Institute for Jewish Policy Research

They are finally over for another year: That intense succession of #Jewish festivals – Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah – has been completed. For #Diaspora #Jews, Jewish festival observance requires dipping into your annual leave allowance, as the Jewish Holy Days (or Yom Tovim) never fall exclusively on weekends or bank holidays. Does observing all Jewish Holy Days mean we can never take a two-week summer vacation in Aruba? In his latest op-ed for The Jewish News, JPR Senior Research Fellow Dr Keith Kahn-Harris dives into the math behind Jewish Holy Days with the help of the appropriately named Gabriel Gendler Yom-Tov. (Link in comments)

Since the early days following #October7, 2023, it was evident that Hamas’ attacks on Israel and the following war in Gaza impacted Jews across the globe, and #BritishJews, who hold strong ties with #Israel, were no exception. In June and July 2024, nine months after the attacks, JPR launched its Jewish Current Affairs Survey. Nearly 4,500 adult #Jews living in the UK responded to it. Today, as we approach the one-year mark of the events, we release a landmark report exploring how this past year has changed Jews in the UK. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆. For a minority that has long felt very comfortable participating in British life and contributing to the country in numerous ways, it’s a very unsettling feeling: https://lnkd.in/e3Wb9K5k This vital report is also the basis for a second series of the JPR/JW3 London “Jews Do Count” #podcast, in which Dr Jonathan Boyd and Raymond Simonson 🎗 discuss the findings with the help of Anshel Pfeffer (The Economist), Richard Ferrer (The Jewish News) and Mandie Winston (UJIA). All three episodes are now available on the JPR website and all major platforms: https://lnkd.in/eiXxJVzz

(Link in comments) According to our most recent data, Rosh Hashana – the New Jewish Year - may now be the most widely observed Jewish festival. Jews across the world gather at home or in synagogues, pray or eat a traditional apple dipped in honey, and wish each other ‘Shana Tova’ – a good year. It is fair to say that this past year wasn’t very good. The October 7 attacks on Israel and the war in Gaza have affected our political views about Israel, our sense of security and belonging in the UK, and our connections with one another. We start this year in a notably different place from where we were a year ago. This Saturday evening, JPR will publish a new landmark report examining how the past year has changed British Jews. This groundbreaking report also forms the basis of a new series of the JPR/JW3 ‘Jews Do Count’ podcast, which will be available on the JPR website and all leading podcast platforms at the same time. Regardless of how you mark or celebrate the new year, the JPR team wishes you, your families and your friends a shana tova – a happy, healthy, and hopefully, peaceful one.

Jews in the UK hold strong attachments and ties with Israel: most adults in the UK have family and friends in Israel, and have visited the country at least once. Simply put, #Israel is on our minds. Still, as our latest report demonstrates, caring for Israel does not mean that #BritishJews approve of its leadership and direction over the last year: 80% of adult British Jews disapprove of The Office of the Prime Minister of Israel Netanyahu, and three of four adult Jews in the UK say the country's situation is "bad" or "very bad", a 17% increase since we asked that question before the #october7attack on Israel and its following war in Gaza. #Jewish public opinions should not be taken for granted, and as our report shows, they are not monolithic either. You can read more about them by downloading the report from our website (link in comments). Thank you, Haaretz, Metro.co.uk, The Jewish News and The Jewish Chronicle, for sharing our work and helping us make an impact.

This week, children across the UK started the #newschoolyear. But #DidYouKnow that 𝟮𝟯% 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗞 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼l? That’s one in four #BritishJewish children, according to our latest report, released earlier this week: https://lnkd.in/eqrh-GFs Our report goes on to consider whether parents might make different choices about where to educate their #Jewish children in light of all that has happened since the #October7th attacks in Israel. The results raise critical questions for school leaders, administrators, planners, and anyone concerned with building a more cohesive society. We should all agree that 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗺, not when they’re getting their education, not at all. The new school year also spells the end of summer. In his latest op-ed for The Jewish News, JPR Executive Director Dr Jonathan Boyd has been looking at youth summer tours to Israel and what happens when people are unable or unwilling to go: https://lnkd.in/eVhvPguh It’s been a tough week in Israel and across the Jewish world. The murder of six Israeli hostages has affected many of us very deeply. Our latest data, published by The Jewish Chronicle this week, finds that most #BritishJews believe the Israeli government has not done enough to #BringThemHomeNow: https://lnkd.in/e9DHDR46 Still, we hope and pray for their return. Shabbat Shalom from JPR.

🎵“Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?”🎵 Frankly, when it comes to Jews, we simply don’t know… With Tu B’Av – the #Jewish holiday of love – just around the corner, JPR Senior Research Fellow Dr Keith Kahn-Harris's latest op-ed in The Jewish News asks why, despite all the research on Jewish intermarriage, couplehood and households, no one ever really looked into how Jews fall in love (link in comments). Now available on the JPR website: https://lnkd.in/eAaBYGfB Happy Tu B'Av from JPR 🧡

If you’ve been wondering why your Jewish friends seem a bit nervous these days, you might find part of the answer in Dr Jonathan Boyd’s latest op-ed for The Jewish News, looking at the most recent data on what #BritishJews think of Iran’s threats toward Israel. Now available on the JPR website: https://lnkd.in/eHWRmB25

𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗺... To the 61% of #BritishJews who attend #FridayNightMeals most weeks, the 81% who light candles and the 80% who buy #challah at least occasionally, To the 58% who regularly make time for family and friends, the 50% who take a break from work on #Shabbat, the 27% who attend #synagogue most Shabbats or more often and the 20% saying they do not switch on electric lights during the 7th day. To the 34% who say Shabbat is ‘very important’ to their #Jewishidentity and to those who say it doesn’t. Whether it’s Shabbat or ‘just’ the weekend – we hope you’ll find our latest report on how Shabbat is observed in the UK interesting and enlightening. It’s free to download from our website: https://lnkd.in/eMketFdx

We're #hiring a new Student Researcher in London, England. Apply today or share this post with your network.

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀? This is your chance to learn, get real-life experience and contribute to fostering #JewishLife in the UK and worldwide. The Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR) offers two part-time #studentfellowships for the #AcademicYear20242025 for #postgraduates, recent #graduates, students in their final year of an #undergraduate degree, or people with equivalent learning or experience who wish to gain professional experience in #SocialResearch and policy development. Ideal applicants will have a strong interest in research and analysis, and have developed some quantitative or qualitative research skills through courses, self-learning, and research experience. This one-year fellowship provides a salary of £100 per pay (£4,000 for the entire period). JPR has also secured a budget to provide its student fellows with professional training. JPR is committed to building an inclusive and diverse organisation, and we welcome applications from all with appropriate skills and experience. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄, 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 with people interested in joining our team and the JPR office and contributing to social research projects that will be part of JPR’s programme in the upcoming year.