Tuesday, March 12 marked the release of a major new survey that for the first time provided a comprehensive portrait of what it means to be Jewish in Canada. The findings touched on areas such as identity, practices and experiences.

This survey is benchmarked against comparable research in the United States and shows that Canadian Jews as a whole are distinct from their American counterparts in being more connected to Jewish life, through education, membership in Jewish organizations, friendships and connections to Israel.

Above: From left, Event moderator Steve Paikin (LLD ’17), 2018 Survey of Jews in Canada collaborators Keith Neuman, executive director of the Environics Institute for Survey Research, York University President and Vice-Chancellor and sociology Professor Rhonda L. Lenton and University of Toronto sociology Professor and S.D. Clark Professor of Sociology Robert Robert Brym

Robert Brym, professor and S.D. Clark Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto, Rhonda L. Lenton, professor of Sociology and President and Vice-Chancellor, York University, and Keith Neuman, executive director of the Environics Institute for Survey Research, have collaborated to develop and analyze the findings of the historic 2018 Survey of Jews in Canada.

“Knowing how Canadian Jews define their Jewishness and what they need and want from Jewish organizations can help shape community policy and programming. The Canadian Jewish community is substantially more cohesive than its American counterpart, and the kind of knowledge the survey provides can help keep the community strong. I’m proud to bring this important work forward, both personally and as a sociologist,” said Brym.

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