NEW AJC REPORT: JEWS ARE SMUG, LIBERAL, AND ATHEISTIC

New AJC Report Says Jews Most Distinctive Group in America
May 4, 2005 - New York - A new analysis of 30 years of research shows that Jews are the most distinctive ethnic and religious group in America, exhibiting strong support for personal choice, liberal ideals and higher education. At the same time, the report reveals that the gap between Jews and other Americans has narrowed over the years, largely because other ethnic and religious groups have moved closer to positions held by Jews.

Jewish Distinctiveness in America was prepared by Tom W. Smith, an eminent social scientist and director of the General Social Survey at the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center. Smith mined data gathered by the GSS from 1972-2002 to statistically profile American Jews on dozens of demographic questions and 153 non-demographic ones.

"The numbers reveal an underlying strength of the American Jewish community," said David A. Harris, AJC's executive director. "Despite our declining share of the overall American population, a high intermarriage rate, and a growing geographical dispersion, Jews have been able to retain a distinctive profile which bespeaks a unique core Jewish identity.

"Furthermore, Jews have embraced certain broad values, such as belief in the importance of education and in expressive individualism, that seem to have resonance for other Americans as well."

The report illustrates that Jews place a high value on personal choice and independent thinking. Asked to rank five values for children, 71 percent of Jews said thinking for oneself was the most important value for children compared with 50 percent of non-Jews. Of all ethnic and religious groups, Jews are the most supportive of abortion rights, the issue where Jews and non-Jews disagree the most, the research shows.

On the religious front, Jews are the least likely of any religious group in America to pray on a daily basis, at 26 percent, compared with 56 percent of non-Jews; they are also the least likely to be sure that God exists. Still, the same percentage of Jews and non-Jews say they have a strong religious attachment.

Among other findings, the reports states that:
-Jews are the most pro-civil liberties of all ethnic groups on most issues;
-Jews strongly support separation of church and state, and are the group most in favor of the Supreme Court ruling against school prayer;
-Jews are more supportive of racial equality, integration, and intergroup tolerance than other groups are.

The report is divided into three sections; the first compares Jews to other ethnic/racial and religious groups; the second examines trends over time for Jews and non-Jews; and the third looks at differences amongst the Jewish population according to measures of religiosity.