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Successive waves of Jewish immigrants have been fundamental to the formation and growth of the American Jewish population. Today's immigrants, like their predecessors, bring new ideas, experiences and needs that continue to transform the nature of the Jewish community.

Just over 8% of today's Jewish adults have immigrated to the U.S. since 1980, accounting for 335,000 Jewish adults.  Of these new arrivals, 227,000 – a little over two-thirds – emigrated from one of the republics of the former Soviet Union (FSU). The remaining 109,000 Jewish adult immigrants hail from 30 other countries, with Israel, Canada and Iran accounting for more than half (56%) of them.  These figures do not account for thousands of adult immigrants who arrived in the U.S. after 1980 and subsequently died.

Other people in immigrant households are directly connected to the immigrant community.  An additional 22,000 adults and 40,000 children live in households with adult immigrants from the FSU, bringing the population in these households to 289,000 people.  Similarly, an additional 30,000 adults and 61,000 children reside with non-FSU immigrants, making the population in their households 200,000 people.

Though arriving in this country over the same 20-year period, FSU and non-FSU immigrants differ starkly in their demographic profiles, economic status, regional residence and communal affiliations (see Table 18).

In general, FSU immigrants are older than their non-FSU counterparts, with a significantly greater proportion of elderly and lower proportion of young adults characterizing those from the FSU.  Differences in the age distribution are reflected in marital status and household composition.  Non-FSU immigrants are twice as likely to be single and never married than FSU immigrants, while more FSU immigrants than non-FSU immigrants are widowed.  More than a quarter of non-FSU Jews live in households with children, over twice the rate of FSU immigrants.

The two immigrant groups are also distinguished by their regional distribution.  Following traditional immigrant patterns, most FSU Jews are in the Northeast, with a substantial minority in the West, and smaller percentages in the Midwest and South.  In contrast, the regional distribution of non-FSU immigrants more closely resembles that of the larger American Jewish population.  Many non-FSU immigrants live in the Northeast, but nearly one-third live in the West and slightly more than one-fifth reside in the South, with under 10% residing in the Midwest.

Income sharply differentiates FSU and other immigrants.  Significant levels of poverty* apparently characterize the FSU immigrant population, with 27% of FSU immigrants living in households with incomes below the federal poverty line.  In contrast, 11% of non-FSU immigrants live in households under the poverty threshold, lower than among FSU immigrants but still higher than the 4% poverty rate that characterizes all other Jewish households. (9) A broader measure of low income – annual household intake of less than $15,000 – also disproportionately characterizes FSU immigrants compared to non-FSU immigrants.
 
Due to the cultural background of Jews from the FSU, it is instructive to examine their engagement with the Jewish community and Jewish life (see Table 19).  Ethnic ties and attachments are important components of the Jewish connections of FSU immigrants.  FSU immigrants are more likely than other Jews to be in-married, report that half or more of their close friends are Jewish, consider it very important that their child's spouse be Jewish,* and among those who are dating, to date only Jews.*  They are also more likely than other Jews to define Jews in America as a nationality* and regard being Jewish as very important.*

In some respects, FSU immigrants are less religiously oriented to Jewish life than other Jews.  For example, Jews from the FSU are less likely to affiliate with a synagogue,* hold or attend a Passover seder, or define Jews in America as a religious group.*  However, FSU immigrants mirror the religious behavior of American Jews in other areas. Compared to all other Jews, equal or slightly greater proportions of FSU immigrants regularly light Shabbat candles,* attended Jewish religious services in the past year and have a mezuzah on a door of their home.*  In addition, more Jews from the FSU than others report that their level of Jewish activity has increased in the past five years.*

(9) Some researchers suggest that immigrants may under-report their incomes.

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