OPINION: Census data will help community plan for future services
Jonathan Boyd says the 2021 snapshot of British life indicates stable numbers amid rocketing growth of the Charedi community
What does theis new Census data tell us? First, they provide more evidence that the Jewish population of this country is growing, or, at the very least, is stable – the simple fact that the number of people self-identifying as Jewish by religion climbed slightly from 259,927 in 2001 to 271,327 in 2021 indicates this.
There are caveats around those figures. Jews are not compelled to answer the religion question – it is voluntary.
Jews who identify as Jewish by ethnicity and not by religion are excluded (there were 8,558 in 2011; we don’t yet know the equivalent figure for 2021); and we don’t yet have counts for Scotland or Northern Ireland, so the counts only apply to England and Wales. But other evidence points to growth at this level too, so the fundamental story rings true.
Nevertheless, the best current estimate for the size of the self-identifying UK Jewish population is 292,000. After proper data processing, that will likely be revised slightly, probably upwards, but not by very much.
But the bigger question is about what is driving the growth? The UK Jewish population declined by a third between 1950 and 2000; how did we stop that? The answer lies partly in census data from Hackney and Salford, and, to a lesser extent, Bury and Barnet, all of which have strong Charedi communities. They are all growing – rapidly – providing the key engine of growth, even as other parts of the Jewish population slowly decline.
Ultimately, the key value of these data lies in community planning. The Census shows us the Jewish population in extraordinary detail, giving community organisations the potential to understand their ‘markets’ in unprecedented ways.
As more data are released, our work will focus on that – using these data to help the community plan for all of our futures.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
