The first major study of the city’s Jewish population to be completed in over a decade reveals several interesting trend, including this headline grabby from the New York Times: After years of declining, the overall Jewish population in the city grew in the last decade fueled by “explosive” growth among the Hasidic and other Orthodox communities in Brooklyn. The rise of these groups, concentrated in areas like Williamsburg and Crown Heights “where college degrees are rare and poverty rates have reached 43 percent,” more than made up for a decline in the number of wealthy, educated Jews on the Upper West Side. Not surprisingly, the shifts coincided with a decline in Jews with moderate religious views. “There are more deeply engaged Jews and there are more unengaged Jews,” said one of the authors of the UJA-Federation-financed study. “These two wings are growing at the expense of the middle. That’s the reality of our community.” Between 2002 and 2011, the percentage of Jews who identify as Orthodox rose from 34 to 40 percent. The percentage of Jewish children who are Orthodox? 74. And while the population of Jews in South Williamsburg may be booming, they won’t be availing themselves of the city’s new bike-share program: The Wall Street Journal reports that there will be zero kiosks in the Hasidic stronghold. “We’re not really looking to put them where there isn’t a lot of demand,” said DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. Check out the glaring hole in the map on the jump.
Chart: Growing Jewish Population, Especially in Brooklyn [NY Times]
Aided by Orthodox, City’s Jewish Population Is Growing Again [NY Times]
Bike-Share Rides Past Neighborhood [WSJ]


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