BOSTON — A new study of Jewish life in Greater Boston finds a community that is increasingly diverse and deeply engaged in tradition, yet grappling with rising concerns about antisemitism, generational divides over Israel and identity, and persistent economic and mental health challenges.

The 2025 Greater Boston Jewish Community Study, released this month by Combined Jewish Philanthropies, estimates that 228,000 Jews live in the region — an 8% decline from the 248,000 identified in the federation’s 2015 report. The number of Jewish children has dropped more sharply, falling 23% over the past decade from 57,400 to 44,000.

At the same time, the study found significant growth in interfaith households. An estimated 104,000 non-Jews now live in Jewish households, a 71% increase since 2015. Overall, 51% of Jewish households in Greater Boston include at least one person who does not identify as Jewish.

Among households with children, 65% are interfaith.

The study was conducted between December 2024 and April 2025 and is based on surveys of 4,776 adults living in Jewish households, supplemented by follow-up interviews and focus groups. It was carried out by Rosov Consulting in partnership with SSRS. CJP has declined to disclose the cost of the study.

“Our findings show that over the last decade Greater Boston’s Jewish community has become more diverse in background and experience yet remains deeply rooted in the values that have guided our people for millennia,” said Rabbi Marc Baker, president and CEO of CJP.

The report describes the region’s Jewish population as “thriving, dynamic and multidimensional.” Jewish life is often centered in homes and social networks, with 86% of Jewish adults reporting that they observe holidays during the year. Thirty-eight percent mark Shabbat in some way, from lighting candles to sharing a festive meal.

Nearly one-third of respondents, 31%, said they or someone in their household is a member of or regular participant in a synagogue. In the year leading up to the survey, 65% attended in-person or online programs hosted by a Jewish organization.

Charitable giving remains a hallmark of community engagement. Eighty percent of respondents said they donated to charity in the previous 12 months, reflecting a continued commitment to tzedakah, or charitable giving.

The study also identified widely shared core values. Holocaust remembrance was cited as essential to Jewish identity by 76% of respondents, followed by ethical living at 71% and family traditions at 56%.

Patterns of Jewish education appear to persist across generations. Adults who attended Jewish day schools or yeshivas are more than four times as likely to enroll their own children in Jewish day school. Similarly, parents who attended Jewish overnight summer camps are twice as likely to send their children to camp.

But the study also highlights growing unease.

Concern about antisemitism is widespread. Ninety-four percent of respondents said they are concerned about antisemitism globally. Sixty-five percent said they are somewhat or very concerned about antisemitism in Greater Boston, and 42% expressed that level of concern about antisemitism in their own city or town.

Nearly one in four respondents, 23%, said they had personally experienced or witnessed antisemitism in the past year, most commonly through overheard or observed antisemitic remarks. More than one-third, 37%, reported changing their behavior because of safety concerns – including avoiding wearing visible Jewish symbols or altering how they speak or post about Israel.

Despite those concerns, only 29% said they feel very confident in their ability to report antisemitic incidents. Just 24% know where to access communal support if targeted.

Beyond security concerns, the study points to economic and mental health pressures within the community. Thirty-three percent of Jewish households reported at least one indicator of economic adversity. Thirteen percent fall below 250% of the federal poverty line, and 17% said they cannot or are just managing to make ends meet.

Fourteen percent of Jewish adults reported experiencing loneliness or depression. Rates were significantly higher among certain groups: 42% of adults with disabilities, 38% of Jewish people of color, 28% of young adults ages 18 to 29, and 26% of LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Generational differences emerged as a central theme.

While nearly 80% of Jewish adults overall said being Jewish is very or somewhat important to them, older respondents were more likely to say so than younger adults. Jews ages 18 to 29 reported feeling less connected to both the Greater Boston Jewish community, at 40%, and their local communities, at 36%, compared with respondents 75 and older, at 57% and 51%, respectively.

Younger adults also expressed lower levels of concern about local antisemitism. Thirty-six percent said they were somewhat or very concerned about antisemitism in Greater Boston, compared with 80% of the oldest cohort.

Yet younger Jews were more likely than any other age group to report altering their behavior in response to antisemitism. Fifty-five percent of those ages 18 to 29 said they had changed at least one behavior because of safety concerns, compared with 37% of all respondents.

Overall, 80% agreed that Israel should be the nation-state of the Jewish people, and 68% said having a connection to Israel is an essential component of being Jewish. Slightly more than half, 53%, said they have visited Israel at least once.

Among young adults ages 18 to 29, however, 38% identified as somewhat or strongly anti-Zionist, compared with 11% of adults 45 and older. At the same time, 30% of young adults agreed that it is important for Israel to be the nation-state of the Jewish people, suggesting that disagreements may reflect differences in terminology and political framing rather than uniform opposition.

Baker said rebuilding connections to Israel will be critical, particularly after years of disruption from the coronavirus pandemic and regional conflict that sharply curtailed American Jewish tourism.

“There is no substitute for trips to Israel for young people, college students, young adults – I’d say teens – and that’s critical,” he said. “We also need to reinvest in Israel education and just foundational education about the Jewish story, because I think that’s also underneath some of these statistics. That combination of disconnection and lack of knowledge is leading to some of these numbers.”

Despite the challenges outlined in the report, community leaders emphasized that the findings point to resilience as well as strain. High levels of holiday observance, charitable giving and participation in Jewish programming suggest a population that remains engaged, even as its composition and viewpoints evolve.