A member of our Institute recently sent us an inquiry about the absence of synagogue attendees in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Various sociological studies have noted a general decline in religious identification and observance among American Jews. The exception seems to be among those who are most actively Orthodox; their synagogue attendance remains high among all age groups. Synagogue attendance among non-Orthodox congregations tends to be low, especially among younger Jews. Orthodox congregations with a diverse membership, including many who are not fully observant religiously, also seem to have lower attendance rates among those in their 20s and 30s.
Below is an excerpt from the email we received:
Where are the youth in congregations?
I don't know if this is a worldwide phenomenon or only for areas with smaller amounts of Jews. I've noticed most congregants are aging or small children of Rabbis, but no one in their 20s, 30s, 40s. There is a huge gap that exists and who will fill that gap and take leadership when the older members pass away?
I just want to understand how synagogues will stay afloat in years to come if no one is coming....
1. Where are the 20, 30, 40 year olds?
2. Why aren't they attending services?
3. How do we fix that situation?
We welcome your comments on this issue. Do you perceive a "generation gap" in our synagogues? Do you have ideas as to why synagogue attendance among younger Jews is low? Do you have suggestions how to improve the situation? Please send your comments (no later than February 14) to [email protected] and we will plan to post a follow-up blog drawing on your comments.