Gary Tobin

Last updated April 15, 2024

Gary Tobin was a demographer and researcher on the Jewish community. Tobin's work focused on Jewish demographics, racial make-up, and philanthropy.

Teaching

After finishing his graduate degree in 1974, Tobin returned to St. Louis to teach at Washington University.^[1] In 1982, Tobin turned from teaching to demography, studying the demographics of the St. Louis Jewish community.^[1] For the next 14 years, Tobin directed Brandeis University's Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies in Boston, Massachusetts.^[2]

Research

In 1994 Tobin founded the Institute of Jewish & Community Research (IJCR). His wife Diane worked with him as graphic designer, editing and publishing IJCR's reports.^[3] Tobin was president of the IJCR, located in San Francisco, California.^[4] A 1998 article described the goals of the think tank as focusing on "Jewish philanthropy, synagogue life, and leadership development".^[5]

In 1995, Tobin explored reasons for Jewish donation and charity strategy in "American Jewish Philanthropy in the 1990s", a report he co-authored. The report suggested that specificity was key in soliciting donations, and that the idea of "Jewish continuity" in particular lacked support from donors.^[6]

In 1999, Tobin and Diane published a report titled "Study of Ethnic and Racial Diversity of the Jewish Population of the United States". The report relied on a questionnaire they sent to Jews of color. They later published it in book form as In Every Tongue: The Racial & Ethnic Diversity of the Jewish People.^[7]

In 1999, Tobin wrote the book "Opening the Gates: How Proactive Conversion Can Revitalize the Jewish Community".^[1] The book suggested that one way to navigate American Jewish demographic decline would be encouragement that non-Jewish spouses convert. He suggested that the campaign could bring in millions of new Jews, largely into the Reform, Conservative, or Reconstructionist denominations. Such a campaign would largely result in conversions not accepted by the Orthodox, a matter Tobin found unconcerning.^[8]

In Spring 2003, Tobin published a study on large donations from the wealthiest Jews in the United States between 1995 and 2000. The study evaluated 188 gifts of over $10 million made by 123 of these wealthy individuals. Tobin found that non-Jewish institutions received most of these donations. This occurred in part because Jewish groups and the federation system lacked the structure to take in this sort of large donation, suggested Tobin.^[4]

In 2005 the Tobins published "The Uncivil University", a report that said that anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment had taken root within universities in the United States and that universities had violated public trust by allowing this climate to develop.^[9]

A 2005 study of Tobin's said that 10 percent of American Jews were black, Latino, Asian or mixed race.^[10]

Personal life

Tobin was born in St. Louis, Michigan. He attended the University of California at Berkeley for an urban planning doctorate. In 1974 he returned to St. Louis to teach at Washington University. In 1982, Tobin turned from teaching to demography, studying the demographics of the St. Louis Jewish community.^[1] Tobin died on July 6, 2009, to cancer, leaving behind his wife, six children, and a grandson.^[1] He was in a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and was age 59.^[2]

Tobin met his wife Diane while speaking at a San Francisco conference. At the time, she was the JCCSF president and living in the city. A few years later, Tobin relocated to San Francisco to join Diane. They married in 1991 and had five children.^[3]

Tobin and his wife Diane adopted their son Jonah in 1997. The experience of raising their black son within the Jewish community led the Tobins to found the nonprofit Be'chol Lashon.^[11] Tobin and his wife co-founded Be'chol Lashon (Hebrew for "in every language") in 2000. The nonprofit aimed to celebrate Jewish ethnic and racial diversity through programs like a northern Californian summer camp for Jewish children of color.^[12] This was unusual, as most American Jewish institutions concentrated on Jews of European origin.^[9]

The Tobins were friendly with Capers Funnye, a black Chicago rabbi.^[9]

Views

Tobin advocated for an open form of Jewish relational and institutional life. He criticized mainstream institutions for what he saw as a gloomy, alarmist insularity. His research findings convinced him that mainstream Jewish pessimism was turning away Jewish community members.^[1] Tobin advocated greater openness to converts and heightened awareness of diversity within Judaism.^[3] This view was among his more controversial, one that he placed against the more common view of Jewish institutions as bulwarks against assimilation. Tobin said in a 2008 JTA op-ed:"No number of day schools or summer camps is going to turn back the clock on religious freedom and competition....It is time for Jews to join every other group in America and quit obsessing about who is being lost and start acting on who might come in".^[3]^[9]

While Tobin supported a liberal view on Jewish life, he held hard-line positions on Israel and antisemitism.^[1]

Tobin fiercely criticized the 2000 National Jewish Population Survey, saying that the study severely undercounted American Jews due to methodological flaws^[9] and calling it "utter nonsense".^[13] He estimated that over a million more Jews were present in the United States than the 2000 Survey suggested.^[9] Tobin stated that the NJPS undercounting occurred due to Jews who do not declare themselves Jewish out of concern for antisemitism, due to under-weighing of West Coast Jews, and as a result of an overly-strict definition of Jews excluding self-described cultural or ethnic Jews.^[13]

Influence and legacy

The Forward named Tobin in its 2004 list the Forward Fifty. The Forward highlighted both Tobin's "maverick liberal" positions on conversion and racial diversity on the one hand and on the other hand his work with the neoconservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a group founded after 9/11 to oppose radical Islam's spread.^[9]

Tobin knew Gershom Sizomu and helped Sizomu enter the rabbinic studies program of American Jewish University.^[14]

In 2010, a hospital in Mbale, Uganda was built and dedicated after Tobin with the name the Tobin Health Center. The hospital construction was part of the Abayudaya Community Health and Development Project organized by both the Abayudaya Executive Council and Be’chol Lashon.^[15] Sizomu said of the facility, "There, people are treated, so malaria is not a threat now. Infections can be easily handled".^[14]

Related Research Articles

Antisemitism is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. This sentiment is a form of racism, and a person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Primarily, antisemitic tendencies may be motivated by negative sentiment towards Jews as a people or by negative sentiment towards Jews with regard to Judaism. In the former case, usually presented as racial antisemitism, a person's hostility is driven by the belief that Jews constitute a distinct race with inherent traits or characteristics that are repulsive or inferior to the preferred traits or characteristics within that person's society. In the latter case, known as religious antisemitism, a person's hostility is driven by their religion's perception of Jews and Judaism, typically encompassing doctrines of supersession that expect or demand Jews to turn away from Judaism and submit to the religion presenting itself as Judaism's successor faith—this is a common theme within the other Abrahamic religions. The development of racial and religious antisemitism has historically been encouraged by the concept of anti-Judaism, which is distinct from antisemitism itself.

The Abayudaya are a Jewish community in eastern Uganda, near the town of Mbale. They are devout in their practice, keeping kashrut and observing Shabbat. There are several different villages where the Abayudaya live. A community that converted to Judaism in the 20th century, most community members are affiliated with the Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism. In June 2016, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin led a Beit Din that performed an Orthodox conversion for the Putti community of Abayudaya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Jews in Africa</span> Ethnic and religious groups history

African Jewish communities include:

African-American Jews are people who are both African American and Jewish. African-American Jews may be either Jewish from birth or converts to Judaism. Many African-American Jews are of mixed heritage, having both non-Jewish African-American and non-Black Jewish ancestors. Many African-American Jews identify as Jews of color, but some do not. Black Jews from Africa, such as the Beta Israel from Ethiopia, may or may not identify as African-American Jews.

Semei Kakungulu was a Ugandan statesman who founded the Abayudaya community in Uganda in 1917. He studied and meditated on the Tanakh, adopted the observance of all Moses' commandments, including circumcision, and suggested this observance for all his followers. The Abayudaya have converted to Judaism, mostly through the Reform and Conservative movements, while some have undergone Orthodox conversion. The Abayudaya do not claim ancient Israelite ancestry.

The House of Israel is a Jewish community located in southwestern Ghana, in the towns of Sefwi Wiawso and Sefwi Sui. This group of people, of the Sefwi tribe, built a synagogue in 1998. Many of the men and children read English, but no one knows Hebrew.

The National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS), most recently performed in 2000-01, is a representative survey of the Jewish population in the United States sponsored by United Jewish Communities and the Jewish Federation system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antisemitism in the United States</span> Hatred towards the Jewish people within the US

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Bernard Osher is an American businessman, best known for his work as a philanthropist.

Yearning to Belong is a documentary about the Abayudaya Jews in Uganda and their struggle to be recognized by the international Jewish community.

Gershom Sizomu is a Ugandan rabbi serving the Abayudaya, a Baganda community in eastern Uganda near the town of Mbale who practice Judaism. Sizomu is the first native-born black rabbi in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is also the first Chief Rabbi of Uganda. Sizomu is a member of the Ugandan Parliament.

The Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture is an American non-profit organization founded in 2003 by Thaddeus N. "Tad" Taube in Belmont, California. Its mission is to help support the survival of Jewish life and culture in the face of unprecedented global threat to the Jewish people, especially in Israel; strengthen Jewish identity and sustain Jewish heritage in the United States in the face of assimilation; celebrate current Jewish achievement in all aspects of human endeavor; and work for the reform of Jewish institutions.

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References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Goldberg, J.J. (July 14, 2009). "He Took Our Measure, and Dreamed Bigger". The Forward. Archived from the original on July 28, 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
1 2 Gordon, Tracy (July 14, 2009). "Jewish demographer Gary Tobin dies at 59". Religion News Service. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
1 2 3 4 "Community mourns pioneering thinker Gary Tobin". Jewish News of Northern California. July 10, 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
1 2 Dell, Michael (February 24, 2004). "Among America's Mega-Donors, Many Jews, but Few Gifts to Jews". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
↑ Katz, Leslie (October 30, 1998). "New S.F. think tank may scope out Jewish future". Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
↑ "Continuity catch-phrase lacks passion, new study says". Jewish News of Northern California. June 16, 1995. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
↑ Esensten, Andrew (August 13, 2021). "'We are not alone!' Jews of color react to landmark new survey". Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
↑ Kaplan, Dana Evan (2011). Contemporary American Judaism : transformation and renewal. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 169–171. ISBN 9780231137294.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Harris, Ben (July 8, 2009). "Gary Tobin, head of S.F.-based Institute for Jewish & Community Research, dies at 59". Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
↑ Spence, Rebecca (December 2, 2014). "Ilana Kaufman: black, Jewish and challenging ideas about the face of federation". J. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
↑ Wisniewski, Rachel (16 September 2021). "Why You Probably Won't Have Racial Microaggressions At This Jewish Summer Camp". NPR. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
↑ Staff, J. (November 8, 2021). "Be'chol Lashon's executive director resigns after 10 months on job". The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
1 2 Wakin, Daniel J. (October 9, 2002). "A Count of U.S. Jews Sees a Dip; Others Demur". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
1 2 Pine, Dan (May 27, 2011). "Ugandan Jews and politics get native rabbi fired up". Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
↑ Pazornik, Amanda (July 23, 2010). "S.F. researchers legacy lives on in new Ugandan health center". Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 11 December 2021.