Tikkun Olam – Repairing the World

In the Pittsburgh Jewish community, 39% of Jewish adults say they did some volunteer activity in the past month (Table 6.5a). Nearly one-fifth (18%) of the overall population volunteered with at least one Jewish organization, and 28% volunteered with a non-Jewish organization. These include 8% who volunteered for both (not shown in table). Fifteen percent of Jewish adults volunteered in a leadership position in a Jewish organization. Those in the Immersed and Connected groups were most likely to volunteer under Jewish auspices, while about one-third of Immersed, Connected, and Involved volunteered for non-Jewish groups.

Table 6.5a Volunteering

Although there are no significant differences in Jewish volunteering by duration of residence in the Pittsburgh area, those who have lived in the area for less time tend be more active volunteers with non-Jewish organizations (Table 6.5b). By contrast, although residents ages 35-49 or 50-64 are most likely to report volunteering for leadership roles in Jewish organizations, the 35 to 49-year-olds are the least likely group to volunteer at all for non-Jewish organizations. Conservative Jews report the highest overall levels of taking leadership roles in Jewish organizations, while Orthodox Jews report the lowest rates of volunteering for non-Jewish organizations.

Table 6.5b Volunteering

Overall, Pittsburgh-area Jews believe it is important to be involved with organizations supporting a wide variety of causes (Tables 6.6a and 6.6b). Education is very important to 83% of the community, and all engagement groups value that cause highly. Nearly as many believe that health and medicine (79%) is very important, as do almost three-quarters about social justice and women’s rights. Those in the Immersed group assign greater weight to causes related to Israel than do individuals from other groups. In every other engagement group, Israel appears to be less important than every other topic respondents were asked to value.

Unsurprisingly, older residents, who also tend to be those who have lived in the area the longest, believe health-related causes are more important than younger residents. Orthodox and Conservative Jews believe Israel is more important than adherents to other denominations or no denomination. The greatest difference between synagogue members and non-members, and between inmarried and intermarried couples, is also on Israel, with synagogue members and inmarried couples expressing greater interest.

Table 6.6a Very important causes

Table 6.6b Very important causes