Values and Religious Identification among Affiliated Jews in Eastern Europe
Source: International Journal of Jewish Education Research (IJJER), 2013 (4), 69-102
This article analyzes data on the values of adults affiliated with the Jewish community in Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Romania. There was wide agreement among the populations’ value prioritization, but they are not monolithic. Overall, family-related values were more important than materialistic values. Those in Romania were the most religious, those in Hungary the least so.
A graphic portrayal of the data is presented and interpreted, guided by the Schwartz axiological typology. Sub-populations by home country and age group are compared in the context of this model. The older cohort tends towards Family-related values, while the younger cohort tends towards values of Hedonism and Stimulation. The placement of the national sub-groups illustrates their relative emphasis on materialist values versus post-materialist values of self-enhancement, which reflects the degree of democratization of the countries and the socio-economic level of the Jewish communities.