The Effects of Denomination on Religious Socialization for Jewish Youth

Abstract

The transmission model of religious socialization was tested using a sample of American Jewish parents and adolescents. The authors expected that measures of religiousness among parents would be associated with those among their children. Interaction effects of denominational membership were also tested. Data were collected from a sample of 233 parent–child pairs in 9 Jewish schools in the Midwestern United States. Findings revealed modest support for the transmission model among American Jewish youth and parents. Parents’ religious practices were positively linked to the salience of religion among youth as well as with youth’s religious practices. No other correlations emerged between parents’ and youth’s behaviors. No interactions with denominational membership were found; however, parents’ membership in the Orthodox denomination was positively correlated with the salience of religion among youth. These findings suggest that context plays an important role in the religious socialization of Jewish youth. Broader implications for these findings are discussed.