High Temple Membership Costs Quash Participation

A recent editorial in Newsweek by Lisa Miller, an intermarried Jew, discussed the high cost of leading a Jewish life in the United States. The cost of day school, camp, temple membership, Jewish center membership, kosher food, etc. has been pegged at $50,000-100,000 for an Orthodox family with 3 children. Such costs are staggering. However, many Orthodox families receive financial assistance from philanthropic sources.

The less religious have little help in meeting the daunting costs of Jewish life. One such cost is temple membership, which averages $1,100 annually and can be over $4,000 in large cities, where many Jews live. This represents a large portion of after-tax income, given the median gross family income of 2-child Jewish families in the U.S. of $75,000-80,000 per year. The high cost discourages Jewish families who are interested in, but not strongly committed to participation in temple life. Lisa Miller feels that the Christian church model of inviting participation, then asking for money later, allows people to become involved before making a heavy financial commitment. The success of this approach is paralleled by that of the Orthodox Jewish Chabad centers, which welcome participation without commitment. However, most Jews in the U.S. are not Orthodox and are not ready to accept the restrictions that Orthodoxy imposes on them.

Given that non-Orthodox temple membership has been steadily decreasing, a change in the financial model of temples is needed. People must be welcome to participate in temple life without making a heavy financial commitment. The Catholic model of passing around the donation plate would be a good place to start. It allows people pay what they can afford and to develop a sense of commitment that could eventually motivate them to make a larger financial contribution. The welcome must come first.