Religious involvement as the main gateway to voluntary association activity

Abstract

This paper, using National Jew ish Population Survey data, seeks to show a general path to voluntary association participation. It finds thai public religious behavior (belonging to a synagogue or temple and attendance at services) is associated with participation in Jewish voluntary associations. Thence, a path is indicated either to lead ership within the Jewish community or to participation in general voluntary associations. Because this path is similar to one shown in the literature among U.S. Protestants, it is suggested that a general U.S. voluntary association path may be emerging, one that includes both the dominant religious community and minority ethnoreligious groups. The paper also examines the association between participa tion in voluntary associations and other variables, and finds certain idiosyncrasies in the American Jewish community.