SAPIR Conversations S19E3: “Poverty and Jewish Community” with Ilana Horwitz
Dec 30, 2025
Ilana Horwitz, a sociologist at Tulane University, dives into the often unseen economic vulnerability affecting 1 in 4 American Jews. She explores how deep connections to Jewish life can differentiate between temporary hardship and enduring poverty. Addressing stereotypes, she critiques media portrayals that obscure struggling communities and examines how denominations experience vulnerability differently. Horwitz emphasizes the critical role of social networks in providing aid, particularly during crises like COVID, and suggests practical steps for fostering inclusion and support.
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Hidden Quarter Of Economic Vulnerability
- Economic vulnerability affects one in four American Jews despite overall high Jewish economic success.
- Being embedded in Jewish life can act as an "invisible safety net" that buffers financial shocks.
Denominational Distribution Is Nonlinear
- Economic vulnerability clusters at both denominational extremes: unaffiliated and Haredi Jews.
- Unaffiliated Jews' vulnerability may link to lower marriage rates and weaker institutional ties.
Social Capital Determines Aid Access
- Social capital explains why embedded Jews accessed relief during COVID while outsiders did not.
- Linking capital — ties to institutions and leaders — proved especially critical for targeted aid distribution.