NEW YORK (JTA) — Israelis living in New York are more connected to their “Jewishness” than American-born New Yorkers, according to a new study.
The recently released study, commissioned by the UJA-Federation of New York to help it design programming for Israeli New Yorkers, found that the Israelis are more likely to attend charity events and synagogue, as well as perform Jewish rituals, than their American counterparts.
Some 60 percent of Israelis light Shabbat candles and keep kosher homes, and nine out of 10 light Chanukah candles, fast on Yom Kippur and view Jewish education for their children to be "of supreme importance," the study conducted by sociologist Steven M. Cohen found.
The study attributed much of the results to a high concentration of Israelis who identified themselves as Orthodox, although it found that the pattern holds true for non-Orthodox Israelis as well.
Far fewer Israelis are living in the region than expected, with the study estimating that there are 41,000. However, the study also showed that approximately 81,000 Jews in the New York area live in a household with one Israeli-born adult.
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