The Pittsburgh Jewish community has strong ties to Israel, grounded in religious, cultural, and familial connections. For many Jewish adults, Israel is central to their Jewish identity. Travel to Israel is frequent and friendships with Israelis are common.
Approximately three-fifths (59%) of Pittsburgh’s Jews have been to Israel (Table 7.1a). One-quarter (24%) of Jewish adults have been to Israel once, and a similar proportion (28%) have visited more than once. Seven percent, including the 3% who are Israeli citizens, have lived in Israel at some point.
Travel to Israel has increased since 2002, when 44% of Pittsburgh’s Jews had been to Israel. Pittsburgh’s numbers also represents a substantially higher proportion than among US Jews in general, of whom, as of 2013, 43% had been to Israel.
Those in the Immersed group are the most likely to have been to Israel (86%), followed by those in the Connected group (67%). Among those in the Minimally Involved group, one-sixth (16%) have been to Israel. Three-quarters (73%) of Squirrel Hill’s Jewish residents have been to Israel, including 51% who have visited multiple times or lived there.
Table 7.1a Frequency of Israel travel
Never | Once | Multiple | Lived/Israeli | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 41 | 24 | 28 | 7 |
Engagement | ||||
Immersed | 14 | 21 | 56 | 9 |
Connected | 33 | 28 | 33 | 6 |
Involved | 43 | 20 | 30 | 7 |
Holiday | 43 | 32 | 10 | 15 |
Minimally Involved | 84 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
Region | ||||
Squirrel Hill | 27 | 22 | 42 | 9 |
Rest of Pittsburgh | 42 | 25 | 27 | 5 |
South Hills | 47 | 13 | 29 | 11 |
North Hills | 43 | 34 | 19 | 4 |
Rest of region | 56 | 24 | 16 | 4 |
Two-thirds (66%) of inmarried Jews have been to Israel, compared to half (48%) of intermarried Jews and 57% of those who are unmarried. Three-quarters (76%) of Jews ages 18-34 have been to Israel, compared to about three-fifths (57%) of those ages 50 and older and just under half (48%) of those ages 35-49.
Table 7.1b Frequency of Israel travel
(row %; of Jewish adults)Never | Once | Multiple | Lived/Israeli | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Length of Residence | ||||
<10years | 29 | 30 | 32 | 9 |
10-19 years | 42 | 20 | 27 | 11 |
20+ years | 43 | 21 | 30 | 6 |
Household Structure | ||||
Inmarried | 35 | 20 | 38 | 8 |
Intermarried | 52 | 31 | 14 | 3 |
Single adult(s) | 42 | 21 | 27 | 9 |
Household with child(ren) | 45 | 17 | 29 | 9 |
No child(ren) | 40 | 24 | 30 | 7 |
Respondent Age | ||||
18-34 | 24 | 27 | 43 | 6 |
35-49 | 52 | 19 | 22 | 8 |
50-64 | 46 | 19 | 24 | 11 |
65+ | 39 | 26 | 31 | 4 |
Synagogue | ||||
Member | 26 | 21 | 46 | 7 |
Non-member | 49 | 23 | 20 | 7 |
Denomination | ||||
Orthodox | 18 | 11 | 60 | 11 |
Conservative | 29 | 29 | 30 | 12 |
Reform | 44 | 29 | 25 | 2 |
Other | 43 | 26 | 23 | 7 |
None | 51 | 15 | 26 | 8 |
Pittsburgh Jews’ sense of connection to Israel is strongly correlated with the frequency with which they have visited the country. Of those who have never been to Israel, one-third (31%) feel not at all connected, and 38% feel somewhat or very much connected to Israel. By contrast, only 15% of those who have visited Israel once and 3% of those who have visited multiple times do not feel at all connected to Israel. Of one-time visitors, 63% feel somewhat or very connected, as do 86% of those who have visited Israel multiple times, lived in Israel, or are Israeli.
Aside from travel to Israel, Pittsburgh-area Jews connect to Israel through their family and friends who live there. Over half (53%) of Pittsburgh-area Jews indicate that they have close family or friends living in Israel. Engagement with Israel is further facilitated by fluency in the Hebrew language. Among Jewish adults who are not Israeli, 6% can understand most or all of what they read in Hebrew and another 33% can understand some Hebrew. One-third of Pittsburgh-area Jews say they do not know the Hebrew alphabet, compared to 48% of all US Jews.
Types of Israel Travel
Among those who have traveled to Israel, about one-third (32%) have gone with a Jewish organization on a mission or other sponsored trip, and three-in-ten (28%) have traveled on an educational or volunteer program (Table 7.2a). Two-fifths (40%) of those under age 46 who have traveled to Israel have gone on Birthright Israel trips, representing 9% of the overall adult population. The Connected group has the highest proportion who has gone on a Birthright trip, possibly because Jews from the Immersed group were ineligible, having previously gone to Israel on other peer-group educational trips.
Table 7.2a Types of Israel travel
Birthright (under 46-years-old) | Education/volunteer | Federation/org. mission | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall | 40 | 28 | 32 |
Engagement | |||
Immersed | 48 | 43 | 35 |
Connected | 56 | 18 | 50 |
Involved | 24 | 11 | 21 |
Holiday | 45 | 39 | 16 |
Minimally Involved | - | 14 | 22 |
Region | |||
Squirrel Hill | 55 | 31 | 30 |
Rest of Pittsburgh | 61 | 22 | 40 |
South Hills | 16 | 29 | 21 |
North Hills | 15 | 23 | 39 |
Rest of region | 11 | 6 | 44 |
Table 7.2b Types of Israel travel
(% of Jewish adults who have been to Israel)Birthright (under 40-years-old) | Education/volunteer | Federation/org. mission | |
---|---|---|---|
Length of Residence | |||
<10years | 69 | 20 | 28 |
10-19 years | 55 | 31 | 27 |
20+ years | 18 | 25 | 36 |
Household Structure | |||
Inmarried | 50 | 22 | 45 |
Intermarried | 59 | 15 | 24 |
Single adult(s) | 31 | 34 | 21 |
Household with child(ren) | 40 | 27 | 38 |
No child(ren) | 45 | 24 | 33 |
Respondent Age | |||
18-34 | 51 | 26 | 19 |
35-49 | 17 | 26 | 47 |
50-64 | n/a | 29 | 40 |
65+ | n/a | 18 | 37 |
Synagogue | |||
Member | 44 | 32 | 45 |
Non-member | 43 | 19 | 24 |
Denomination | |||
Orthodox | 18 | 54 | 20 |
Conservative | 57 | 29 | 37 |
Reform | 57 | 17 | 47 |
Other | 51 | 29 | 31 |
None | 31 | 15 | 21 |
Emotional Connection to Israel
Feelings of connection to Israel are intimately tied not only to Israel travel, but also to Jewish engagement. The strongest connections to Israel are found among the Immersed group (63% very much) and the Holiday group (34% very much) (Table 7.3). About three-quarters (76%) of Jewish residents of the outer suburbs are somewhat or very much connected to Israel, more than in any other area in Greater Pittsburgh. Contrary to the popular stereotype, adults ages 18-34 are among the most connected to Israel in the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish community, with two-fifths (40%) feeling very connected.
Table 7.3 Emotional connection to Israel
(% of Jewish adults who have been to Israel)Not at all | A little | Somewhat | Very much | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 17 | 21 | 30 | 33 |
Engagement | ||||
Immersed | 9 | 5 | 23 | 63 |
Connected | 9 | 27 | 38 | 26 |
Involved | 21 | 18 | 29 | 32 |
Holiday | 17 | 24 | 25 | 34 |
Minimally Involved | 36 | 42 | 11 | 11 |
Region | ||||
Squirrel Hill | 14 | 22 | 26 | 39 |
Rest of Pittsburgh | 29 | 20 | 29 | 21 |
South Hills | 10 | 30 | 17 | 43 |
North Hills | 16 | 23 | 35 | 26 |
Rest of Region | 8 | 15 | 37 | 39 |
Length of Residence | ||||
<10years | 21 | 28 | 28 | 23 |
10-19 years | 23 | 24 | 27 | 27 |
20+ years | 15 | 20 | 28 | 36 |
Household Structure | ||||
Inmarried | 12 | 20 | 33 | 35 |
Intermarried | 39 | 23 | 23 | 15 |
Single adult(s) | 10 | 24 | 24 | 41 |
Household with child(ren) | 29 | 26 | 21 | 24 |
No child(ren) | 14 | 21 | 29 | 36 |
Respondent Age | ||||
18-34 | 16 | 21 | 23 | 40 |
35-49 | 35 | 20 | 22 | 22 |
50-64 | 10 | 27 | 26 | 36 |
65+ | 13 | 20 | 34 | 33 |
Synagogue | ||||
Member | 6 | 18 | 32 | 44 |
Non-member | 23 | 24 | 26 | 27 |
Denomination | ||||
Orthodox | 2 | 1 | 20 | 77 |
Conservative | 10 | 16 | 32 | 42 |
Reform | 15 | 24 | 38 | 22 |
Other | 17 | 20 | 23 | 40 |
None | 27 | 30 | 18 | 25 |
News about Israel
Almost half (48%) of Pittsburgh-area Jews follow news about Israel at least once a week (Tables 7.4a and 7.4b). Those who have lived in Israel or have been there multiple times follow news more closely, with two-fifths (40%) and one-fifth (21%), respectively, following news about Israel daily. The Immersed group members follow Israel news most closely, with one-third (35%) following news on a daily basis. About one-fifth of Jewish residents of Squirrel Hill (21%) also follow news about Israel on a daily basis.
Table 7.4a Following news about Israel in past month
(row %)Never | Less than weekly | Less than daily | Daily+ | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 24 | 28 | 35 | 13 |
Engagement | ||||
Immersed | 7 | 23 | 36 | 35 |
Connected | 21 | 29 | 39 | 11 |
Involved | 22 | 32 | 33 | 13 |
Holiday | 43 | 42 | 11 | 4 |
Minimally Involved | 44 | 12 | 42 | 2 |
Region | ||||
Squirrel Hill | 25 | 30 | 24 | 21 |
Rest of Pittsburgh | 28 | 27 | 34 | 12 |
South Hills | 10 | 24 | 56 | 9 |
North Hills | 34 | 29 | 26 | 11 |
Rest of Region | 27 | 33 | 31 | 9 |
Length of Residence | ||||
<10years | 31 | 31 | 26 | 12 |
10-19 years | 25 | 35 | 26 | 14 |
20+ years | 23 | 27 | 37 | 14 |
Household Structure | ||||
Inmarried | 21 | 31 | 28 | 21 |
Intermarried | 43 | 22 | 28 | 7 |
Single adult(s) | 18 | 29 | 45 | 8 |
Household with child(ren) | 42 | 23 | 20 | 14 |
No child(ren) | 20 | 29 | 37 | 14 |
Respondent Age | ||||
18-34 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 7 |
35-49 | 36 | 26 | 24 | 13 |
50-64 | 17 | 29 | 39 | 15 |
65+ | 20 | 24 | 36 | 19 |
Synagogue | ||||
Member | 18 | 25 | 36 | 22 |
Non-member | 28 | 30 | 32 | 9 |
Denomination | ||||
Orthodox | 6 | 27 | 24 | 43 |
Conservative | 17 | 31 | 39 | 12 |
Reform | 28 | 31 | 30 | 10 |
Other | 19 | 28 | 39 | 14 |
None | 31 | 24 | 36 | 9 |
Table 7.4b Following news about Israel in past month
(row %)Never | Less than weekly | Less than daily | Daily+ | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Travel to Israel | ||||
Never | 36 | 26 | 32 | 6 |
Once | 21 | 32 | 37 | 10 |
Multiple | 15 | 27 | 37 | 21 |
Lived | 5 | 36 | 19 | 40 |
Connection to Israel | ||||
Not at all | 55 | 25 | 18 | 3 |
A little/somewhat | 25 | 32 | 38 | 5 |
Very much | 8 | 25 | 35 | 32 |
Community Connection to Israel
About one-quarter (23%) of Jewish adults in Greater Pittsburgh can correctly identify Karmiel- Misgav as the community’s partnership region in Israel. Another 25% are aware of a partnership region but cannot identify it. Five percent believe there is no partnership region, and almost half (46%) are not sure if there is a partnership region.