In February, Federation conducted a Community Snapshot Survey to help us learn a little more about Jewish Atlanta. We received 1,367 responses to the survey, all from adults over 18 who live in the metro Atlanta area.
We learned some fascinating things about our Atlanta Jewish community:
- The most important aspects of Judaism for respondents are morals and family/traditions.
- Respondents have deep ties to Atlanta; even those who grew-up somewhere else (like New York, Florida, or Chicago) have likely lived in Atlanta for many years.
- 82% of those who filled out the survey do not plan to move away from Atlanta, and those who are planning some sort of move are likely to move within the metro area.
- 40% of respondents are over the age of 65, and 67% are women.
- Over 71% of respondents either have not designated any charitable giving in their estate planning, or do not have wills at all.
This data, while not entirely surprising from what we knew of our community, still gives us valuable insight into the makeup of Jewish Atlanta. Many of the responses align with community surveys from other areas of the country—especially when it comes to the importance of Jewish morality and traditions.
These results reinforce Federation’s emphasis on investing in overnight camping (a grand tradition in the Jewish community), Gather Grants (which help people form new traditions), and to caring for the vulnerable (a pillar of Jewish morality).
It also shows us that there are opportunities for Federation’s community to consider the importance of legacy giving. Endowments and other legacy gifts are vital to the longevity of Jewish institutions and will help them continue to thrive for decades to come. Jori Mendel, Chief Foundation Officer at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, says, “Atlanta Jewish Foundation is here to help you plan your legacy—it’s easy and so important. Your generous endowment gifts help to secure our Jewish future and help ensure that Jewish life remains vibrant in Atlanta, in Israel and around the world.”
Thank you to everyone who answered our Community Snapshot Survey. It is one example of our overall investment in data and research. We recently completed an Early Childhood Community Assessment and are working on a qualitative report regarding interfaith families. We are dedicated to focusing on data so we can better understand our community needs and provide the most needed services to our community.
