End of Jewish/Non-Jewish Dichotomy?: Evidence from the 2013 Pew Survey

The 2013 Pew survey addressed the emerging issue of those who by self-assessment define themselves partly Jewish. Such judgment signaled the end of a supposed Jewish/non-Jewish dichotomy. This chapter examines the Jewish identity characteristics of the partly Jewish, as compared to Jews by religion and Jews without religion. Significant debate and disagreements emerged about the inclusion or exclusion of the partly Jewish from a mainstream definition of Jewish population in the US. Based on the evidence, the partly Jewish appeared as a very weak group in terms of their Jewish identification – actually weaker than many non-Jews or ex-Jews who decide to keep some degree of affinity with a Jewish community – often through extended family relations. The chapter also illustrates the size of the catchment constituency of the organized Jewish community in the US concerning several measures of identity and participation.