National Data

Study Year

2024

Jewish 🏠 struggling to make ends meet💰

20%

Study Links

https://jfunders.org/flipbook (this is the 14 page summary of On The Edge) - Pull out quotes from people they spoke to, pull out data about the experience of low income Jews and what services they rely on, facts. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.jfunders.org/resource/resmgr/guidebooks/missing.pdf https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.jfunders.org/resource/resmgr/ten/2023_philanthropy_poverty_tr.pdfsnapshot/ https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.jfunders.org/resource/resmgr/covid_scenarios/jewish-poverty-in-the-united.pdf

Economic diversity within the Jewish community is striking (Pew Research Center, 2020):

• 23% of Jews live in households earning at least $200K
• 22% live in households earning less than $50K

Economic Vulnerability Shapes Jewish Engagement

• Since 10/7, economically vulnerable Jews express a stronger desire to connect with the Jewish community but feel more distant and uncomfortable compared to their more affluent peers. (JFNA, 2024)

Awareness of Jewish resources is unequal (JFNA, 2024)

• Only 51% of economically vulnerable Jews had heard of PJ Library
• Compared to 76% of more affluent Jews

Learnings from the first national study in 2019 Jewish Poverty in the United States: A Summary of Recent Research

According to Pew Research (2013-2014), 16-20% of American Jews reported household incomes under $30,000. A 2017 breakdown shows 7% earned less than $15,000, 7% earned $15,000-$25,000, and 4% earned $25,000-$30,000.

The proportion of Jewish households earning under $30,000 (16-20%) is lower than the general U.S. population (35%), Catholics (36%), and Muslims (34%).

Certain Jewish subgroups experience higher poverty rates, particularly: • Russian-speaking older adults in NYC • Older adults • Hasidic Jews • Part-time workers • Those with lower education • Individuals with disabilities • Single women • Immigrants • Secular Jews

Among low-income Jewish older adults, 70% are unemployed (Pew, 2013). Holocaust survivors face particular hardship—61% live on less than $23,000 annually (Blue Card). Ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredim) show higher rates of economic vulnerability: 43% earn under $50,000 compared to 32% of Jews overall, and only 25% have a bachelor's degree versus 58% of Jews overall.

Recent studies show federal poverty rates among Jewish households range from 1% to 4%. The percentage of households earning below $25,000 varies significantly by community—from 3% to 28%, with most falling between 5% and 17%.

New York City represents the largest concentration of Jewish poverty. Nearly one-third of New York Jews live in poverty (20%) or near poverty (12%). As of 2011, this meant 564,900 individuals across 196,900 households, primarily in New York City and Brooklyn. Over two decades, the number of poor Jewish households has doubled, while the overall Jewish population grew by only 12%.

Education levels in Jewish communities are generally high—60-92% hold bachelor's degrees, compared to 29% of the U.S. public. The national rate for Jews is 58-62% (Pew 2013, AJC 2017). New York's Jewish community shows a lower bachelor's degree rate (57%), affecting the national average.

Communities are developing innovative solutions. Combined Jewish Philanthropies Boston launched an anti-poverty initiative in 2015, centralizing services through a hotline. Despite 67% of users holding higher degrees, the program focuses on mid-career jobs and mental health support, tracking progress through a "sustainability score."

The One-Stop Shop & No Wrong Door models help screen individuals and refer them to eligible services with ongoing tracking, though many Jewish organizations face challenges with inter-agency coordination.

UJA is establishing resource hubs in Brooklyn and Queens to centralize aid for low-income Jewish families, including food, employment, and financial support. Their digital food-ordering system enables remote or iPad-based ordering, reducing wait times while promoting dignity and healthy choices through a points system.

Many Jewish families living just above the poverty line risk losing benefits. Limited financial literacy and budgeting skills create barriers to building savings and escaping poverty.

Recent initiatives include: • Jewish Federation of Cleveland's Forward Focus program for financial education, housing stabilization, and employment • Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's partnership with Civis Analytics to identify and reach low-income Jewish individuals through data-driven outreach, improving service delivery to underserved populations