants and shop-owners, laying the groundwork for many enduring family businesses. The eastward migration of early Jewish arrivals gradually extended westward, leading to the remarkable event in the fall of 1819: the first recorded Jewish religious services west of the Appalachian Range , held during the High Holidays in Cincinnati . This city would, over time, become a crucible for innovation in American Judaism , particularly under the visionary leadership of Rabbi Isaac Meyer Wise , widely regarded as the father of Reform Judaism in the United States . Wise championed progressive practices, notably the inclusion of women in the minyan , a significant departure from traditional norms. The latter half of the 1800s saw further growth in the region with the influx of more German and Lithuanian Jews , contributing to the establishment of institutions like Manischewitz , now one of the largest producers of American kosher products (presently based in New Jersey ), and The American Israelite . Founded in 1854 in Cincinnati , this newspaper holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the United States and the second-oldest globally, a persistent voice in a changing world. By 1880, the Jewish population in the United States had swelled to approximately 250,000. This community was largely composed of educated, often secular, German Jews , though a smaller, influential segment of older Sephardi Jewish families continued to exert their presence.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked an epochal shift in Jewish migration to the United States . Beginning in the early 1880s, the trickle became a torrent, fueled by escalating persecution and dire economic conditions across parts of Eastern Europe . The vast majority of these new arrivals were Yiddish -speaking Ashkenazi Jews , primarily hailing from the impoverished diaspora communities of the Russian Empire and the infamous Pale of Settlement , regions that today encompass modern-day Poland , Lithuania , Belarus , Ukraine , and Moldova . During this same tumultuous period, significant numbers of Ashkenazic Jews also emigrated from Galicia , then one of the most impoverished and densely Jewish urbanized regions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire , primarily driven by the relentless pressures of economic hardship. Romania also contributed a substantial cohort of Jewish emigrants . Between the late 19th century and the restrictive Immigration Act of 1924 , over 2,000,000 Jews landed on American shores. Most gravitated towards the New York metropolitan area , transforming it into one of the world’s most significant concentrations of Jewish population . The cultural impact was profound: by 1915, daily Yiddish newspapers in New York City alone boasted a circulation of half a million, with national circulation reaching 600,000, not to mention the countless weekly papers and magazines.

The dawn of the 20th century saw these newly arrived Jews rapidly construct intricate support networks. These consisted of numerous small synagogues and Landsmanshaften (German and Yiddish for “Countryman Associations”), which provided crucial social and economic lifelines for immigrants from the same towns or villages, recreating a sense of community in an alien land. Simultaneously, influential American Jewish writers of the era fervently advocated for assimilation and seamless integration into the broader American culture . This push, combined with the inherent dynamism of the immigrants, led to Jews quickly becoming an integral part of American life. A remarkable half a million American Jews (representing roughly half of all Jewish males between 18 and 50) served in World War II . The post-war era saw a new trend: younger Jewish families joined the sweeping movement of suburbanization . In these new suburban landscapes, Jews became increasingly assimilated, a phenomenon accompanied by a noticeable rise in intermarriage . The suburbs inadvertently fostered the emergence of new communal centers, as Jewish school enrollment more than doubled between the end of World War II and the mid-1950s. Similarly, synagogue affiliation surged from a mere 20% in 1930 to 60% by 1960, with the most rapid expansion observed in Reform and, notably, Conservative congregations . More recent waves of Jewish emigration from the former Soviet Union and other regions have, by and large, integrated into this established, multifaceted American Jewish community .

Over the years, Americans of Jewish descent have achieved remarkable success across an astonishing array of fields and endeavors. The Jewish community in America has, with tenacious resolve, ascended from being relegated to the lower class of society, often facing explicit barriers to employment, to a group characterized by high concentrations in academia and a per capita income that consistently surpasses the national average in the United States . It is a trajectory that speaks volumes about perseverance, ambition, and perhaps, a collective cosmic stubbornness.

Household income of American Jews – 2014 [26]

	< $30,000	$30,000–49,999	$50,000–99,999	$100,000+
	16%	15%	24%	44%

Self-identity

Scholars, with their predictable penchant for intellectual debate, endlessly ponder whether the historical experience of Jews in the United States has been so singularly unique as to truly validate the concept of American exceptionalism for this group. Korelitz (1996) offers a compelling argument, illustrating how American Jews during the late 19th and early 20th centuries deliberately shed a racial definition of Jewishness in favor of one that embraced the more malleable concept of ethnicity . The linchpin for understanding this significant transition, from a perceived racial self-definition to a more cultural or ethnic one, can be found within the pages of the Menorah Journal between 1915 and 1925. During this pivotal decade, contributors to the Menorah vigorously promoted a cultural understanding of Jewishness , consciously moving away from racial, religious, or other rigid frameworks. This was a strategic maneuver to define Jews in a world that, with its relentless pressures, threatened to dilute and absorb the very essence of Jewish uniqueness . The journal, in essence, served as the ideological standard-bearer for the Menorah movement, a collective endeavor spearheaded by Horace M. Kallen and others, dedicated to fostering a revival of Jewish cultural identity and actively dismantling the archaic notion of race as the primary determinant of peoples.

Siporin (1990) further illuminates this discussion, suggesting that the intricate web of family folklore among ethnic Jews provides invaluable insights, transforming collective history into a form of living art. These narratives, he argues, offer a profound understanding of the enduring resilience of Jews in the face of displacement and profound transformation. Many immigrant narratives, predictably, often bear the heavy theme of the arbitrary nature of fate and the diminished status of newcomers navigating an alien culture. In stark contrast, later ethnic family narratives tend to depict the individual as more in control of their own destiny, albeit sometimes at the perceived risk of entirely losing their Jewishness . Some particularly poignant stories showcase how a family member skillfully navigated the inherent tension between maintaining an ethnic identity and embracing an American one . After 1960, the haunting memories of the Holocaust , coupled with the existential shock of the Six-Day War in 1967, exerted profound and undeniable impacts on the ongoing fashioning of Jewish ethnic identity . Some commentators have persuasively argued that the Holocaust starkly underscored for Jews the paramount importance of their ethnic identity at a historical juncture when other minority groups were vociferously asserting their own. The world’s largest Jewish gathering outside of Israel recently occurred in Edison , central New Jersey , on December 1, 2024, a testament to the community’s enduring vitality and collective spirit.

Politics

Main article: American Jews in politics

Jewish vote to the Democratic Party in Presidential elections since 1916 [34]

Election year	Candidate of the Democratic Party	% of Jewish vote to the Democratic Party	Result of the Democratic Party
1916	Woodrow Wilson	55	Won
1920	James M. Cox	19	Lost
1924	John W. Davis	51	Lost
1928	Al Smith	72	Lost
1932	Franklin D. Roosevelt	82	Won
1936		85	Won
1940		90	Won
1944		90	Won
1948	Harry Truman	75	Won
1952	Adlai Stevenson	64	Lost
1956		60	Lost
1960	John F. Kennedy	82	Won
1964	Lyndon B. Johnson	90	Won
1968	Hubert Humphrey	81	Lost
1972	George McGovern	65	Lost
1976	Jimmy Carter	71	Won
1980		45	Lost
1984	Walter Mondale	67	Lost
1988	Michael Dukakis	64	Lost
1992	Bill Clinton	80	Won
1996		78	Won
2000	Al Gore	79	Lost
2004	John Kerry	76	Lost
2008	Barack Obama	78	Won
2012		69	Won
2016	Hillary Clinton	71 [35]	Lost
2020	Joe Biden	69 [36]	Won
2024	Kamala Harris	63 [37]	Lost

Jewish vote to the Republican Party in Presidential elections since 1916 [34]

Election year	Candidate of the Republican Party	% of Jewish vote to the Republican Party	Result of the Republican Party
1916	Charles E. Hughes	45	Lost
1920	Warren G. Harding	43	Won
1924	Calvin Coolidge	27	Won
1928	Herbert Hoover	28	Won
1932		18	Lost
1936	Alf Landon	15	Lost
1940	Wendell Willkie	10	Lost
1944	Thomas Dewey	10	Lost
1948		10	Lost
1952	Dwight D. Eisenhower	36	Won
1956		40	Won
1960	Richard Nixon	18	Lost
1964	Barry Goldwater	10	Lost
1968	Richard Nixon	17	Won
1972		35	Won
1976	Gerald Ford	27	Lost
1980	Ronald Reagan	39	Won
1984		31	Won
1988	George H. W. Bush	35	Won
1992		11	Lost
1996	Bob Dole	16	Lost
2000	George W. Bush	19	Won
2004		24	Won
2008	John McCain	22	Lost
2012	Mitt Romney	30	Lost
2016	Donald Trump	24 [35]	Won
2020		30 [36]	Lost
2024		36 [37]	Won

In the bustling urban landscape of New York City , while the German-Jewish community was comfortably entrenched ‘uptown’ in its established affluence, the more numerous Jews who migrated from Eastern Europe found themselves in the ‘downtown’ crucible of tension, particularly with their Irish and German Catholic neighbors. This friction was exacerbated by the fact that Irish Catholics held considerable sway over Democratic Party politics at the time , leading to predictable clashes over resources and influence. Despite these challenges, Jews carved out a formidable niche for themselves in the garment trades and within the powerful needle unions in New York . By the 1930s, their collective voice had become a significant political force in New York , offering staunch support for the most progressive initiatives of the New Deal . They remained a steadfast component of the New Deal Coalition , extending particular and enthusiastic backing to the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement . However, by the mid-1960s, the emergence of the Black Power movement regrettably fostered a growing, though often reluctant, separation between Blacks and Jews , even as both groups largely remained firmly within the Democratic camp .

Earlier Jewish immigrants from Germany tended, perhaps surprisingly, to lean politically conservative . Many, including the devoutly Republican Louis Marshall , held the conviction that Jews should ideally avoid any singular political alignment whatsoever, a sentiment that now seems quaint. Conversely, the massive influx of Jews from Eastern Europe , commencing in the early 1880s, generally brought with them a more liberal or left-wing political orientation, quickly establishing themselves as the new political majority within the American Jewish community . Many arrived in America with direct experience in socialist, anarchist , and communist movements, as well as the influential Labor Bund , all emanating from the intellectual ferment of Eastern Europe . These experiences propelled many Jews into leadership roles within the early 20th-century American labor movement , where they played a pivotal role in founding unions that, in turn, became major players in left-wing politics and, after 1936, in the evolving landscape of Democratic Party politics.

Historically, American Jews generally gravitated towards the Republican party during the latter half of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th. This alignment was partly reinforced by the pronounced Evangelical imagery frequently employed by William Jennings Bryan and other Populist Democrats , which, perhaps inadvertently, ignited anxieties about Antisemitism among American Jews . Additionally, Republican candidates such as William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed considerable popularity among Jewish voters . However, the political compass of the majority of Jews has consistently pointed towards the Democratic Party since at least 1916, when 55% cast their votes for Woodrow Wilson , a trend that solidified dramatically by 1928, when a significant 72% supported the ultimately unsuccessful candidacy of Al Smith .

With the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt , American Jews became an even more solidly Democratic voting bloc . Their support for Roosevelt reached a staggering 90% in both the 1940 and 1944 elections, a level of unwavering allegiance that has been matched only once since. In the 1948 election, Jewish support for Democrat Harry S. Truman saw a slight dip to 75%, with 15% diverting their votes to the newly formed Progressive Party . A testament to sustained lobbying efforts and a strategic desire to better compete for the Jewish vote , both major party platforms had, since 1944, included a distinctly pro-Zionist plank, explicitly supporting the creation of a Jewish state . This, however, appeared to have little immediate effect on voting patterns, as a remarkable 90% continued to vote for parties other than Republican . In every subsequent election, with the notable exception of 1980, no Democratic presidential candidate has secured less than 67% of the Jewish vote . (The 1980 election saw Carter receive 45% of the Jewish vote , a significant anomaly discussed further below.)

During the 1952 and 1956 elections, Jewish voters consistently cast 60% or more of their ballots for Democrat Adlai Stevenson . In a rare show of Republican strength, General Eisenhower managed to garner 40% of the Jewish vote for his re-election bid, marking the best performance for the Republicans since Warren G. Harding ’s 43% in 1920. The 1960 election saw a solid 83% of Jewish voters opt for Democrat John F. Kennedy over Richard Nixon . In 1964, an overwhelming 90% of American Jews lent their support to Lyndon Johnson , decisively rejecting his arch-conservative Republican opponent, Barry Goldwater . Hubert Humphrey secured 81% of the Jewish vote in the 1968 elections, despite his ultimate loss to Richard Nixon in the presidential race.

The Nixon re-election campaign of 1972 found Jewish voters exhibiting a degree of apprehension regarding George McGovern , resulting in only 65% favoring the Democrat . This shift allowed Nixon to more than double Republican Jewish support to a notable 35%. In the 1976 election, Jewish voters demonstrated renewed allegiance to Democrat Jimmy Carter , supporting him by 71% over incumbent President Gerald Ford , who secured 27% of the Jewish vote . However, the Carter re-election campaign in 1980 saw a dramatic decline in Jewish support for the Democrat , plummeting to just 45%. Republican victor Ronald Reagan garnered 39% of the Jewish vote , while a significant 14% went to independent candidate (and former Republican ) John Anderson , illustrating a rare moment of splintered allegiance.

During the Reagan re-election campaign of 1984, the Republican incumbent managed to retain 31% of the Jewish vote , while 67% voted for Democrat Walter Mondale . The 1988 election saw Jewish voters favor Democrat Michael Dukakis by 64%, with George H. W. Bush polling a respectable 35%. However, during Bush’s re-election attempt in 1992, his Jewish support dramatically dropped to a mere 11%, with 80% voting for Bill Clinton and 9% opting for independent candidate Ross Perot . Clinton’s re-election campaign in 1996 maintained robust Jewish support at 78%, with 16% supporting Bob Dole and 3% for Perot .

The 2000 presidential election marked a historical first: Joe Lieberman became the first American Jew to run for national office on a major-party ticket, chosen as Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore ’s vice-presidential nominee. The elections of 2000 and 2004 saw sustained Jewish support for Democrats Al Gore and John Kerry (a Catholic, for those keeping score), remaining firmly in the high- to mid-70% range. Meanwhile, Republican George W. Bush ’s re-election in 2004 witnessed a slight, but noticeable, increase in Jewish support , rising from 19% to 24%.

In the landmark 2008 presidential election , a commanding 78% of Jews cast their votes for Barack Obama , who, with historical significance, became the first African American to be elected president. This robust support for Obama was particularly pronounced among white Jews , 83% of whom voted for him, a figure significantly higher than the 34% of white Protestants and 47% of white Catholics who did the same. Even among those identifying with other religions (67%) and those claiming no religion (71%), Obama found strong backing.

The February 2016 New Hampshire Democratic Primary saw Bernie Sanders achieve a notable milestone, becoming the first Jewish candidate to win a state’s presidential primary election. For congressional and senate races, American Jews have consistently voted 70–80% for Democrats since 1968. This support further intensified for Democratic House candidates during the 2006 elections, reaching an impressive 87%.

David Levy Yulee holds the distinction of being the first American Jew to serve in the Senate , representing Florida from 1845–1851 and again from 1855–1861. At the commencement of the 112th Congress , 19 Jews were among the 435 U.S. Representatives . This group included 26 Democrats and one lone Republican , Eric Cantor . While many of these members represented coastal cities and suburbs with substantial Jewish populations , others hailed from regions not typically associated with large Jewish communities , such as Kim Schrier of Seattle, Washington ; John Yarmuth of Louisville, Kentucky ; and David Kustoff and Steve Cohen of Memphis, Tennessee . The total number of Jews serving in the House of Representatives saw a decline from 31 in the 111th Congress . John Adler of New Jersey , Steve Kagan of Wisconsin , Alan Grayson of Florida , and Ron Klein of Florida all lost their re-election bids. Rahm Emanuel resigned to assume the role of the President’s Chief of Staff, and Paul Hodes of New Hampshire chose not to seek re-election, instead making an unsuccessful bid for his state’s open Senate seat . David Cicilline of Rhode Island was the sole Jewish American newly elected to the 112th Congress , having previously served as the Mayor of Providence . The number further diminished with the resignations of Jane Harman , Anthony Weiner , and Gabby Giffords during the 112th Congress .

As of January 2014, a small but notable contingent of five openly gay men served in Congress , two of whom were Jewish : Jared Polis of Colorado and David Cicilline of Rhode Island . In November 2008, Cantor was elected as the House Minority Whip , marking the first time a Jewish Republican had been chosen for such a prominent leadership position. By 2011, he ascended to become the first Jewish House Majority Leader . He held this significant role until 2014, when he resigned shortly after his unexpected loss in the Republican primary election for his House seat .

A 2013 Pew Research study revealed that a substantial 70% of American Jews identified with or leaned towards the Democratic Party , while a mere 22% aligned with or leaned towards the Republican Party . The 114th Congress included 10 Jews among its 100 U.S. Senators : nine Democrats (Michael Bennet , Richard Blumenthal , Brian Schatz , Benjamin Cardin , Dianne Feinstein , Jon Ossoff , Jacky Rosen , Charles Schumer , Ron Wyden ), and Bernie Sanders , who, after a brief foray as a Democrat to run for President , returned to the Senate as an Independent . In the more recent 118th Congress , the number of Jewish U.S. Representatives stands at 28, with 25 being Democrats and 3 Republicans . All 10 Jewish Senators in this Congress are Democrats .

Furthermore, a notable six members of President Joe Biden ’s cabinet were Jewish , a significant representation within the highest echelons of government. This distinguished group included Secretary of State Antony Blinken , Attorney General Merrick Garland , Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines , White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain , Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas , and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen .

Participation in civil rights movements

Members of the American Jewish community have consistently been among the most prominent and active participants in various civil rights movements throughout the nation’s history, a fact often overlooked but critical to understanding their societal role. In the mid-20th century, American Jews were notably at the forefront of both the Civil Rights Movement for racial equality and the burgeoning feminist movements, advocating for broader social justice. Furthermore, a significant number of American Jews have been influential figures in the ongoing struggle for gay rights in America .

The profound connection between Jewish history and the pursuit of freedom was eloquently articulated by Joachim Prinz , then president of the American Jewish Congress , when he addressed the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom from the podium of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. His words, delivered with a gravitas born of centuries of persecution , resonate still: “As Jews we bring to this great demonstration, in which thousands of us proudly participate, a twofold experience—one of the spirit and one of our history. … From our Jewish historic experience of three and a half thousand years we say: Our ancient history began with slavery and the yearning for freedom. During the Middle Ages my people lived for a thousand years in the ghettos of Europe . … It is for these reasons that it is not merely sympathy and compassion for the black people of America that motivates us. It is, above all and beyond all such sympathies and emotions, a sense of complete identification and solidarity born of our own painful historic experience.” This statement serves as a potent reminder of the deep-seated empathy and shared struggle that fueled Jewish participation in these crucial movements.

The Holocaust

During the tumultuous period of World War II , the American Jewish community found itself tragically and deeply fractured, a disunity that, in retrospect, rendered it largely incapable of forming a cohesive and effective united front against the unfolding horrors. The majority of Jews who had previously emigrated to the United States from Eastern Europe were fervent supporters of Zionism , convinced that a return to their ancestral homeland was the singular, viable solution to the relentless persecution and systematic genocide then ravaging Europe . A significant, if somber, development during the latter stages of the war was the sudden, collective conversion of many previously ambivalent American Jewish leaders to the Zionist cause , a shift undoubtedly catalyzed by the escalating reports of atrocities. What is particularly damning, and a truth that still stings, is that the Holocaust was, for the most part, shockingly ignored by American media as it was actually happening. Reporters and editors, perhaps out of a profound inability to comprehend such barbarity, largely dismissed or downplayed the harrowing stories of atrocities emanating from a distant Europe .

The Holocaust , once its full, unspeakable scope became undeniable, left an indelible and profound impact on the Jewish community in the United States . This impact intensified significantly after 1960, as Holocaust education gradually improved, allowing Jews to begin the agonizing process of comprehending what had transpired. The community grappled, and continues to grapple, with how to commemorate this cataclysm and how to integrate its lessons into their collective future. Abraham Joshua Heschel encapsulated this profound dilemma with chilling precision when he attempted to articulate the incomprehensible reality of Auschwitz : “To try to answer is to commit a supreme blasphemy. Israel enables us to bear the agony of Auschwitz without radical despair, to sense a ray [of] God’s radiance in the jungles of history.” These are truths that cling like glitter.

International affairs

Zionism transformed into a well-organized and influential movement within the U.S. , largely due to the impassioned involvement of leaders such as Louis Brandeis and the potent promise embedded in the Balfour Declaration of a reconstituted Jewish homeland . During the 1930s, Jewish Americans actively organized and participated in large-scale boycotts of German merchandise to protest the increasingly aggressive policies of Nazi Germany . Franklin D. Roosevelt ’s leftist domestic policies garnered robust Jewish support throughout the 1930s and 1940s, as did his staunchly anti-Nazi foreign policy and his advocacy for the nascent United Nations . While growing in influence, overt support for political Zionism during this period remained a distinct minority opinion among Jews in the United States until roughly 1944–45. This shift was tragically precipitated by the undeniable public revelation of the systematic mass murder of Jews in Nazi-occupied countries , a horror confirmed with the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and extermination camps . The subsequent founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948 and its swift recognition by the American government (despite initial objections from American isolationists) served as a powerful testament to both intrinsic support and a desperate, global response to the unfathomable horrors of the Holocaust .

This burgeoning attention was rooted in a natural affinity and profound support for Israel within the Jewish community . It was also, inevitably, fueled by the ensuing and perpetually unresolved conflicts surrounding Israel’s founding and the evolving role of the Zionist movement . A vigorous internal debate erupted following the Six-Day War . The American Jewish community found itself deeply divided over the Israeli response, though the vast majority ultimately accepted the war as a regrettable necessity. Similar tensions were ignited by the 1977 election of Menachem Begin and the rise of Revisionist policies, the devastating 1982 Lebanon War , and the enduring administrative governance of portions of the West Bank territory. Disagreement over Israel’s 1993 acceptance of the Oslo Accords further fractured American Jews , mirroring a similar schism within Israel itself, and ultimately leading to a parallel rift within the powerful pro-Israel lobby , with some even criticizing the United States for its “blind” support of Israel . Discarding any pretense of unity, both segments began to establish separate advocacy and lobbying organizations. The liberal proponents of the Oslo Accord channeled their efforts through groups like Americans for Peace Now (APN) and the Israel Policy Forum (IPF), organizations generally sympathetic to the Labour government in Israel . They diligently sought to assure Congress that American Jewry stood firmly behind the Accord and defended the administration’s efforts to support the fledgling Palestinian Authority (PA), including pledges of financial aid. In a battle for public opinion, the IPF even commissioned numerous polls to demonstrate widespread communal support for Oslo .

In direct opposition to Oslo , a formidable alliance of conservative groups, including the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI), and the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA), worked tirelessly to counteract the influence of the liberal Jewish factions . On October 10, 1993, the opponents of the Palestinian-Israeli accord converged at the American Leadership Conference for a Safe Israel, issuing stark warnings that Israel was, in their view, prostrating itself before “an armed thug,” and ominously predicting that “the thirteenth of September is a date that will live in infamy.” Some Zionists also leveled harsh criticisms against Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres , his foreign minister and the chief architect of the peace accord. With the community so profoundly divided, AIPAC and the Presidents Conference, ostensibly tasked with representing a unified national Jewish consensus , struggled mightily to maintain a semblance of civil discourse amidst the increasingly antagonistic rhetoric. Reflecting these deep-seated tensions, Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League was compelled by the conference to apologize for criticizing ZOA’s Morton Klein . The conference, which, by its own organizational guidelines, was responsible for moderating communal discourse, reluctantly censured some Orthodox spokespeople for attacking Colette Avital , the Labor-appointed Israeli Consul General in New York and an ardent supporter of that particular vision of a peace process. Such are the inevitable fractures when deeply held convictions collide.

Demographics

Further information: Jews in New York City

Jewish Americans by state according to the American Jewish Yearbook, 2020 and the US Census Bureau

As of 2020, the American Jewish population holds a rather peculiar distinction: depending on the chosen method of identification —whether one adheres to strict halakhic considerations or opts for more secular, political , and ancestral identification factors—it is either the largest Jewish community in the world or the second-largest, just behind Israel . Precise population figures, much like precise definitions of anything meaningful, tend to vary. In 2001, for instance, there were approximately four million declared adherents of Judaism in the U.S. , constituting about 1.4% of the total U.S. population . More recently, the Jewish Agency reported for 2023 that Israel was home to 7.2 million Jews (a commanding 46% of the world’s Jewish population ), while the United States contained 6.3 million (40.1%).

According to collaborative findings from Gallup and the Pew Research Center , “at maximum 2.2% of the US adult population has some basis for Jewish self-identification .” In 2020, the demographers Arnold Dashefsky and Ira M. Sheskin, in their meticulous American Jewish Yearbook , estimated the American Jewish population to be 7.15 million, representing 2.17% of the country’s then 329.5 million inhabitants. In that same year, another organization, employing its own methodologies, estimated the American Jewish population at 7.6 million people, accounting for 2.4% of the total US population . This latter figure notably included 4.9 million adults who explicitly identified their religion as Jewish , 1.2 million Jewish adults who, with typical modern ambivalence, identified with no particular religion, and 1.6 million Jewish children .

A 2020 study by the ever-observant Pew Research Center further refined these estimates, placing the core American Jewish population at 7.5 million individuals, encompassing 5.8 million Jewish adults . This study also revealed that the median age of the American Jewish population is 49 years, suggesting a demographic skew towards an older cohort. Approximately 18% of American Jews are under the age of 30, while a substantial 49% are aged 50 and older—a stark reminder of the relentless march of time. The study also found that a modest but significant 9% of American Jews identify as LGBT .

The American Jewish Yearbook population survey had previously placed the number of American Jews at 6.4 million, or roughly 2.1% of the total population. This figure was considerably higher than the estimate from the earlier 2000–2001 National Jewish Population estimates, which had pegged the number at 5.2 million Jews . A 2007 study released by the Steinhardt Social Research Institute (SSRI) at Brandeis University presented compelling evidence suggesting that both these figures might be underestimations, proposing a potential range of 7.0–7.4 million Americans of Jewish descent . However, it’s crucial to note that these higher estimates were derived by including all non-Jewish family members and household members, rather than solely surveyed individuals, a methodological choice that, predictably, inflates the numbers. A 2019 study by the Jews of Color Initiative found that approximately 12-15% of Jews in the United States —roughly 1,000,000 out of 7,200,000—identify as multiracial and Jews of color , a demographic reality that challenges simplistic notions of Jewish identity .

The overall population of Americans of Jewish descent is, demographically speaking, characterized by an aging composition and rather low fertility rates, falling significantly below the generational replacement threshold. This, of course, signals a slow, steady decline in the absence of other factors. However, the Orthodox Jewish population, concentrated primarily in the Northeastern United States , presents a stark contrast, exhibiting fertility rates that are notably higher than both generational replacement levels and the average U.S. population . It seems some communities defy the broader trends with a stubborn adherence to tradition.

The National Jewish Population Survey of 1990, in its attempt to categorize the uncategorizable, asked 4.5 million adult Jews to identify their denomination. The national tally revealed that 38% aligned with the Reform tradition , 35% with Conservative Judaism , a smaller 6% with Orthodox Judaism , and a modest 1% with Reconstructionists . A curious 10% linked themselves to some other, less defined tradition, and another 10% simply declared themselves “just Jewish .” Fast forward to 2013, Pew Research’s Jewish population survey found that 35% of American Jews identified as Reform , 18% as Conservative , 10% as Orthodox , and 6% with other sects, leaving a substantial 30% to simply float without a denominational label. Pew’s 2020 poll updated these figures, showing 37% affiliated with Reform Judaism , 17% with Conservative Judaism , and 9% with Orthodox Judaism . Unsurprisingly, younger Jews are more inclined to identify as Orthodox or, with a certain rebellious flair, as entirely unaffiliated, compared to their older, more traditionally aligned counterparts.

Many Jews are, quite predictably, concentrated in the Northeastern United States , particularly clustered around New York City . The world’s largest menorah , a beacon of light in the winter darkness, is annually illuminated at Grand Army Plaza in Manhattan , while New Jersey boasts its own largest menorah, similarly celebrated in Monroe Township , Middlesex County . Substantial Jewish populations also reside in South Florida , Los Angeles , and other major metropolitan areas, such as Chicago , San Francisco , or Atlanta . Indeed, the metropolitan areas of New York City , Los Angeles , and Miami collectively host nearly a quarter of the world’s Jews , with the New York City metropolitan area itself containing approximately a quarter of all Jews residing in the United States —a truly staggering concentration of human experience.

By state

According to a study published by the demographers and sociologists Ira M. Sheskin and Arnold Dashefsky in the American Jewish Yearbook , the distribution of the Jewish population in 2024 was as follows, for those who find solace in precise numbers:

Jewish Population by State (2024)

State	Jewish Population (2024)	Percent Jewish
- Washington, D.C.	57,300	8.44%
1 New York	1,672,025	8.54%
2 New Jersey	581,200	6.26%
3 Massachusetts	318,450	4.55%
4 Maryland	250,860	4.06%
5 Connecticut	141,500	3.91%
6 Florida	753,865	3.33%
7 California	1,259,315	3.23%
8 Pennsylvania	347,850	2.68%
9 Nevada	85,330	2.67%
10 Illinois	334,180	2.66%
11 Colorado	117,900	2.01%
12 Vermont	12,700	1.96%
13 Virginia	165,260	1.90%
14 Arizona	132,360	1.78%
15 Rhode Island	18,950	1.73%
16 Delaware	17,400	1.69%
17 Oregon	70,105	1.66%
18 Ohio	177,295	1.50%
19 New Hampshire	20,900	1.49%
20 Georgia	148,555	1.35%
21 Maine	18,460	1.32%
22 Michigan	129,225	1.29%
23 Minnesota	68,855	1.20%
24 Missouri	71,840	1.16%
25 Washington	88,530	1.13%
26 New Mexico	19,855	0.94%
27 North Carolina	99,795	0.92%
28 Alaska	6,510	0.89%
29 Wisconsin	48,515	0.82%
30 Texas	220,685	0.72%
31 Hawaii	9,900	0.69%
32 South Carolina	36,210	0.67%
33 Kansas	17,590	0.60%
34 Nebraska	10,230	0.52%
35 Louisiana	19,870	0.43%
36 Tennessee	29,775	0.42%
37 Indiana	31,205	0.40%
38 Kentucky	18,225	0.40%
39 Utah	13,030	0.38%
40 Wyoming	2,210	0.38%
41 Alabama	18,080	0.35%
42 Idaho	5,920	0.30%
43 Montana	3,170	0.28%
44 Oklahoma	8,880	0.22%
45 Iowa	6,385	0.20%
46 Arkansas	5,090	0.17%
47 West Virginia	2,940	0.17%
48 North Dakota	910	0.12%
49 Mississippi	2,885	0.10%
50 South Dakota	765	0.08%
Total	7,698,840	2.30%

Significant Jewish population centers

Metropolitan areas with largest Jewish populations (2015)

Rank	Metro area	Number of Jews
		(WJC ) [89]	(ARDA) [91]
1	1	New York City	1,750,000
2	3	Miami	535,000
3	2	Los Angeles	490,000
4	4	Philadelphia	254,000
5	6	Chicago	248,000
8	8	San Francisco Bay Area	210,000
6	7	Boston	208,000
8	5	Baltimore–Washington	165,000

The New York City metropolitan area is, quite definitively, home to by far the largest Jewish American population , a demographic reality that shapes its very pulse.

States with the highest percentage of Jews (2015) [89]

Rank	State	Percent Jewish
1	New York	8.91
2	New Jersey	5.86
3	District of Columbia	4.25
4	Massachusetts	4.07
5	Maryland	3.99
6	Florida	3.28
7	Connecticut	3.28
8	California	3.18
9	Nevada	2.69
10	Illinois	2.31
11	Pennsylvania	2.29

The New York City metropolitan area stands as the second-largest Jewish population center in the entire world, surpassed only by the Tel Aviv metropolitan area in Israel —a testament to its enduring significance. Several other major urban centers across the United States also host substantial Jewish communities , including the sprawling expanse of Los Angeles , the vibrant cultural mosaic of Miami , the historic charm of Baltimore , the intellectual hub of Boston , the midwestern might of Chicago , the scenic beauty of San Francisco , and the foundational history of Philadelphia . In a predictable pattern of suburban migration, the majority of Jewish families in many metropolitan areas have, with a certain quiet determination, relocated to suburban enclaves. The Greater Phoenix area, for instance, was home to approximately 83,000 Jews in 2002 and has experienced rapid growth since, reflecting broader demographic shifts.

The highest Jewish population on a per-capita basis for incorporated areas in the U.S. are found in distinct pockets. Kiryas Joel Village, New York , boasts a staggering figure greater than 93% (based on language spoken in the home), a clear indicator of its Haredi Jewish concentration. The City of Beverly Hills, California , with 61%, reflects a different, often more secular, Jewish demographic . Lakewood Township, New Jersey , at 59%, also shows a high concentration of Haredi Jews . It is noteworthy that two of these incorporated areas, Kiryas Joel and Lakewood , are characterized by a high concentration of Haredi Jews , while Beverly Hills represents a high concentration of non-Orthodox Jews , illustrating the diverse expressions of Jewish life even in concentrated areas.

The phenomenon of Israeli migration to the US is often termed Yerida , a concept that carries its own complex emotional and cultural baggage. The Israeli immigrant community in America is, comparatively, less geographically widespread. Significant Israeli immigrant communities in the United States are primarily found in the New York City metropolitan area , Los Angeles , Miami , and Chicago .

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) calculated an ’expatriate rate’ of 2.9 persons per thousand for Israel in 2005, placing it squarely in the mid-range of expatriate rates among the 175 OECD countries examined, a statistic that, if one cares to interpret it, suggests a certain human tendency towards global mobility.

According to the 2001 undertaking of the National Jewish Population Survey , 4.3 million American Jews possess some form of strong, discernible connection to the Jewish community , whether that connection manifests as overtly religious or more subtly cultural.

Distribution of Jewish Americans

According to the North American Jewish Data Bank [100], the 104 counties and independent cities as of 2011 with the largest Jewish communities , as a percentage of population, were:

Counties	State	Jews	Pct Jewish
Rockland	New York	91,300	29.3%
Kings	New York	561,000	22.4%
Nassau	New York	230,000	17.2%
Palm Beach	Florida	208,850	15.8%
New York	New York	240,000	15.1%
Westchester	New York	136,000	14.3%
Montgomery	Maryland	113,000	11.6%
Ocean	New Jersey	61,500	10.7%
Marin	California	26,100	10.3%
Bergen	New Jersey	92,500	10.2%
Monmouth	New Jersey	64,000	10.2%
Broward	Florida	170,700	9.8%
Sullivan	New York	7,425	9.6%
Norfolk	Massachusetts	63,600	9.5%
Queens	New York	198,000	8.9%
Orange	New York	32,300	8.7%
Alpine	California	101	8.6%
San Francisco	California	65,800	8.2%
Montgomery	Pennsylvania	64,500	8.1%
Middlesex	Massachusetts	113,800	7.6%
Baltimore	Maryland	60,000	7.5%
Lake	Illinois	51,300	7.3%
Richmond	New York	34,000	7.3%
Santa Clara	California	128,000	7.2%
Arlington	Virginia	14,000	6.7%
San Mateo	California	47,800	6.7%
Bucks	Pennsylvania	41,400	6.6%
Ventura	California	54,000	6.6%
Middlesex	New Jersey	52,000	6.4%
Camden	New Jersey	32,100	6.2%
Essex	New Jersey	48,800	6.2%
Falls Church	Virginia	750	6.1%
Howard	Maryland	17,200	6.0%
Morris	New Jersey	29,700	6.0%
Somerset	New Jersey	19,000	5.9%
Suffolk	New York	86,000	5.8%
Cuyahoga	Ohio	70,300	5.5%
Fulton	Georgia	50,000	5.4%
Los Angeles	California	518,000	5.3%
Ozaukee	Wisconsin	4,500	5.2%
Fairfield	Connecticut	47,200	5.1%
Oakland	Michigan	61,200	5.1%
Baltimore	Maryland	30,900	5.0%
St. Louis	Missouri	49,600	5.0%
Nantucket	Massachusetts	500	4.9%
Denver	Colorado	28,700	4.8%
Sonoma	California	23,100	4.8%
Union	New Jersey	25,800	4.8%
Washington, D.C.	Washington, D.C.	28,000	4.7%
Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	66,800	4.4%
Pitkin	Colorado	750	4.4%
Arapahoe	Colorado	24,600	4.3%
Atlantic	New Jersey	11,700	4.3%
Geauga	Ohio	4,000	4.3%
Miami-Dade	Florida	106,300	4.3%
Chester	Pennsylvania	20,900	4.2%
Cook	Illinois	220,200	4.2%
Boulder	Colorado	12,000	4.1%
Passaic	New Jersey	20,000	4.0%
Alameda	California	59,100	3.9%
Albany	New York	12,000	3.9%
Bronx	New York	54,000	3.9%
Putnam	New York	3,900	3.9%
Delaware	Pennsylvania	21,000	3.8%
Clark	Nevada	72,300	3.7%
Suffolk	Massachusetts	27,000	3.7%
DeKalb	Georgia	25,000	3.6%
Fairfax	Virginia	38,900	3.6%
Alexandria	Virginia	4,900	3.5%
Dutchess	New York	10,000	3.4%
Napa	California	4,600	3.4%
Schenectady	New York	5,200	3.4%
Allegheny	Pennsylvania	40,500	3.3%
Berkshire	Massachusetts	4,300	3.3%
Fairfax	Virginia	750	3.3%
Hartford	Connecticut	29,600	3.3%
Clay	Georgia	101	3.2%
Ulster	New York	5,900	3.2%
Contra Costa	California	32,100	3.1%
New Haven	Connecticut	27,100	3.1%
Essex	Massachusetts	22,300	3.0%
Burlington	New Jersey	12,900	2.9%
San Diego	California	89,000	2.9%
Sussex	New Jersey	4,300	2.9%
Johnson	Kansas	15,000	2.8%
Orange	California	83,750	2.8%
Hamilton	Ohio	21,400	2.7%
Multnomah	Oregon	20,000	2.7%
Pinellas	Florida	25,000	2.7%
Monroe	New York	19,000	2.6%
Sarasota	Florida	9,950	2.6%
Broomfield	Colorado	1,400	2.5%
Cobb	Georgia	17,300	2.5%
Collier	Florida	8,000	2.5%
Hennepin	Minnesota	29,300	2.5%
Mercer	New Jersey	9,000	2.5%
Cumberland	Maine	6,775	2.4%
Seminole	Florida	10,000	2.4%
Cherokee	Georgia	5,000	2.3%
Custer	Idaho	101	2.3%
Dukes	Massachusetts	300	2.3%
Hampden	Massachusetts	10,600	2.3%
Santa Cruz	California	6,000	2.3%
Santa Fe	New Mexico	3,300	2.3%

Assimilation and population changes

These parallel themes—the relentless pursuit of success and the quiet erosion of tradition—have undeniably facilitated the extraordinary economic, political, and social ascent of the American Jewish community . Yet, this very success has simultaneously contributed to widespread cultural assimilation , a process that, depending on one’s perspective, is either a natural evolution or a slow, agonizing loss. More recently, however, the very propriety and the acceptable degree of assimilation have become a significant and increasingly contentious issue within the modern American Jewish community , sparking debates among both political and religious skeptics.

While not all Jews view intermarriage with disapproval—a testament to the diversity of human opinion—many members of