Jewish San Diegans told us how connected, cared for, safe and known they feel.
A national survey run by Jewish Federations of North America, fielded in San Diego in spring 2026. It measures eight pillars of a flourishing Jewish community, and it lets us see ourselves next to more than thirty other Jewish communities.
The Flourishing Community survey and methodology were not designed to indicate or judge what is “passing” or “good”. There are eight pillars of flourishing, and the data indicates which of these pillars are stronger than others and why, and what future trends will tell us.
The eight pillars
Pick a pillar to see its photo, score and the statements behind it.
Each pillar is scored from 0 to 100. The score is the average share of people who agreed with the statements inside it, so a higher number means more San Diegans agreed that this part of community life is working.
68
Connected
Ties to Israel and to Jews around the world
The 6 statements behind the score
I feel emotionally attached to Israel
I feel emotionally attached to other Jewish communities around the world, outside Israel
It is important to me that Israel is both a Jewish and democratic state
I have a responsibility to care for Israel
I have a responsibility to care for other Jewish communities around the world, outside Israel
I am proud of Israel’s contributions to the world
1 of 8
58
Active
Speaking up, and building ties with other communities
The 6 statements behind the score
I know some of the issues that local Jewish organizations advocate for on the local, state and federal level
It is important for the local Jewish community to build connections with other local ethnic, racial and religious communities
Local Jewish organizations do a good job building connections between the Jewish community and other local ethnic, racial and religious communities
Local Jewish organizations do a good job representing the Jewish community in local, public and civic issues
The positions that local Jewish organizations take on local, public and civic issues align with my own positions
I have close friends who are different from me in terms of religion, ethnicity, race and/or gender and sexual identity
2 of 8
57
Safety
Feeling secure, personally and as a community
The 11 statements behind the score
I feel physically safe in local Jewish organizations and spaces
As a Jewish person, I feel safe when I am out in public locally
I am comfortable showing my Jewish identity in public locally
I am concerned about antisemitism in the broader non-Jewish community
I know where I can turn in the Jewish community if I personally am a target of antisemitism
Most people in the broader non-Jewish community would stand with the Jewish community in the event of antisemitic threats and violence
The organized Jewish community actively fights against antisemitism
I am aware of community security programs and protocols that protect Jewish communal institutions and spaces
Jewish organizations are effectively providing safety and security for the local Jewish community
The local law enforcement takes antisemitism seriously
The local police provide safety and security to the Jews and the Jewish community
3 of 8
52
Belonging
Feeling part of things, and able to be yourself
The 8 statements behind the score
I feel connected to a local Jewish community
I can be my authentic self when I engage in Jewish life and community
I am able to participate in the Jewish community on my own terms
I have found a place in a Jewish community where I feel comfortable
Jewish organizations reflect the diversity of Jews in my community
I have opportunities to meet and talk to Jews who have different ways of being Jewish than me
I have opportunities to hear the perspectives of Jews who have different viewpoints than me
I feel especially comfortable being with other Jews
4 of 8
51
Engaged
Taking part in Jewish life here
The 8 statements behind the score
Judaism is a meaningful part of my life
I am happy with my current level of engagement with Jewish life and community
My engagement with Jewish life and community has declined in the past three years (scored on disagreement)
My engagement with Jewish life and community has increased in the past three years
I want to be more engaged with Jewish life and community
I know where to find opportunities for involvement in Jewish life and community
I regularly do things that I consider Jewishly meaningful
I have Jewish friends who are a regular part of my life
One statement here is reverse-scored: agreeing that your engagement has declined counts against the pillar, so Burson uses the share who disagree.
5 of 8
51
Caring
Looking after one another
The 6 statements behind the score
My local Jewish community cares for people who are in need
I feel cared for by the Jewish community when I am in need
In times of crisis, the Jewish community meets the needs of its members
Donating money is an important way for me to help care for people in the Jewish community
Doing volunteer work is an important way for me to help care for people in the Jewish community
I have opportunities in the Jewish community to engage in acts of kindness, generosity and service to others
6 of 8
50
Health
Knowing where to turn when you need help
The 6 statements behind the score
I know where to find help in the Jewish community in a time of need
I have a group of people I can count on in a time of need
I can access resources that support healthy living
If I have a physical health need or challenge, I know how Jewish organizations and groups can help me, either directly or through referrals to others
If I have a mental health need or challenge, I know how Jewish organizations and groups can help me, either directly or through referrals to others
Someone in the Jewish community would notice if I did not show up in the places where I usually do
7 of 8
43
Educated
Jewish learning, and what is on offer
The 9 statements behind the score
I feel knowledgeable about the basics of Jewish life, religion and culture
I find learning about Jewish topics interesting
I feel inspired to engage in Jewish learning
I regularly attend adult education classes with Jewish content
I regularly spend time on Jewish learning with another Jewish person or people
I am aware of Jewish education opportunities for myself and my family
I am satisfied with the diversity of Jewish education opportunities that are available to me and my family
The Jewish educational opportunities available to me and my family are of a high level and quality
I regularly look for information about Jewish topics online
8 of 8
Benchmark scores published by Jewish Federations of North America. Petals are drawn to the full 0–100 scale. A pillar’s score is the average agreement across the statements listed below, which is the method Burson used for every community in the national study.
Findings and data
Three ways in, depending on how deep you want to go. The presentation is the quickest overview; the full dataset is everything we have.
“It is possible that it exists and I am not aware of it, but it would be wonderful if there is a welcoming space for Jewish people who are just starting to connect with their Jewish identity.”
Survey respondent, woman, 57
1,1061,106Jewish adults in San Diego, selected at random
88pillars of a flourishing Jewish community
185185questions you can explore in the dataset
±3%margin of error, wider for smaller groups
What the survey is, and why we ran it
The Flourishing Community Pulse was built so that reliable local data would stop being a luxury. Full population studies are expensive and slow, and many communities have never been able to afford one. The Pulse gives a rigorous, lower-cost read on local Jewish life, and a way to take a reading between the larger studies.
About the study
How to read these numbers
60 statements
The questions behind each pillar
A pillar’s score is the average agreement across the statements listed below, which is the method Burson used for every community in the national study.
Score 68Connected 6 statements
I feel emotionally attached to Israel
I feel emotionally attached to other Jewish communities around the world, outside Israel
It is important to me that Israel is both a Jewish and democratic state
I have a responsibility to care for Israel
I have a responsibility to care for other Jewish communities around the world, outside Israel
I am proud of Israel’s contributions to the world
Score 58Active 6 statements
I know some of the issues that local Jewish organizations advocate for on the local, state and federal level
It is important for the local Jewish community to build connections with other local ethnic, racial and religious communities
Local Jewish organizations do a good job building connections between the Jewish community and other local ethnic, racial and religious communities
Local Jewish organizations do a good job representing the Jewish community in local, public and civic issues
The positions that local Jewish organizations take on local, public and civic issues align with my own positions
I have close friends who are different from me in terms of religion, ethnicity, race and/or gender and sexual identity
Score 57Safety 11 statements
I feel physically safe in local Jewish organizations and spaces
As a Jewish person, I feel safe when I am out in public locally
I am comfortable showing my Jewish identity in public locally
I am concerned about antisemitism in the broader non-Jewish community
I know where I can turn in the Jewish community if I personally am a target of antisemitism
Most people in the broader non-Jewish community would stand with the Jewish community in the event of antisemitic threats and violence
The organized Jewish community actively fights against antisemitism
I am aware of community security programs and protocols that protect Jewish communal institutions and spaces
Jewish organizations are effectively providing safety and security for the local Jewish community
The local law enforcement takes antisemitism seriously
The local police provide safety and security to the Jews and the Jewish community
Score 52Belonging 8 statements
I feel connected to a local Jewish community
I can be my authentic self when I engage in Jewish life and community
I am able to participate in the Jewish community on my own terms
I have found a place in a Jewish community where I feel comfortable
Jewish organizations reflect the diversity of Jews in my community
I have opportunities to meet and talk to Jews who have different ways of being Jewish than me
I have opportunities to hear the perspectives of Jews who have different viewpoints than me
I feel especially comfortable being with other Jews
Score 51Engaged 8 statements
Judaism is a meaningful part of my life
I am happy with my current level of engagement with Jewish life and community
My engagement with Jewish life and community has declined in the past three years (scored on disagreement)
My engagement with Jewish life and community has increased in the past three years
I want to be more engaged with Jewish life and community
I know where to find opportunities for involvement in Jewish life and community
I regularly do things that I consider Jewishly meaningful
I have Jewish friends who are a regular part of my life
One statement here is reverse-scored: agreeing that your engagement has declined counts against the pillar, so Burson uses the share who disagree.
Score 51Caring 6 statements
My local Jewish community cares for people who are in need
I feel cared for by the Jewish community when I am in need
In times of crisis, the Jewish community meets the needs of its members
Donating money is an important way for me to help care for people in the Jewish community
Doing volunteer work is an important way for me to help care for people in the Jewish community
I have opportunities in the Jewish community to engage in acts of kindness, generosity and service to others
Score 50Health 6 statements
I know where to find help in the Jewish community in a time of need
I have a group of people I can count on in a time of need
I can access resources that support healthy living
If I have a physical health need or challenge, I know how Jewish organizations and groups can help me, either directly or through referrals to others
If I have a mental health need or challenge, I know how Jewish organizations and groups can help me, either directly or through referrals to others
Someone in the Jewish community would notice if I did not show up in the places where I usually do
Score 43Educated 9 statements
I feel knowledgeable about the basics of Jewish life, religion and culture
I find learning about Jewish topics interesting
I feel inspired to engage in Jewish learning
I regularly attend adult education classes with Jewish content
I regularly spend time on Jewish learning with another Jewish person or people
I am aware of Jewish education opportunities for myself and my family
I am satisfied with the diversity of Jewish education opportunities that are available to me and my family
The Jewish educational opportunities available to me and my family are of a high level and quality
I regularly look for information about Jewish topics online
About the study
How the questions were built
A committee of community professionals and volunteers with backgrounds in impact measurement defined each of the eight pillars, then built the metrics that would show whether each one was being met.
Jewish Federations of North America worked with Rosov Consulting to write survey questions against those metrics, and tested them with real respondents before anyone was surveyed.
The instrument was finished before October 7, 2023. These questions were written to measure what makes a community flourish in any year, which is what lets us ask them again and trust the comparison.
About the study
How it reached the community
Burson, formerly Benenson Strategy Group, fielded the survey between 15 April and 28 May 2026 for Jewish Federations of North America and Jewish Federation of San Diego.
Invitations went out by text message and postcard to a roughly twenty-minute web survey. Respondents were selected at random rather than recruited from our mailing lists, and answers were weighted to match the Jewish population of San Diego.
That matters: six in ten people who answered describe themselves as not engaged with Jewish organizations. The people hardest for us to reach are in this data.
How to read these numbers
What the percentages mean
Most questions asked people to rate a statement from 1 to 7, where 7 means strongly agree. Figures shown as agreement are the share who chose 5, 6 or 7. People who answered “don’t know” stay in the total, which is why agree and disagree do not add to 100.
How to read these numbers
Small groups
Some groups in the interactive tools are small, and their figures move around more from question to question. Each group’s size is shown beside its name. Read the smallest ones as a direction rather than a precise number.
How to read these numbers
Comparing with 2022
This survey is not a continuation of A Blueprint for Our Future, the 2022 community study. The two used different designs, different samples and in several cases different wording. Where the two are compared in our presentation, the comparison is directional.
How to read these numbers
Source
JFNA Flourishing Community Pulse Survey, San Diego. Fielded 15 April to 28 May 2026 by Burson for Jewish Federations of North America and Jewish Federation of San Diego. Questions were developed with Rosov Consulting. Benchmark scores are published by Jewish Federations of North America.
Take it further
Every question in the study is published with its answers, so you can look up the part of community life you work on.
If you want the figures for a group this page does not break out, ask.
