Who is Connected to the Pittsburgh Jewish Community?

• Activity Number: 227
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Bayesian Statistical Science
• Author(s): Eloise Kaizar*+ and Stephen E. Fienberg and Howard Seltman
• Companies: Carnegie Mellon University and Carnegie Mellon University and Carnegie Mellon University
• Keywords: survey nonresponse ; latent class models

Abstract

The United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh commissioned the Pittsburgh Jewish Community Study to enumerate and characterize the Jewish population of the Pittsburgh region. We use the data from the study to answer the question: Which childhood activities are most effective at retaining Jewish children as engaged adult members of the Jewish community? The study collected data via a telephone survey of both known Jewish households and those discovered through random digit dialing. As with most modern telephone surveys, the response rate was low (42% overall), which possibly introduces bias into the usual methods of analysis. By modeling this nonresponse, we conclude there is no significant bias in the answer to the question of childhood activity effectiveness. Using logistic regressions and latent class models, we find evidence that childhood trips to Israel and participation in youth groups are most effective in retaining Jewish children as active adult members of the community. However, we must further refine the models used to confirm this finding.