Brandeis University
Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
A Study of Jewish Young Adults
in Argentina:
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Michelle Shain
Shahar Hecht
Leonard Saxe
with
ZIGLA Consultores
December 2012
Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
© 2012 Brandeis University
Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
Additional copies of this publication are available from:
Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
Brandeis University
Mailstop 014
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
781.736.2060
www.brandeis.edu/cmjs
The Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, founded in 1980, is
dedicated to providing independent, high quality research on issues related to
contemporary Jewish life.
The Cohen Center is also the home of the Steinhardt Social Research Institute (SSRI).
Established in 2005, SSRI uses innovative research methods to collect and analyze
socio-demographic data on the Jewish community.
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Acknowledgments
We gratefully acknowledge support for this study from Taglit-Birthright Israel, along with
funding from the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies and the Steinhardt Social Research
Institute.
The research on Jewish young adults both within and outside North America is made possible
because Taglit, as an educational organization, is committed to being a sophisticated knowledge
developer and user. Taglit’s support has allowed us to function as independent scholars and
researchers. We are particularly grateful to Prof. Ada Spitzer (Vice-president) who encouraged
us to study South American participants and facilitated this project.
We would also like to thank our collaborators in Argentina, ZIGLA Consultores and in
particular Agustina Budani, who carried out the field work and advised us on cultural context in
the interpretation of our findings.
Joshua Davidson and Deborah Grant turned our words and charts into a physical report, Judith
Filc translated the report into Spanish and Raquel Magidin de Kramer advised on the Spanish
translation. And none of this work would be possible without the support of our colleagues,
Masha Lokshin and Gloria Tessler, who manage day-to-day operations.
Finally, we express appreciation to our academic and policy colleagues who reviewed this
report and commented on presentations of the preliminary data. Their feedback was extremely
useful. Our appreciation notwithstanding, the authors take full responsibility for the design and
conduct of the study.
ii
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Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Table of Contents
List of Tables and Figures...................................................................................................... iii
Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1
Methods .....................................................................................................................................1
Findings .....................................................................................................................................3
Jewish Background of Taglit Participants ..........................................................................3
Current Demographics .........................................................................................................5
Current Jewish Identity and Practice...................................................................................6
Trip Experience ....................................................................................................................7
Trip Impact ...........................................................................................................................8
Conclusions .............................................................................................................................11
References ...............................................................................................................................13
Appendix .................................................................................................................................15
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Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
List of Tables and Figures
Table 1. Survey Frame by Participant Status and Taglit Eligibility......................................1
Table 2. Survey Response by Eligibility Status and Taglit Participation .............................2
Figure 1. Denomination Raised - Taglit Participants .............................................................3
Figure 2. Family Religious Observance - Taglit Participants................................................3
Figure 3. High School Ritual Practice - Taglit Participants ..................................................4
Figure 4. Most Intensive Form of Jewish Education - Taglit Participants ...........................4
Figure 5. Organized Jewish Youth Activities - Taglit Participants ......................................4
Figure 6. Region of Residence - Taglit Participants ..............................................................5
Figure 7. Importance of Creating a Jewish Family - Taglit Participants ..............................5
Figure 8. Highest Educational Attainment - Taglit Participants ...........................................5
Figure 9. Current Denomination - Taglit Participants ..........................................................6
Figure 10. Religious Observance - Taglit Participants and their Families ..........................6
Figure 11. Religious Service Attendance and Confidence in Ability to Follow Along - Taglit
Participants ...........................................................................................................................6
Figure 12. Shabbat Activities Last Friday Night - Taglit Participants .................................7
Figure 13. Participation in Events, Activities or Programs Coordinated by a Jewish
Organization in Past 12 Months - Taglit Participants ........................................................7
Figure 14. Perceived Impact of Trip - Taglit Participants .....................................................8
Figure 15. Trip Extension Purpose - Taglit Participants .......................................................8
Figure 16. Connection to Israel by Taglit Participation .........................................................9
Figure 17. Feeling Part of a Worldwide Jewish Community by Taglit Participation ........10
Figure 18. Connection to Jewish Peers by Taglit Participation ...........................................10
Figure 19. Proportion of Friends who are Jewish by Taglit Participation .........................10
1
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Introduction
Argentina is home to the largest population
of Jews in Latin America, about 180,000
individuals (Tal, 2010). In recent years,
Argentinian Jewry has faced multiple
challenges. Argentina’s economic collapse
(1999-2001) forced many formerly middleclass Jews into poverty, leading some of
them to withdraw from Jewish communal
life (Kliksberg, 2002). Decreasing rates of
affiliation with Jewish institutions exist
alongside increasing rates of intermarriage
(Tal, 2010). Taglit-Birthright Israel is one of
the most important initiatives that has sought
to strengthen Jewish identity among Jewish
young adults in Argentina. Of the more than
300,000 diaspora young adults who have
participated in Taglit since 1999, more than
10,000 participants have come from
Argentina.
This report summarizes findings from a
survey of Taglit participants and
nonparticipants in the Winter 2009-10 and
Spring-Summer 2010 trips from Argentina.
The report begins by describing a portrait of
those who participated in the trip examining
their Jewish backgrounds, demographic
characteristics, and current Jewish identity
and practices. It then focuses on
participants’ thoughts and feelings about
Taglit. Lastly, the current report explores the
impact of the Taglit trip on participants by
comparing them to nonparticipant
applicants.
Methods
Frame
The study focused on the Argentinian
Jewish young adults who applied to go on
Taglit trips in Winter 2009-10 and SpringSummer 2010. Those who applied for these
trips and did not go and then applied to a
later trip were not included. The total
number of individuals considered for this
study was 1,922,1 including 937 individuals
identified as participants and 985 individuals
identified as nonparticipants. Of the
nonparticipants, 45% (n=442) were either
ineligible or of uncertain eligibility for the
program (Table 1).2
Table 1. Survey Frame by Participant Status and Taglit
Eligibility.
Eligible
Ineligible Uncertain
Total
Nonparticipant
543
426
16
985
Participant
937
0
0
937
1,480
426
16
1,922
Total
2
Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Survey Instrument
Response Rates and Bias
The survey instrument was developed by the
Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at
Brandeis University. Based on previously
tested survey instruments designed for North
American participants, the survey instrument
for Argentina was translated into Spanish
and adjusted for cultural relevance. It
contained questions on respondents’
upbringing, friends and family, education
and work life, attitudes toward Israel and
being Jewish, involvement in the Jewish
community, travel to Israel and, for Taglit
participants, the Taglit trip experience.
641 total surveys were completed, yielding
an overall response rate of 33%.3 The
respondents include 319 participants4 (34%)
and 304 nonparticipants5 (Table 2).
Field Work
The survey was administered by ZIGLA
Consultores, a survey research firm based in
Buenos Aires, Argentina. The survey was in
the field from November 24 to December
23, 2011. All interviews were conducted
over the phone by professional interviewers
who were trained specifically for this study.
Up to five attempts were made to contact
each individual.
Information provided by Taglit applicants at
the time of registration was used to check
whether survey respondents were
systematically different from
nonrespondents. Age, gender, family
synagogue membership while growing up,
parental intermarriage, bar/bat mitzvah
celebration, participation in Jewish
organizations at time of registration, Taglit
participation, and Taglit eligibility were
examined. Only age was significantly
associated with nonresponse, with survey
respondents being slightly more than one
year older than nonrespondents. This report
is therefore slightly biased toward the
characteristics and experiences of older
Taglit participants and nonparticipants.
Table 2. Survey Response by Eligibility Status and Taglit Participation
Nonparticipant
Participant
Grand Total
Nonrespondent
663 (69%)
618 (66%)
1,281 (67%)
Respondent
304 (31%)
319 (34%)
641 (33%)
Total
967 (100%)
937 (100%)
1,922 (100%)
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Findings
Jewish Background of Taglit Participants
Reflecting the majority Ashkenazi ethnic
makeup of Argentinian Jewry (Avni, 1995),
62% of Taglit participants come from
Ashkenazi families, 21% from Sephardic
families and the rest from mixed or “other”
families . Argentinian Jewry has a decidedly
secular bent, confirmed most recently in a
study of the Jewish population of Buenos
Aires, in which “heritage” outstripped
“religion” in respondents’ definitions of
Jewishness (Jmelnizky & Erdei, 2005).
Figure 1. Denomination Raised - Taglit Participants
(Estimated Proportions)
The higher level of Jewish engagement of
participants’ families compared to the
general Jewish population in Argentina is
also reflected in their reports about ritual
observance.7 When they were in high
school, 51% of Taglit participants celebrated
Hanukkah, 47% regularly lit Shabbat
candles, 30% regularly had a special
Shabbat meal, and 13% kept kosher at home
(Figure 3).
Figure 2. Family Religious Observance Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Other
1%
Orthodox
2%
Taglit participants were raised by inmarried
parents. About half of Taglit participants
report that when they were growing up, their
families were “somewhat” religiously
observant, and another 36% were “a little”
religiously observant (Figure 2).6
No religion
9%
Conservative
18%
Reform
12%
Very
observant
7%
Secular/
culturally
Jewish
38%
Just Jewish
20%
While Taglit participants reflect this secular
tradition, their reports about their Jewish
background indicate that they originate from
families that are more Jewishly engaged
than the Jewish population as a whole. The
majority of participants were raised either
secular/culturally Jewish (38%) or just
Jewish (20%) (Figure 1). Seventy percent of
Not at all
observant
9%
A little
observant
36%
Somewhat
observant
48%
3
4
Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Figure 4. Most Intensive Form of Jewish Education Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Figure 3. High School Ritual Practice Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
None
39%
Jewish day
school
42%
51%
47%
30%
Jewish
supplementary
school
16%
13%
0%
Celebrate
Hanukkah
Regularl y light Regularl y have a Keep kosher at
Shabbat candles special Shabbat
home
meal
Jewish day schools have been a mainstay of
communal Jewish life in Argentina since the
1970s, attracting approximately half of the
children in the community. In addition to a
Judaic curriculum, these schools provide a
higher quality secular education than the
public schools, a key reason for the high
levels of enrollment (Avni, 1995; Levy,
1987). Forty two percent of Taglit
participants went to a Jewish day school,
while a much smaller proportion attended
either a supplementary school that met 5
days per week or a less intensive majón, and
39% had no formal Jewish education (Figure
4). The rate of Taglit participants’
participation in Jewish day schools is similar
to the one reported for the Jewish population
of Buenos Aires as a whole (Jmelnizky &
Erdei, 2005).
Majón
3%
In addition, 68% of Taglit participants
attended a seminario or Jewish camp, and
61% were involved in some other type of
Jewish youth activity, be it a club or country
club (sports activities), Zionist youth
movement, religious youth group, or other
youth organization (Figure 5).
Figure 5. Organized Jewish Youth Activities
(Estimated Proportions)
100%
80%
60%
40%
68%
43%
20%
20%
15%
Zionist
youth
movement
Religious
youth
group
26%
0%
Jewish
seminario or
camp
Club or
country
club
(sports)
Other
youth
organization
5
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Current Demographics
At the time of the survey, the mean age of
Taglit participants is 23 and 55% of the
participants are female. The majority live in
“Capital Federal,” the city of Buenos Aires,
with another 20% living in Greater Buenos
Aires (Figure 6).
Figure 7. Importance of Creating a Jewish Family Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
100%
8%
24%
22%
80%
60%
28%
Not at all i mpo rtant
37%
Figure 6. Region of Residence - Taglit Participants
(Estimated Proportions)
40%
Som ewhat important
22%
Very i mpo rtant
20%
34%
26%
Santa Fe
5%
Córdoba
10%
A little important
0%
Marry someone
Jewish
Other
9%
Greater
Buenos Aires
20%
Capital Federal
56%
Fifty two percent of Talglit participants are
single and report not being in a relationship.
Forty one percent have a boyfriend or
girlfriend and 7% are in a long-term,
committed relationship (engaged, married,
living with a life partner, or in a civil union).
Of those who are in a long-term, committed
relationship or have a boyfriend or
girlfriend, 53% have Jewish partners. This
figure echoes the overall 45% intermarriage
rate among contemporary Argentinian Jewry
(Tal, 2010). There was a relatively even split
in the responses of unmarried participants
about the importance of marrying someone
Jewish, with about one-quarter thinking it is
not at all important and one-quarter
indicating it is very important to marry
someone Jewish. Very few participants
(n=4) had children. Of all those without
children, 34% think that having Jewish
children is very important, compared to only
Raise yo ur
children Jewish
8% who think it is not at all important
(Figure 7).
The majority of Taglit participants (62%)
have not yet completed post-secondary
education. This is not surprising given that
45% are age 22 or younger. Twelve percent
have tertiary degrees, 25% have university
degrees and 1% has post-graduate degrees
(Figure 8).8 Seventy two percent of
participants are currently enrolled in higher
education programs.
Figure 8. Highest Educational Attainment Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Post-graduate
1%
University
25%
Tertiary
12%
High school or
less
62%
6
Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Current Jewish Identity and Practice
Currently, two-thirds of Taglit participants
identify themselves as secular/culturally
Jewish or “just Jewish” (Figure 9).
Figure 9. Current Denomination - Taglit Participants
(Estimated Proportions)
Orthodox
2%
Other
2%
Conservative
18%
Figure 11. Religious Service Attendance and
Confidence in Ability to Follow Along Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Secular/cultu
rally Jewish
41%
Reform
11%
Not at all
Just Jewish
26%
Never
This configuration is similar to how
participants were raised. In addition, the
majority of Taglit participants identify
themselves as “a little” observant. Compared
to their families’ religious observance, they
are more likely to be “not at all” or “a little”
observant and less likely to be “somewhat”
or “very” observant (Figure 10). Thus,
Argentinian Jewry’s secular bent remains
apparent among Taglit participants.
Supporting the idea that Taglit participants
are relatively secular as a group, half of
Figure 10. Religious Observance - Taglit Participants and
their Families (Estimated Proportions)
100%
10%
18%
80%
36%
60%
54%
40%
0%
Not at all o bservant
A little observant
Som ewhat observant
48%
20%
Taglit participants had not gone to Jewish
religious services in the month preceding the
survey, and 52% feel “not at all” or only “a
little” confident in their ability to follow
along at a Jewish religious service (Figure
11).
Very o bservant
24%
7%
4%
Part icipants'
fam ilies
Part icipants
A little
Once
Somewhat
A few times
Weekly
Religious Service Attendance
in Past Month
Very much
Confidence Following
Religious Service
On the Friday night preceding the survey,
less than a third (29%) of Taglit participants
had done one of the following: lit Shabbat
candles, had a special Shabbat meal, or
attended services. Lighting candles was the
most popular of these three observances,
followed by having a special meal (Figure
12).
7
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Figure 12. Shabbat Activities Last Friday Night Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
100%
Figure 13. Participation in Events, Activities or
Programs Coordinated by a Jewish Organization in
Past 12 Months - Taglit Participants
(Estimated Proportions)
80%
60%
40%
Never
43%
20%
18%
17%
13%
Lit Shabbat candles
Had a spec ial Shabbat
meal
Attended services
0%
Taglit participants are moderately engaged
in non-religious Jewish life. In the 12
months preceding the survey, 57% of Taglit
participants had participated in at least one
event, activity, or program coordinated by a
Jewish organization, excluding religious
services (Figure 13). Participation in these
types of events, activities, or programs is
strongly correlated with religiosity as
measured by religious service attendance,
with the more religiously engaged also more
involved in Jewish organizational life χ2(12,
N = 335) = 70.61, p < .001. However, there
are some individuals who are involved in
Jewish organizational life and not religious
life and vice versa. Among those who did
not attend religious services in the previous
month, 40% participated at least once in an
event coordinated by a Jewish organization.
Three times
or more
24%
Twice
13%
Once
20%
Trip experience
Taglit participants were asked to assess the
trip’s impact on them. Most participants
have a very positive view of the program
and report that their trip “very much” or
“somewhat” made them feel closer to Israel,
to their Jewish heritage, and to the Jewish
people. Most also found the trip to be “very
much” or “somewhat” a life-changing
experience, and most were “not at all”
disappointed (Figure 14).
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Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Figure 14. Perceived Impact of Trip - Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
100%
3%
15%
5%
5%
19%
18%
26%
80%
60%
7%
42%
38%
87%
43%
Not at all
A little
43%
Som ewhat
40%
Very m uch
20%
41%
38%
35%
25%
0%
Made you feel
closer to Israel
Made you feel
closer to y our
Jewish heritage
Made you feel
closer to the
Jewish people
For most Taglit participants from Argentina,
the trip is not confined to 10 days. Eighty
nine percent of participants extended their
trips, compared to only 27% of U.S.
participants from the same cohort. Overall,
75% of participants from Argentina spent
more time in Israel, either to travel around,
visit family, or visit friends. Fifty four
percent of participants traveled to Europe
after their Taglit trip. Most of the
participants who travelled to Europe also
spent some additional time in Israel (Figure
15).
Figure 15. Trip Extension Purpose Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Other
2%
Neither
11%
Travel to
Europe
12%
Stay in Israel
and travel to
Europe
42%
Stay in Israel
33%
Was a
life-changing
experience
10%
2%
1%
Was a
disappointment
Trip impact
Research about the Taglit experience of
North American Jewish young adults has
consistently demonstrated that Taglit has a
strong, positive, lasting impact on
participants’ feelings of connection to Israel
and the Jewish people, as well as their
commitment to creating Jewish families
(Saxe et al., 2009; Saxe, Phillips, et al.,
2011; Saxe, Sasson, et al., 2011). Trip
impact is measured by comparing
participants to non-participants while
statistically controlling for any systematic
differences between the groups that cannot
be explained by the trip (e.g. demographics
and Jewish background).
In Argentina, nonparticipant applicants are
systematically different from participants on
some measures. They have lower
educational attainment, are more likely to
have attended a seminario or Jewish camp,
come from less religiously observant
families, and kept kosher in high school at a
lower rate (Table 3 in Appendix). Therefore,
the analysis below presents predicted values
for regression models holding these four
factors constant (Table 4 – Table 8 in
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Appendix). In this analysis, Taglit is shown
to have significant impact on measures of
connection to Israel and the Jewish people.
Historically, the Jewish community of
Argentina has been characterized by a strong
sense of solidarity with Israel (Avni, 1995).
This trend has held in recent years. A survey
of Jews in Greater Buenos Aires revealed
that 86% say the State of Israel is “very
much” or “quite” important to them, and
84% are “very much” or “quite” concerned
about Israel’s situaion (Jmelnizky & Erdei,
2005). In the present study, the majority of
nonparticipant applicants to Taglit report
feeling close to Israel. Still, compared to
nonparticipant applicants, Taglit participants
are 86% more likely to feel “very much”
connected to Israel and 46% more likely to
feel “very close” to Israel (Figure 16). These
findings are a testament to the impact of
Taglit even among a population with high
baseline levels of connection to Israel.
Although the Taglit trip increases
participants’ positive feelings toward Israel,
it does not impact their opinions on
contentious Israeli political issues. Asked
whether Israel should be willing to
compromise on the status of Jerusalem as a
united city under Israel jurisdiction,
participants and nonparticipants give the
same responses: about 10% unsure and the
rest evenly divided between “yes” and “no.”
Similarly, among both participants and
nonparticipants, about 15% are unsure
whether Israel should dismantle settlements
in the West Bank; 10% believe Israel should
dismantle all of the settlements; and the rest
are evenly divided between dismantling
“some” and “none” of the settlements.
In terms of their relationship with other
Jews, compared to nonparticipant applicants,
Taglit participants in Argentina are 48%
more likely to feel “very much” part of a
worldwide Jewish community (Figure 17).
Figure 16. Connection to Israel by Taglit Participation (Predicted Probabilities)
Not at all
A Little
Somewhat
Very Much
Very Distant
Fairly Distant
Quite Close
Very Close
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Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Figure 17. Feeling Part of a Worldwide Jewish
Community by Taglit Participation
(Predicted Probabilities)
100%
80%
100%
4%
6%
Figure 19. Proportion of Friends who are Jewish by
Taglit Participation (Predicted Probabilities)
80%
33%
4%
23%
3%
18%
42%
Not at all
60%
60%
39%
A little
40%
47%
41%
Som ewhat
20%
11%
Nonpart icipants
0%
They are also 28% more likley to feel “very
much” connected to their Jewish peers
(Figure 18). Taglit participants are even
slightly more likely to have Jewish friends
(Figure 19). This finding remains at the 90%
confidence level even when controlling for
proportion of Jewish friends in high school.
Figure 18. Connection to Jewish Peers by Taglit
Participation (Predicted Probabilities)
100%
80%
6%
31%
5%
25%
Not at all
60%
45%
40%
43%
A little
Som ewhat
Very m uch
20%
20%
25%
0%
Nonpart icipants
Part icipants
A few
Most
28%
34%
16%
Part icipants
None
Half
40%
Very m uch
20%
0%
38%
5%
7%
Nonpart icipants
Part icipants
All
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Conclusions
Taglit-Birthright Israel endeavors to
strengthen participants’ Jewish identity,
connection to Israel, and commitment to
Jewish peoplehood. Its target audience is
Jewish young adults who have not had an
opportunity to participate in a peer
educational experience in Israel. For the
most part, Argentinian participants in Taglit
represent the diversity of their community.
Many have received formal Jewish
education, but some have not; some are
religious, but most are not; and levels of
engagement with the organized Jewish
community vary.
The results of the present evaluation study
indicate that Argentinian Taglit trips, like
those from North America and other
countries, result in significantly stronger
feelings of connection to Israel and the
Jewish people. The trips seem to “work” for
participants and lead to changes in their
attitudes and their views of themselves with
respect to the Jewish community.
The Argentinian case also presents some
unique challenges and opportunities. Data
from Argentina do not indicate any increase
in Taglit participants’ desire to raise their
children Jewish, an item on which research
on U.S. participants has shown consistent,
positive program impact. On the other hand,
participants from Argentina display
increases in feelings of connection to their
Jewish peers and proportion of Jewish
friends, an area in which Taglit has not
demonstrated impact among U.S.
participants. The long-term impact of these
stronger ties is unknown but potentially
large. Such ties could potentially be
leveraged into greater Jewish communal
involvement in Argentina after the trip.
A potentially key finding is that almost all
Taglit participants from Argentina (89%)
extend their trip. Even among those who
travel to Europe after Taglit, the majority
spend at least some additional time in Israel,
travelling around and visiting friends and
family. Could this time be used more
deliberately to deliver additional educational
content or to encourage strong social
connections with other young Jews?
Building upon the powerful work of the
Taglit trip, there are many opportunities to
support and nurture the Jewish identities of
young adult Jews in Argentina.
11
12
Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Notes
1
The file included 2009 records, some of which were duplicates.
2
Ineligible applicants were included in the frame since they weren’t initially identified as such by the field work
team. Analysis revealed that ineligible applicants were less likely to respond to the survey than eligible nonparticipants (χ2(1, N = 322) = 7.72, p < .01). However, among survey respondents there were no systematic differences
between ineligible applicants and eligible nonparticipants on age (t(320) = -0.09, p = .93), gender (χ2(1, N = 322) =
0.98, p = .32), student status (χ2(2, N = 322) = 1.95, p = .16), parental intermarriage (χ2(1, N = 322) = 0.22, p
= .64), family religious observance (χ2(3, N = 321) = 1.63, p = .65), current religious observance (χ2 (1, N = 322) =
4.10, p = .25). Additionally, in regression models of various measures of Jewish identity and engagement, ineligible applicants and eligible nonparticipants displayed the same relationship to participants. Therefore, ineligible
applicants and eligible nonparticipants were treated as one group in the analysis.
3
Two additional individuals surveyed by ZIGLA Consultores could not be matched to the appropriate record in the
frame. Their survey responses are therefore not included in this analysis.
4
Six survey respondents who were identified as eligible nonparticipants in the frame reported in the survey that
they were, in fact, Taglit participants. An additional 12 survey respondents who were identified as ineligible nonparticipants in the frame also reported in the survey that they were Taglit participants. These individuals are considered participants for the remainder of this report.
5
Note that 126 nonparticipant respondents were either ineligible for Taglit or of uncertain eligibility.
6
Jmelnizky & Erdei (2005) report that of the self reported Jews 57% are inmarried. As for religious observance
31% reported being “not at all” observant, 36% “a little” observant, 20% “quite” observant and 9% “very” observant (4% did not answer).
7
Jmelnizky & Erdei (2005) report that of self identified Jews 20% regularly lit Shabbat candels and 13% had a special Shabbat meal.
8
In Argentina, tertiary degrees are 1- to 3-year degrees related to education or technical professions, while university degrees are 4- to 6-year degrees focusing on professions such as law and medicine.
13
14
Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
References
Avni, Haim. (1995). The Spanish-speaking world and the Jews: The last half-century. In R. S.
Wistrich (Ed.), Terms of Survival: The Jewish world since 1945. London, England:
Routeledge.
Jmelnizky, Adrián, & Erdei, Ezequiel. (2005). The Jewish population in Buenos
Aires: Sociodemographic survey. Buenos Aires, Argentina: AMIA.
Kliksberg, Bernardo. (2002). Jewish communities in distress: The Jews of Argentina and Latin
American face an uncertain future. Jerusalem, Israel: Institute of the World Jewish
Congress.
Levy, Daniel C. (1987). Jewish Education in Latin America. In J. L. Elkin & G. W. Merkx
(Eds.), The Jewish presence in Latin America. Boston, MA: Allen & Unwin.
Saxe, Leonard, Phillips, Benjamin, Sasson, Theodore, Hecht, Shahar, Shain, Michelle, Wright,
Graham, & Kadushin, Charles. (2009). Generation Birthright Israel: The impact of an
Israel experience on Jewish identity and choices. Waltham, MA: Cohen Center for
Modern Jewish Studies, Brandeis University.
Saxe, Leonard, Phillips, Benjamin, Sasson, Theodore, Hecht, Shahar, Shain, Michelle, Wright,
Graham, & Kadushin, Charles. (2011). Intermarriage: The impact and lessons of TaglitBirthright Israel. Contemporary Jewry, 31(2), 151-172. doi: 10.1007/s12397-010-9058z
Saxe, Leonard, Sasson, Theodore, Hecht, Shahar, Phillips, Benjamin, Shain, Michelle, Wright,
Graham, & Kadushin, Charle. (2011). The impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel: 2010
Update. Waltham, MA: Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, Brandeis University.
Tal, Rami (Ed.). (2010). Annual assessment 2010. Jerusalem, Israel: The Jewish People Policy
Institute.
15
16
Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Appendix
Table 3. Logistic regression of Taglit participation.
Logistic regression
Log likelihood = -420.26745
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
635
37.83
0.0000
0.0431
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------participant | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------highed |
2 |
1.668074
.2992692
2.85
0.004
1.173549
2.370988
3 |
1.331222
.9874137
0.39
0.700
.311089
5.696607
|
revraisedobs |
.7635298
.0864965
-2.38
0.017
.6115016
.9533544
attndcamp |
1.692506
.2998918
2.97
0.003
1.195934
2.395261
hskosher |
.4838233
.1072068
-3.28
0.001
.3133829
.7469615
_cons |
1.553989
.4748118
1.44
0.149
.8538242
2.828312
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 4. Ordered logistic regression of connection to Israel.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -732.77339
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
637
74.84
0.0000
0.0486
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------conisr | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
2.122455
.3300914
4.84
0.000
1.564793
2.878858
highed2 |
.5890121
.0940423
-3.32
0.001
.4307453
.8054302
revraisedobs |
1.614391
.1666204
4.64
0.000
1.318732
1.976336
attndcamp |
1.4207
.2278415
2.19
0.029
1.037511
1.945413
hskosher |
1.387644
.2745772
1.66
0.098
.9415604
2.045068
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -1.901841
.3881637
-2.662628
-1.141054
/cut2 |
.5241681
.3634912
-.1882615
1.236598
/cut3 |
2.579604
.3786301
1.837503
3.321705
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17
18
Focus on Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Table 5. Ordered logistic regression of closeness to Israel.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -695.51535
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
632
42.51
0.0000
0.0297
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------closeisr | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
.6281715
.0992705
-2.94
0.003
.4608527
.8562376
highed2 |
1.249474
.2035871
1.37
0.172
.9078915
1.719573
revraisedobs |
.6641315
.0662237
-4.10
0.000
.5462315
.8074792
attndcamp |
.692663
.1142062
-2.23
0.026
.5013903
.9569033
hskosher |
.8034288
.165426
-1.06
0.288
.5366424
1.202845
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -2.542781
.3808447
-3.289223
-1.796339
/cut2 | -.1377585
.3643846
-.8519392
.5764221
/cut3 |
2.045769
.4021684
1.257534
2.834005
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 6. Ordered logistic regression of part of a worldwide Jewish community.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -723.97003
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
637
62.77
0.0000
0.0416
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------conwrldjcomm | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
1.532997
.2371154
2.76
0.006
1.132094
2.075871
highed2 |
.6357354
.1027415
-2.80
0.005
.463141
.8726488
revraisedobs |
1.654499
.1692599
4.92
0.000
1.353899
2.02184
attndcamp |
1.586715
.254925
2.87
0.004
1.158092
2.173976
hskosher |
1.260536
.2512799
1.16
0.245
.8528518
1.863103
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -1.669247
.3826179
-2.419164
-.9193295
/cut2 |
.9572462
.3613279
.2490564
1.665436
/cut3 |
3.100776
.3823977
2.351291
3.850262
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Table 7. Ordered logistic regression of connection to Jewish peers.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -764.80341
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
637
38.41
0.0000
0.0245
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------conjpeers | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
1.343919
.2031392
1.96
0.051
.9993333
1.807324
highed2 |
.7213552
.1139037
-2.07
0.039
.5293494
.9830055
revraisedobs |
1.326421
.1288313
2.91
0.004
1.096495
1.60456
attndcamp |
1.727719
.2739479
3.45
0.001
1.266211
2.357436
hskosher |
1.129062
.2193087
0.62
0.532
.7715798
1.652171
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -2.021439
.3752709
-2.756956
-1.285921
/cut2 |
.1373982
.3519194
-.5523511
.8271476
/cut3 |
2.050426
.3627858
1.339379
2.761473
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 8. Ordered logistic regression of proportion of close friends who are Jewish.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -848.83118
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
636
50.37
0.0000
0.0288
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------jwfrnd | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
1.358502
.205387
2.03
0.043
1.010114
1.82705
highed2 |
.7405148
.1158586
-1.92
0.055
.544951
1.006259
revraisedobs |
1.296149
.1255818
2.68
0.007
1.071972
1.567208
attndcamp |
2.184716
.3467398
4.92
0.000
1.600661
2.981883
hskosher |
1.09971
.2176705
0.48
0.631
.7460985
1.620916
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -2.286944
.3857469
-3.042994
-1.530893
/cut2 | -.1870773
.3488367
-.8707847
.49663
/cut3 |
1.477888
.3538849
.7842862
2.17149
/cut4 |
3.724001
.3854771
2.968479
4.479522
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University is a
multi-disciplinary research institute dedicated to the study of American Jewry and religious and
cultural identity.
The Steinhardt Social Research Institute, hosted at CMJS, is committed to the development and
application of innovative approaches to socio-demographic research for the study of Jewish,
religious, and cultural identity.
Brandeis University
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
© 2012 Brandeis University
Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
Additional copies of this publication are available from:
Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
Brandeis University
Mailstop 014
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
781.736.2060
www.brandeis.edu/cmjs
The Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, founded in 1980, is
dedicated to providing independent, high quality research on issues related to
contemporary Jewish life.
The Cohen Center is also the home of the Steinhardt Social Research Institute (SSRI).
Established in 2005, SSRI uses innovative research methods to collect and analyze
socio-demographic data on the Jewish community.
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Acknowledgments
We gratefully acknowledge support for this study from Taglit-Birthright Israel, along with
funding from the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies and the Steinhardt Social Research
Institute.
The research on Jewish young adults both within and outside North America is made possible
because Taglit, as an educational organization, is committed to being a sophisticated knowledge
developer and user. Taglit’s support has allowed us to function as independent scholars and
researchers. We are particularly grateful to Prof. Ada Spitzer (Vice-president) who encouraged
us to study South American participants and facilitated this project.
We would also like to thank our collaborators in Argentina, ZIGLA Consultores and in
particular Agustina Budani, who carried out the field work and advised us on cultural context in
the interpretation of our findings.
Joshua Davidson and Deborah Grant turned our words and charts into a physical report, Judith
Filc translated the report into Spanish and Raquel Magidin de Kramer advised on the Spanish
translation. And none of this work would be possible without the support of our colleagues,
Masha Lokshin and Gloria Tessler, who manage day-to-day operations.
Finally, we express appreciation to our academic and policy colleagues who reviewed this
report and commented on presentations of the preliminary data. Their feedback was extremely
useful. Our appreciation notwithstanding, the authors take full responsibility for the design and
conduct of the study.
ii
i
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Table of Contents
List of Tables and Figures...................................................................................................... iii
Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1
Methods .....................................................................................................................................1
Findings .....................................................................................................................................3
Jewish Background of Taglit Participants ..........................................................................3
Current Demographics .........................................................................................................5
Current Jewish Identity and Practice...................................................................................6
Trip Experience ....................................................................................................................7
Trip Impact ...........................................................................................................................8
Conclusions .............................................................................................................................11
References ...............................................................................................................................13
Appendix .................................................................................................................................15
ii
iii
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
List of Tables and Figures
Table 1. Survey Frame by Participant Status and Taglit Eligibility......................................1
Table 2. Survey Response by Eligibility Status and Taglit Participation .............................2
Figure 1. Denomination Raised - Taglit Participants .............................................................3
Figure 2. Family Religious Observance - Taglit Participants................................................3
Figure 3. High School Ritual Practice - Taglit Participants ..................................................4
Figure 4. Most Intensive Form of Jewish Education - Taglit Participants ...........................4
Figure 5. Organized Jewish Youth Activities - Taglit Participants ......................................4
Figure 6. Region of Residence - Taglit Participants ..............................................................5
Figure 7. Importance of Creating a Jewish Family - Taglit Participants ..............................5
Figure 8. Highest Educational Attainment - Taglit Participants ...........................................5
Figure 9. Current Denomination - Taglit Participants ..........................................................6
Figure 10. Religious Observance - Taglit Participants and their Families ..........................6
Figure 11. Religious Service Attendance and Confidence in Ability to Follow Along - Taglit
Participants ...........................................................................................................................6
Figure 12. Shabbat Activities Last Friday Night - Taglit Participants .................................7
Figure 13. Participation in Events, Activities or Programs Coordinated by a Jewish
Organization in Past 12 Months - Taglit Participants ........................................................7
Figure 14. Perceived Impact of Trip - Taglit Participants .....................................................8
Figure 15. Trip Extension Purpose - Taglit Participants .......................................................8
Figure 16. Connection to Israel by Taglit Participation .........................................................9
Figure 17. Feeling Part of a Worldwide Jewish Community by Taglit Participation ........10
Figure 18. Connection to Jewish Peers by Taglit Participation ...........................................10
Figure 19. Proportion of Friends who are Jewish by Taglit Participation .........................10
1
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Introduction
Argentina is home to the largest population
of Jews in Latin America, about 180,000
individuals (Tal, 2010). In recent years,
Argentinian Jewry has faced multiple
challenges. Argentina’s economic collapse
(1999-2001) forced many formerly middleclass Jews into poverty, leading some of
them to withdraw from Jewish communal
life (Kliksberg, 2002). Decreasing rates of
affiliation with Jewish institutions exist
alongside increasing rates of intermarriage
(Tal, 2010). Taglit-Birthright Israel is one of
the most important initiatives that has sought
to strengthen Jewish identity among Jewish
young adults in Argentina. Of the more than
300,000 diaspora young adults who have
participated in Taglit since 1999, more than
10,000 participants have come from
Argentina.
This report summarizes findings from a
survey of Taglit participants and
nonparticipants in the Winter 2009-10 and
Spring-Summer 2010 trips from Argentina.
The report begins by describing a portrait of
those who participated in the trip examining
their Jewish backgrounds, demographic
characteristics, and current Jewish identity
and practices. It then focuses on
participants’ thoughts and feelings about
Taglit. Lastly, the current report explores the
impact of the Taglit trip on participants by
comparing them to nonparticipant
applicants.
Methods
Frame
The study focused on the Argentinian
Jewish young adults who applied to go on
Taglit trips in Winter 2009-10 and SpringSummer 2010. Those who applied for these
trips and did not go and then applied to a
later trip were not included. The total
number of individuals considered for this
study was 1,922,1 including 937 individuals
identified as participants and 985 individuals
identified as nonparticipants. Of the
nonparticipants, 45% (n=442) were either
ineligible or of uncertain eligibility for the
program (Table 1).2
Table 1. Survey Frame by Participant Status and Taglit
Eligibility.
Eligible
Ineligible Uncertain
Total
Nonparticipant
543
426
16
985
Participant
937
0
0
937
1,480
426
16
1,922
Total
2
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Survey Instrument
Response Rates and Bias
The survey instrument was developed by the
Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at
Brandeis University. Based on previously
tested survey instruments designed for North
American participants, the survey instrument
for Argentina was translated into Spanish
and adjusted for cultural relevance. It
contained questions on respondents’
upbringing, friends and family, education
and work life, attitudes toward Israel and
being Jewish, involvement in the Jewish
community, travel to Israel and, for Taglit
participants, the Taglit trip experience.
641 total surveys were completed, yielding
an overall response rate of 33%.3 The
respondents include 319 participants4 (34%)
and 304 nonparticipants5 (Table 2).
Field Work
The survey was administered by ZIGLA
Consultores, a survey research firm based in
Buenos Aires, Argentina. The survey was in
the field from November 24 to December
23, 2011. All interviews were conducted
over the phone by professional interviewers
who were trained specifically for this study.
Up to five attempts were made to contact
each individual.
Information provided by Taglit applicants at
the time of registration was used to check
whether survey respondents were
systematically different from
nonrespondents. Age, gender, family
synagogue membership while growing up,
parental intermarriage, bar/bat mitzvah
celebration, participation in Jewish
organizations at time of registration, Taglit
participation, and Taglit eligibility were
examined. Only age was significantly
associated with nonresponse, with survey
respondents being slightly more than one
year older than nonrespondents. This report
is therefore slightly biased toward the
characteristics and experiences of older
Taglit participants and nonparticipants.
Table 2. Survey Response by Eligibility Status and Taglit Participation
Nonparticipant
Participant
Grand Total
Nonrespondent
663 (69%)
618 (66%)
1,281 (67%)
Respondent
304 (31%)
319 (34%)
641 (33%)
Total
967 (100%)
937 (100%)
1,922 (100%)
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Findings
Jewish Background of Taglit Participants
Reflecting the majority Ashkenazi ethnic
makeup of Argentinian Jewry (Avni, 1995),
62% of Taglit participants come from
Ashkenazi families, 21% from Sephardic
families and the rest from mixed or “other”
families . Argentinian Jewry has a decidedly
secular bent, confirmed most recently in a
study of the Jewish population of Buenos
Aires, in which “heritage” outstripped
“religion” in respondents’ definitions of
Jewishness (Jmelnizky & Erdei, 2005).
Figure 1. Denomination Raised - Taglit Participants
(Estimated Proportions)
The higher level of Jewish engagement of
participants’ families compared to the
general Jewish population in Argentina is
also reflected in their reports about ritual
observance.7 When they were in high
school, 51% of Taglit participants celebrated
Hanukkah, 47% regularly lit Shabbat
candles, 30% regularly had a special
Shabbat meal, and 13% kept kosher at home
(Figure 3).
Figure 2. Family Religious Observance Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Other
1%
Orthodox
2%
Taglit participants were raised by inmarried
parents. About half of Taglit participants
report that when they were growing up, their
families were “somewhat” religiously
observant, and another 36% were “a little”
religiously observant (Figure 2).6
No religion
9%
Conservative
18%
Reform
12%
Very
observant
7%
Secular/
culturally
Jewish
38%
Just Jewish
20%
While Taglit participants reflect this secular
tradition, their reports about their Jewish
background indicate that they originate from
families that are more Jewishly engaged
than the Jewish population as a whole. The
majority of participants were raised either
secular/culturally Jewish (38%) or just
Jewish (20%) (Figure 1). Seventy percent of
Not at all
observant
9%
A little
observant
36%
Somewhat
observant
48%
3
4
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Figure 4. Most Intensive Form of Jewish Education Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Figure 3. High School Ritual Practice Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
None
39%
Jewish day
school
42%
51%
47%
30%
Jewish
supplementary
school
16%
13%
0%
Celebrate
Hanukkah
Regularl y light Regularl y have a Keep kosher at
Shabbat candles special Shabbat
home
meal
Jewish day schools have been a mainstay of
communal Jewish life in Argentina since the
1970s, attracting approximately half of the
children in the community. In addition to a
Judaic curriculum, these schools provide a
higher quality secular education than the
public schools, a key reason for the high
levels of enrollment (Avni, 1995; Levy,
1987). Forty two percent of Taglit
participants went to a Jewish day school,
while a much smaller proportion attended
either a supplementary school that met 5
days per week or a less intensive majón, and
39% had no formal Jewish education (Figure
4). The rate of Taglit participants’
participation in Jewish day schools is similar
to the one reported for the Jewish population
of Buenos Aires as a whole (Jmelnizky &
Erdei, 2005).
Majón
3%
In addition, 68% of Taglit participants
attended a seminario or Jewish camp, and
61% were involved in some other type of
Jewish youth activity, be it a club or country
club (sports activities), Zionist youth
movement, religious youth group, or other
youth organization (Figure 5).
Figure 5. Organized Jewish Youth Activities
(Estimated Proportions)
100%
80%
60%
40%
68%
43%
20%
20%
15%
Zionist
youth
movement
Religious
youth
group
26%
0%
Jewish
seminario or
camp
Club or
country
club
(sports)
Other
youth
organization
5
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Current Demographics
At the time of the survey, the mean age of
Taglit participants is 23 and 55% of the
participants are female. The majority live in
“Capital Federal,” the city of Buenos Aires,
with another 20% living in Greater Buenos
Aires (Figure 6).
Figure 7. Importance of Creating a Jewish Family Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
100%
8%
24%
22%
80%
60%
28%
Not at all i mpo rtant
37%
Figure 6. Region of Residence - Taglit Participants
(Estimated Proportions)
40%
Som ewhat important
22%
Very i mpo rtant
20%
34%
26%
Santa Fe
5%
Córdoba
10%
A little important
0%
Marry someone
Jewish
Other
9%
Greater
Buenos Aires
20%
Capital Federal
56%
Fifty two percent of Talglit participants are
single and report not being in a relationship.
Forty one percent have a boyfriend or
girlfriend and 7% are in a long-term,
committed relationship (engaged, married,
living with a life partner, or in a civil union).
Of those who are in a long-term, committed
relationship or have a boyfriend or
girlfriend, 53% have Jewish partners. This
figure echoes the overall 45% intermarriage
rate among contemporary Argentinian Jewry
(Tal, 2010). There was a relatively even split
in the responses of unmarried participants
about the importance of marrying someone
Jewish, with about one-quarter thinking it is
not at all important and one-quarter
indicating it is very important to marry
someone Jewish. Very few participants
(n=4) had children. Of all those without
children, 34% think that having Jewish
children is very important, compared to only
Raise yo ur
children Jewish
8% who think it is not at all important
(Figure 7).
The majority of Taglit participants (62%)
have not yet completed post-secondary
education. This is not surprising given that
45% are age 22 or younger. Twelve percent
have tertiary degrees, 25% have university
degrees and 1% has post-graduate degrees
(Figure 8).8 Seventy two percent of
participants are currently enrolled in higher
education programs.
Figure 8. Highest Educational Attainment Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Post-graduate
1%
University
25%
Tertiary
12%
High school or
less
62%
6
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Current Jewish Identity and Practice
Currently, two-thirds of Taglit participants
identify themselves as secular/culturally
Jewish or “just Jewish” (Figure 9).
Figure 9. Current Denomination - Taglit Participants
(Estimated Proportions)
Orthodox
2%
Other
2%
Conservative
18%
Figure 11. Religious Service Attendance and
Confidence in Ability to Follow Along Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Secular/cultu
rally Jewish
41%
Reform
11%
Not at all
Just Jewish
26%
Never
This configuration is similar to how
participants were raised. In addition, the
majority of Taglit participants identify
themselves as “a little” observant. Compared
to their families’ religious observance, they
are more likely to be “not at all” or “a little”
observant and less likely to be “somewhat”
or “very” observant (Figure 10). Thus,
Argentinian Jewry’s secular bent remains
apparent among Taglit participants.
Supporting the idea that Taglit participants
are relatively secular as a group, half of
Figure 10. Religious Observance - Taglit Participants and
their Families (Estimated Proportions)
100%
10%
18%
80%
36%
60%
54%
40%
0%
Not at all o bservant
A little observant
Som ewhat observant
48%
20%
Taglit participants had not gone to Jewish
religious services in the month preceding the
survey, and 52% feel “not at all” or only “a
little” confident in their ability to follow
along at a Jewish religious service (Figure
11).
Very o bservant
24%
7%
4%
Part icipants'
fam ilies
Part icipants
A little
Once
Somewhat
A few times
Weekly
Religious Service Attendance
in Past Month
Very much
Confidence Following
Religious Service
On the Friday night preceding the survey,
less than a third (29%) of Taglit participants
had done one of the following: lit Shabbat
candles, had a special Shabbat meal, or
attended services. Lighting candles was the
most popular of these three observances,
followed by having a special meal (Figure
12).
7
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Figure 12. Shabbat Activities Last Friday Night Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
100%
Figure 13. Participation in Events, Activities or
Programs Coordinated by a Jewish Organization in
Past 12 Months - Taglit Participants
(Estimated Proportions)
80%
60%
40%
Never
43%
20%
18%
17%
13%
Lit Shabbat candles
Had a spec ial Shabbat
meal
Attended services
0%
Taglit participants are moderately engaged
in non-religious Jewish life. In the 12
months preceding the survey, 57% of Taglit
participants had participated in at least one
event, activity, or program coordinated by a
Jewish organization, excluding religious
services (Figure 13). Participation in these
types of events, activities, or programs is
strongly correlated with religiosity as
measured by religious service attendance,
with the more religiously engaged also more
involved in Jewish organizational life χ2(12,
N = 335) = 70.61, p < .001. However, there
are some individuals who are involved in
Jewish organizational life and not religious
life and vice versa. Among those who did
not attend religious services in the previous
month, 40% participated at least once in an
event coordinated by a Jewish organization.
Three times
or more
24%
Twice
13%
Once
20%
Trip experience
Taglit participants were asked to assess the
trip’s impact on them. Most participants
have a very positive view of the program
and report that their trip “very much” or
“somewhat” made them feel closer to Israel,
to their Jewish heritage, and to the Jewish
people. Most also found the trip to be “very
much” or “somewhat” a life-changing
experience, and most were “not at all”
disappointed (Figure 14).
8
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Figure 14. Perceived Impact of Trip - Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
100%
3%
15%
5%
5%
19%
18%
26%
80%
60%
7%
42%
38%
87%
43%
Not at all
A little
43%
Som ewhat
40%
Very m uch
20%
41%
38%
35%
25%
0%
Made you feel
closer to Israel
Made you feel
closer to y our
Jewish heritage
Made you feel
closer to the
Jewish people
For most Taglit participants from Argentina,
the trip is not confined to 10 days. Eighty
nine percent of participants extended their
trips, compared to only 27% of U.S.
participants from the same cohort. Overall,
75% of participants from Argentina spent
more time in Israel, either to travel around,
visit family, or visit friends. Fifty four
percent of participants traveled to Europe
after their Taglit trip. Most of the
participants who travelled to Europe also
spent some additional time in Israel (Figure
15).
Figure 15. Trip Extension Purpose Taglit Participants (Estimated Proportions)
Other
2%
Neither
11%
Travel to
Europe
12%
Stay in Israel
and travel to
Europe
42%
Stay in Israel
33%
Was a
life-changing
experience
10%
2%
1%
Was a
disappointment
Trip impact
Research about the Taglit experience of
North American Jewish young adults has
consistently demonstrated that Taglit has a
strong, positive, lasting impact on
participants’ feelings of connection to Israel
and the Jewish people, as well as their
commitment to creating Jewish families
(Saxe et al., 2009; Saxe, Phillips, et al.,
2011; Saxe, Sasson, et al., 2011). Trip
impact is measured by comparing
participants to non-participants while
statistically controlling for any systematic
differences between the groups that cannot
be explained by the trip (e.g. demographics
and Jewish background).
In Argentina, nonparticipant applicants are
systematically different from participants on
some measures. They have lower
educational attainment, are more likely to
have attended a seminario or Jewish camp,
come from less religiously observant
families, and kept kosher in high school at a
lower rate (Table 3 in Appendix). Therefore,
the analysis below presents predicted values
for regression models holding these four
factors constant (Table 4 – Table 8 in
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Appendix). In this analysis, Taglit is shown
to have significant impact on measures of
connection to Israel and the Jewish people.
Historically, the Jewish community of
Argentina has been characterized by a strong
sense of solidarity with Israel (Avni, 1995).
This trend has held in recent years. A survey
of Jews in Greater Buenos Aires revealed
that 86% say the State of Israel is “very
much” or “quite” important to them, and
84% are “very much” or “quite” concerned
about Israel’s situaion (Jmelnizky & Erdei,
2005). In the present study, the majority of
nonparticipant applicants to Taglit report
feeling close to Israel. Still, compared to
nonparticipant applicants, Taglit participants
are 86% more likely to feel “very much”
connected to Israel and 46% more likely to
feel “very close” to Israel (Figure 16). These
findings are a testament to the impact of
Taglit even among a population with high
baseline levels of connection to Israel.
Although the Taglit trip increases
participants’ positive feelings toward Israel,
it does not impact their opinions on
contentious Israeli political issues. Asked
whether Israel should be willing to
compromise on the status of Jerusalem as a
united city under Israel jurisdiction,
participants and nonparticipants give the
same responses: about 10% unsure and the
rest evenly divided between “yes” and “no.”
Similarly, among both participants and
nonparticipants, about 15% are unsure
whether Israel should dismantle settlements
in the West Bank; 10% believe Israel should
dismantle all of the settlements; and the rest
are evenly divided between dismantling
“some” and “none” of the settlements.
In terms of their relationship with other
Jews, compared to nonparticipant applicants,
Taglit participants in Argentina are 48%
more likely to feel “very much” part of a
worldwide Jewish community (Figure 17).
Figure 16. Connection to Israel by Taglit Participation (Predicted Probabilities)
Not at all
A Little
Somewhat
Very Much
Very Distant
Fairly Distant
Quite Close
Very Close
9
10
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Figure 17. Feeling Part of a Worldwide Jewish
Community by Taglit Participation
(Predicted Probabilities)
100%
80%
100%
4%
6%
Figure 19. Proportion of Friends who are Jewish by
Taglit Participation (Predicted Probabilities)
80%
33%
4%
23%
3%
18%
42%
Not at all
60%
60%
39%
A little
40%
47%
41%
Som ewhat
20%
11%
Nonpart icipants
0%
They are also 28% more likley to feel “very
much” connected to their Jewish peers
(Figure 18). Taglit participants are even
slightly more likely to have Jewish friends
(Figure 19). This finding remains at the 90%
confidence level even when controlling for
proportion of Jewish friends in high school.
Figure 18. Connection to Jewish Peers by Taglit
Participation (Predicted Probabilities)
100%
80%
6%
31%
5%
25%
Not at all
60%
45%
40%
43%
A little
Som ewhat
Very m uch
20%
20%
25%
0%
Nonpart icipants
Part icipants
A few
Most
28%
34%
16%
Part icipants
None
Half
40%
Very m uch
20%
0%
38%
5%
7%
Nonpart icipants
Part icipants
All
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Conclusions
Taglit-Birthright Israel endeavors to
strengthen participants’ Jewish identity,
connection to Israel, and commitment to
Jewish peoplehood. Its target audience is
Jewish young adults who have not had an
opportunity to participate in a peer
educational experience in Israel. For the
most part, Argentinian participants in Taglit
represent the diversity of their community.
Many have received formal Jewish
education, but some have not; some are
religious, but most are not; and levels of
engagement with the organized Jewish
community vary.
The results of the present evaluation study
indicate that Argentinian Taglit trips, like
those from North America and other
countries, result in significantly stronger
feelings of connection to Israel and the
Jewish people. The trips seem to “work” for
participants and lead to changes in their
attitudes and their views of themselves with
respect to the Jewish community.
The Argentinian case also presents some
unique challenges and opportunities. Data
from Argentina do not indicate any increase
in Taglit participants’ desire to raise their
children Jewish, an item on which research
on U.S. participants has shown consistent,
positive program impact. On the other hand,
participants from Argentina display
increases in feelings of connection to their
Jewish peers and proportion of Jewish
friends, an area in which Taglit has not
demonstrated impact among U.S.
participants. The long-term impact of these
stronger ties is unknown but potentially
large. Such ties could potentially be
leveraged into greater Jewish communal
involvement in Argentina after the trip.
A potentially key finding is that almost all
Taglit participants from Argentina (89%)
extend their trip. Even among those who
travel to Europe after Taglit, the majority
spend at least some additional time in Israel,
travelling around and visiting friends and
family. Could this time be used more
deliberately to deliver additional educational
content or to encourage strong social
connections with other young Jews?
Building upon the powerful work of the
Taglit trip, there are many opportunities to
support and nurture the Jewish identities of
young adult Jews in Argentina.
11
12
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Notes
1
The file included 2009 records, some of which were duplicates.
2
Ineligible applicants were included in the frame since they weren’t initially identified as such by the field work
team. Analysis revealed that ineligible applicants were less likely to respond to the survey than eligible nonparticipants (χ2(1, N = 322) = 7.72, p < .01). However, among survey respondents there were no systematic differences
between ineligible applicants and eligible nonparticipants on age (t(320) = -0.09, p = .93), gender (χ2(1, N = 322) =
0.98, p = .32), student status (χ2(2, N = 322) = 1.95, p = .16), parental intermarriage (χ2(1, N = 322) = 0.22, p
= .64), family religious observance (χ2(3, N = 321) = 1.63, p = .65), current religious observance (χ2 (1, N = 322) =
4.10, p = .25). Additionally, in regression models of various measures of Jewish identity and engagement, ineligible applicants and eligible nonparticipants displayed the same relationship to participants. Therefore, ineligible
applicants and eligible nonparticipants were treated as one group in the analysis.
3
Two additional individuals surveyed by ZIGLA Consultores could not be matched to the appropriate record in the
frame. Their survey responses are therefore not included in this analysis.
4
Six survey respondents who were identified as eligible nonparticipants in the frame reported in the survey that
they were, in fact, Taglit participants. An additional 12 survey respondents who were identified as ineligible nonparticipants in the frame also reported in the survey that they were Taglit participants. These individuals are considered participants for the remainder of this report.
5
Note that 126 nonparticipant respondents were either ineligible for Taglit or of uncertain eligibility.
6
Jmelnizky & Erdei (2005) report that of the self reported Jews 57% are inmarried. As for religious observance
31% reported being “not at all” observant, 36% “a little” observant, 20% “quite” observant and 9% “very” observant (4% did not answer).
7
Jmelnizky & Erdei (2005) report that of self identified Jews 20% regularly lit Shabbat candels and 13% had a special Shabbat meal.
8
In Argentina, tertiary degrees are 1- to 3-year degrees related to education or technical professions, while university degrees are 4- to 6-year degrees focusing on professions such as law and medicine.
13
14
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
References
Avni, Haim. (1995). The Spanish-speaking world and the Jews: The last half-century. In R. S.
Wistrich (Ed.), Terms of Survival: The Jewish world since 1945. London, England:
Routeledge.
Jmelnizky, Adrián, & Erdei, Ezequiel. (2005). The Jewish population in Buenos
Aires: Sociodemographic survey. Buenos Aires, Argentina: AMIA.
Kliksberg, Bernardo. (2002). Jewish communities in distress: The Jews of Argentina and Latin
American face an uncertain future. Jerusalem, Israel: Institute of the World Jewish
Congress.
Levy, Daniel C. (1987). Jewish Education in Latin America. In J. L. Elkin & G. W. Merkx
(Eds.), The Jewish presence in Latin America. Boston, MA: Allen & Unwin.
Saxe, Leonard, Phillips, Benjamin, Sasson, Theodore, Hecht, Shahar, Shain, Michelle, Wright,
Graham, & Kadushin, Charles. (2009). Generation Birthright Israel: The impact of an
Israel experience on Jewish identity and choices. Waltham, MA: Cohen Center for
Modern Jewish Studies, Brandeis University.
Saxe, Leonard, Phillips, Benjamin, Sasson, Theodore, Hecht, Shahar, Shain, Michelle, Wright,
Graham, & Kadushin, Charles. (2011). Intermarriage: The impact and lessons of TaglitBirthright Israel. Contemporary Jewry, 31(2), 151-172. doi: 10.1007/s12397-010-9058z
Saxe, Leonard, Sasson, Theodore, Hecht, Shahar, Phillips, Benjamin, Shain, Michelle, Wright,
Graham, & Kadushin, Charle. (2011). The impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel: 2010
Update. Waltham, MA: Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, Brandeis University.
Tal, Rami (Ed.). (2010). Annual assessment 2010. Jerusalem, Israel: The Jewish People Policy
Institute.
15
16
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Appendix
Table 3. Logistic regression of Taglit participation.
Logistic regression
Log likelihood = -420.26745
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
635
37.83
0.0000
0.0431
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------participant | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------highed |
2 |
1.668074
.2992692
2.85
0.004
1.173549
2.370988
3 |
1.331222
.9874137
0.39
0.700
.311089
5.696607
|
revraisedobs |
.7635298
.0864965
-2.38
0.017
.6115016
.9533544
attndcamp |
1.692506
.2998918
2.97
0.003
1.195934
2.395261
hskosher |
.4838233
.1072068
-3.28
0.001
.3133829
.7469615
_cons |
1.553989
.4748118
1.44
0.149
.8538242
2.828312
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 4. Ordered logistic regression of connection to Israel.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -732.77339
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
637
74.84
0.0000
0.0486
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------conisr | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
2.122455
.3300914
4.84
0.000
1.564793
2.878858
highed2 |
.5890121
.0940423
-3.32
0.001
.4307453
.8054302
revraisedobs |
1.614391
.1666204
4.64
0.000
1.318732
1.976336
attndcamp |
1.4207
.2278415
2.19
0.029
1.037511
1.945413
hskosher |
1.387644
.2745772
1.66
0.098
.9415604
2.045068
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -1.901841
.3881637
-2.662628
-1.141054
/cut2 |
.5241681
.3634912
-.1882615
1.236598
/cut3 |
2.579604
.3786301
1.837503
3.321705
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17
18
A Study of Jewish Young Adults in Argentina
Table 5. Ordered logistic regression of closeness to Israel.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -695.51535
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
632
42.51
0.0000
0.0297
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------closeisr | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
.6281715
.0992705
-2.94
0.003
.4608527
.8562376
highed2 |
1.249474
.2035871
1.37
0.172
.9078915
1.719573
revraisedobs |
.6641315
.0662237
-4.10
0.000
.5462315
.8074792
attndcamp |
.692663
.1142062
-2.23
0.026
.5013903
.9569033
hskosher |
.8034288
.165426
-1.06
0.288
.5366424
1.202845
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -2.542781
.3808447
-3.289223
-1.796339
/cut2 | -.1377585
.3643846
-.8519392
.5764221
/cut3 |
2.045769
.4021684
1.257534
2.834005
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 6. Ordered logistic regression of part of a worldwide Jewish community.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -723.97003
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
637
62.77
0.0000
0.0416
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------conwrldjcomm | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
1.532997
.2371154
2.76
0.006
1.132094
2.075871
highed2 |
.6357354
.1027415
-2.80
0.005
.463141
.8726488
revraisedobs |
1.654499
.1692599
4.92
0.000
1.353899
2.02184
attndcamp |
1.586715
.254925
2.87
0.004
1.158092
2.173976
hskosher |
1.260536
.2512799
1.16
0.245
.8528518
1.863103
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -1.669247
.3826179
-2.419164
-.9193295
/cut2 |
.9572462
.3613279
.2490564
1.665436
/cut3 |
3.100776
.3823977
2.351291
3.850262
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19
The Impact of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Table 7. Ordered logistic regression of connection to Jewish peers.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -764.80341
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
637
38.41
0.0000
0.0245
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------conjpeers | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
1.343919
.2031392
1.96
0.051
.9993333
1.807324
highed2 |
.7213552
.1139037
-2.07
0.039
.5293494
.9830055
revraisedobs |
1.326421
.1288313
2.91
0.004
1.096495
1.60456
attndcamp |
1.727719
.2739479
3.45
0.001
1.266211
2.357436
hskosher |
1.129062
.2193087
0.62
0.532
.7715798
1.652171
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -2.021439
.3752709
-2.756956
-1.285921
/cut2 |
.1373982
.3519194
-.5523511
.8271476
/cut3 |
2.050426
.3627858
1.339379
2.761473
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 8. Ordered logistic regression of proportion of close friends who are Jewish.
Ordered logistic regression
Log likelihood = -848.83118
Number of obs
LR chi2(5)
Prob > chi2
Pseudo R2
=
=
=
=
636
50.37
0.0000
0.0288
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------jwfrnd | Odds Ratio
Std. Err.
z
P>|z|
[95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------participant |
1.358502
.205387
2.03
0.043
1.010114
1.82705
highed2 |
.7405148
.1158586
-1.92
0.055
.544951
1.006259
revraisedobs |
1.296149
.1255818
2.68
0.007
1.071972
1.567208
attndcamp |
2.184716
.3467398
4.92
0.000
1.600661
2.981883
hskosher |
1.09971
.2176705
0.48
0.631
.7460985
1.620916
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------/cut1 | -2.286944
.3857469
-3.042994
-1.530893
/cut2 | -.1870773
.3488367
-.8707847
.49663
/cut3 |
1.477888
.3538849
.7842862
2.17149
/cut4 |
3.724001
.3854771
2.968479
4.479522
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University is a
multi-disciplinary research institute dedicated to the study of American Jewry and religious and
cultural identity.
The Steinhardt Social Research Institute, hosted at CMJS, is committed to the development and
application of innovative approaches to socio-demographic research for the study of Jewish,
religious, and cultural identity.
Brandeis University