by: Jacob Kornbluh

Via: jpupdates.com

A new study by the Israeli-American Council has found that most Israeli residents of the U.S. do not send their children to Jewish day schools, Israel Hayom reports.

The first-of-its-kind survey on the Israeli-American community, titled “Israelis and Israeli-Americans Living in the United States: Perceptions, Attitudes and Behavior,” surveyed some 1,660 Israelis in 40 states and was released on Tuesday. In an effort to measure changes in attitudes and lifestyle over time, it divided them into two groups: those who had lived in the U.S. for less than 10 years and those who had lived there for over a decade. The survey was conducted by Midgam, a leading polling company in Israel, with the help of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry and several Israeli-American organizations.

When asked about the enrollment of their children in Jewish day schools, 53 percent of those in both groups responded that they do not send any of their children to Jewish day schools or preschools. Some 29% of those who have been in the U.S. for less than 10 years do so for all their children, as do 32% of those who have lived in the U.S. for over a decade.

Seventeen percent of the children of Israelis who have been living in the U.S. for over a decade are intermarried. The number is higher than their parents’ generation, which had an intermarriage rate of 8%. The overall intermarriage rate of American Jews is at 58%.

The study also found that among those in both groups who attend synagogue — around half of the Israeli-American community surveyed — about 44% go to Orthodox synagogues. Some 24% of those who have lived there less than 10 years attend Conservative synagogues and 22% attend Reform congregations. For those who have lived in the U.S. over 10 years and attend a synagogue, 33% said they go to Conservative synagogues and 17% attend Reform synagogues.