The Future of Jewish Demography

Sergio DellaPergola concretizes Jewish identity and Peoplehood through an exploration that examines Jewish demography. DellaPergola provides a general conceptual framework by noting that the major Jewish existential challenges operate in three distinct categories, namely, Israel as a sovereign state (with Jewish growth and mobility but unsolved military, political and ethno-religious conflicts), the Jewish Diaspora as a proliferation of communities (often small but relatively powerful), and the bilateral relationship between the two – leading to battles over boundaries and identification and defense of common interests, along with varying influences of local and global culture. In assessing future scenarios for demographic change, DellaPergola considers international migration, the balance between Jewish births and deaths, and the balance between joining and leaving (through conversion, for example) the Jewish collective. He believes that a main demographic challenge in the State of Israel will be maintaining a clear Jewish majority, especially in the face of growth of the Arab/Palestinian population on one hand and maintaining a self-supporting economy in the face of rapid growth in the Haredi sector. Jewish communities in the Diaspora will need to find ways to strengthen themselves, particularly given the influence of the values and lifestyles of the majority environment.