Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies

Building Knowledge of Contemporary Jewry

The Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies incorporates the latest social science techniques in the study of contemporary Jewish life. The Steinhardt Social Research Institute develops reliable quantitative data about the US Jewish population.

Local Jewish Community Studies

Using cutting-edge social science methods, we collect, analyze, and report accurate and actionable data that informs community planning and helps animate Jewish life.

Maps in muted colors, overlaid text reads AJPP, State, County, Metro, Demographics

US Jewish Population Estimates

Our American Jewish Population Project includes a detailed interactive map of the US Jewish population with demographic profiles and political views of Jewish adults for states, metropolitan areas, and counties in the United States.

Birthright Israel Research

Our research on Birthright Israel employs rigorous methods to evaluate Birthright's short-term and long-term impact on Jewish young adults.

Four people standing on grass looking toward water and the woods

Evaluation Research

From studies of Hillel to synagogues and Jewish camp, we document the impact of core programs and initiatives on Jewish community life.

Recent Research Publications

Greater Metrowest Jewish Community Study Cover

2020 Greater MetroWest NJ Jewish Community Study

November 10, 2021

The 2020 Greater MetroWest Jewish Community Study creates a comprehensive portrait of the characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors of the Jewish community in Greater MetroWest New Jersey and highlights data and findings that will be useful for communal planning. The study consists of topic reports, an overview (including summary of methodology), and a report of key findings.

Chicago Jewish population study report cover

2020 Metropolitan Chicago Jewish Population Study

October 2021

The Jewish population of Chicago has grown modestly since 2010: 319,600 Jewish adults and children live in 175,800 Jewish households. By providing detailed data about the diversity of Jewish life and the well-being of community members, the comprehensive study will serve as the springboard for Chicago organizations and agencies to develop programs and policies to better meet community needs and interests.

Online or On-campus: Learning from the COVID-19 Pandemic

September 2021

This study uses the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic to investigate long-standing questions about the role of the physical campus in the undergraduate college experience. The findings are based on survey data collected in spring 2021 from random samples of undergraduate students at three elite, private universities in the Northeast. We examined how physical and virtual campus experiences at the three schools related to students’ perceptions of the quality of instruction and faculty engagement, their sense of belonging at their school, and their overall assessment of their mental health.

Highlights

Digital Education Should Only Endure If It Can Replicate Campus Benefits, Leonard Saxe & Graham Wright, Times Higher Education

Who are Chicago Jews, and What Do They Want? The Results are In. Forward

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Jewish Community, Leonard Saxe & Janet Krasner Aronson, ejewishphilanthropy

Lonely in Lockdown: Predictors of Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties Among Jewish Young Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Contemporary Jewry (2021)