Dr. Ira M. Sheskin

Dr. Ira M. Sheskin is the Director of the Jewish Demography Project of the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the University of Miami and is a professor of Geography at the same institution.

Dr. Sheskin has completed 38 major demographic studies for Jewish Federations throughout the country, including Miami, Broward, South Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Sarasota, Pinellas, Orlando, and Jacksonville. His studies for Jewish Federations are based upon random digit dialed telephone surveys of hundreds of Jewish households in each community, querying migration behavior, demographic characteristics, memberships, Jewish education of adults and children, familiarity and perceptions of Jewish agencies, social service needs, relationships to Israel, anti- Semitic experiences, the use of media, philanthropic behavior, and other topics. The information is used to inform decision making by numerous Jewish organizations and synagogues in each community.

He has also been a consultant to numerous synagogues, day schools, Jewish agencies, and Jewish Community Centers throughout the country. In total, he has completed more than 100 studies for over 75 Jewish organizations and commercial concerns.

Dr. Sheskin was been a member of the National Technical Advisory Committee of United Jewish Communities from 1988 until 2003. This committee completed both the 1990 and 2000 National Jewish Population Surveys. His publications include a book entitled Survey Research for Geographers. He is the author of numerous articles on Jewish demography. His latest book, How Jewish Communities Differ, compares the results of 45 Jewish demographic studies.

Dr. Ira M. Sheskin
Associate Professor University of Miami
Department of Geography and Regional Studies
217 Ferre Building • Coral Gables, FL 33124

Director: Jewish Demography Project
Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary
Judaic Studies University of Miami
UM Office: (305) 284-6693
Fax: (954) 435-5566
email: isheskin@miami.edu