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Jewish groups question census results showing dramatic population decline
'Obviously, the Jewish community didn't shrink by more than half,' says Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Jordan Press · The Canadian Press
2 Hours Ago
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A Hasidic Jew crosses Montreal's Parc Avenue. Jewish groups use census data on language, religion — which is asked once every 10 years — country of origin and ethnicity to create as accurate a picture as possible about Jews in Canada. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)
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The size of the country's Jewish community appears, on the surface, to have seen its most dramatic decline in decades, with newly released census data on the country's ethnic makeup suggesting a 56 per cent drop in numbers over a five-year period.

The decline to 143,665 in 2016 from about 329,500 in 2011 — a drop of almost 186,000 people — is the largest such drop for any ethnic group recorded in the census data released last week.

It also far exceeds smaller declines noticed in previous census cycles that have been chalked up to changing demographics seen in the wider Canadian population, namely an aging cohort with a low birth rate.

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The noticeable drop raises questions about whether the finding is an accurate portrait of the Jewish population.

"Obviously, the Jewish community didn't shrink by more than half in the past five years," said Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

Lobby effort underway

Community leaders say they plan to use a small window of opportunity to lobby Statistics Canada for changes to the 2021 long-form questionnaire, lest the results get replicated in five years time, further skewing the size of the community. If their efforts are unsuccessful, they would have to find a way to conduct their own community count.

"We are concerned and the issues are definitely on our radar," said Linda Kislowicz, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of Canada.

"We have every intention of working both with the civil servants and the politicians involved in this to see if we can lobby them to change the way they're doing this."

But the figures also reflect an age-old question for the community about how to define Jewish. There are Jews who see the identity as religious and ethnic; others only see it as a cultural affiliation.

Similar questions may face groups that have a cultural and religious identities, said Jack Jedwab, president of the Association for Canadian Studies, but not in the same way as it does in the case of the Jewish community.

Ethnically Jewish vs. religiously

Jewish groups use census data on language, religion — which is asked once every 10 years — country of origin and ethnicity to create as accurate a picture as possible about Jews in Canada. A six-point definition was established to counteract a long-term decline in the number of Jews who identify themselves on the census as ethnically Jewish, a category that on its own may miss swaths of Canada's Jews.

"An accurate portrait of Canadian Jewry requires a survey designed to address the nuances of Jewish respondents, for whom Jewish identity is a blend of religion, ethnicity and peoplehood," Fogel said.

"On the census question of ethnicity, this seems to be where the 2016 survey falls short."

The survey asked respondents for ethnic origins and listed almost two dozen examples based on the most frequent responses from the previous census. The examples then may act as prompts for Jews who may not identify as such on the questionnaire, Kislowicz said.

However, Jewish came off the list of examples for 2016 after falling out of the top 20 responses in 2011.

Now that the Jewish ethnicity figures have fallen further, it is unlikely to appear on the example list on the 2021 survey that will also ask about religion and further reduce the size of the recorded population, which is why lobbying is underway for a change in wording to the questionnaire.

"Those people who are ethnically Jewish, but religiously not, will probably not appear in the census in 2021 unless there is some rectification and the Jewish community can persuade Statcan to restore Jewish as part of the examples," Jedwab said.

The findings then have potential implications for other ethnic groups that use the census figures to lobby governments on policy and help community groups make decisions about where to invest resources and programs.

It's wearing a bit thin with me,
Yes the jews had a bad time in the early 1900s but there was more people from the British commonwealth and the United States plus other countries lost helping them.
I'm not anti jew, far from it but the constant pandering is getting a bit boring.

That is interesting LU Rosemary. I always felt the definition of 'jewish' was complex ... considering it either ethnicity or culture or religious

I think LU, possibly the trend of 'everyones the same' in the Western countries may be affecting how people associate with being 'jewish' or not ...

as well as the rising fear of 'muslim' terrorism ...

I'm the exact opposite... I am anti muslim, and pro jew

I'm not anti jew moe agree with the other though. It's just they have been mothered for to long.

opinions very, you're not alone in those thoughts...if not for the efforts of the UK & US, Israel would have been overrun by muslims a long time ago.

I thank you Ms Harmony.. I appreciate your opinion and most of all I have respect for all. And yes it is a complex definition and always will be. Oppression and discrimination exists even today.. Unfortunately.

True.

I wouldn't say they are oppressed.
They can definitely hold there own as Egypt, Syria and Jordan found out!
Moe, our new drone carrier is on sea trials now

the only reason they can hold their own is all the aid they since their inception... people don't realize how much hate they are surrounded by, on every border...

************************************************

Dear lu_....Forgive me first for cutting out the
rest of the lines as I call it propaganda

I AM JEWISH...Born in Romania but lived in beloved
Holly Land of today's Israel where I served my Duties and give
my military service in the airforce as Fighter pilot
and beyond for 10 years.
Have been in the Yom Kippur war and FLOGGED FEW also
( If you know what I mean )

I am confident that the decline in Jewish population is
that most younger generation don't care any or no more
about Religion, tradition, custom and the rest of the shibangles

OI VEY OI MOY Yes, that's the reality with or about
the Jewish communities today, wherever they may live today..
They intermarry with anyone they want, need and like or love,
regardlessof theirs religion/s, etnicity, custom background etc etc.

I once entered the Rabbinic university of Jerusalem
but I was expelled the second year term for Talmudic reasons.
( I was asking too many FORBIDDEN QUESTIONS )
I NEVER WAS or WILL BE A PUPPET ..Ya know

I never followed or believed in Talmud but ONLY theTorah.
Although, for some Jewish traditionalists these 2 work together.
Don't take me wrong, It's a long discussion or controversy about
acceptance WRONG or TRUE as JUDAISM with some believers/groups.
LONG TALK, if we are to include the ZIMUNISM or ZIONISM
as some of us, call it for strong & specific reasons.
To some of us Jews, ZIONISM is WRONG, and also ANTISEMITIC,
ARGUABLE, EVEN NOT JUDAISM IN IT'S TRUTH or SENSE ..
And I am one or happen to STRONGLY AGREE
One can argue as much as he/she likes about the TRUE JUDAISM,
and yet never end or compromise.

The reason/s is/are, like in any other religious beliefs,
WE ARE SPLIT & DIVIDED WHEN IT COMES TO OPINIONS.

If 13 tribes of ABRAHAM is not enough to debate JUDAISM, well,
I, ALONE & ON MY OWN I CAN'T CONVINCE THE WORLD

To be continued if you wish but in my personal opinion,
this subject is better left alone to cure and solve by its self
with and between the Jewish groups ONLY.
Personally, I DO leave it to sink...MY BAD

SHALOM

Well put pepi.
As your view says it's more the younger ones that mix with other faiths that water it down but I still think many of male young Jews like to carry on there faiths more than females. As for others especially from far Muslim groups use the young to be brain washed into terror groups.
Maybe the fault of history when the state of Israel was formed initially for the good!

**********************************************
Right Mike

One thing many DO NOT KNOW is,
The state of Israel is ILLEGAL according to
UNITED NATION COUNCIL...Check it 4 yourselves.
Yes that's the TRUTH no matter if it hurts some.

Search: united nation declaration of the illegal state of Israel




Even according to Torah, God who made a covenant with his
chosen people is INVALID today...
He broke his covenant with the Jews for this reason...They choose to go separate ways, ( No wonder they are DIVIDED even amongst them today ).

And that's why Israel will be punished HARD in the end days ( Later days )
unless they will return to their God,( Who loved them and chosen then before other nation/s as his chosen ones ) not other Gods as we can see them today, ( Where by DIVISION, some are considering that they are the CHOSEN WHO CHOOSE THEMSELVES ...Akka ZIONISTS and other/s )

That's the only god of Abraham, Isaac, and Moses

" And I will punish them to return to me the god of Abraham and the god of Isaac & Moses, the god of all gods "

Sorry folks, sometimes TRUTH HURTS.
WHY one may ask ??
Because the Jews are forbidden to have their own state
until the later days when the JUSTICE 4 ALL will APPLY
and ONLY god him/her self will give his chosen people a good fertile
land to live in PEACE & ETERNITY under his law/s..

Peace all.



The copy above is the signature for the approval of the
state of Israel.

TeeeeHeeee

Is that looks to you as..One genuine official document ??
Toilet paper garbage used only by CORRUPTS.

NOTICE the word "PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT " ??
Also, " The STATE of ISRAEL but NOT JEWISH STATE ??