Jewish denominations and longevity.
This study examined the relationship between affiliation with one of three denominations within Judaism representing a conservative-liberal continuum of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism. The criterion for affiliation was burial in a cemetery maintained by these denominations. Longevities of married congregants born 1850-1910 were compared, controlling for birth year. Orthodox Jews had the shortest life spans (77 years); Conservative and Reform Jews had very similar life spans (80.7 years). Differences in years of survival of husbands after death of a spouse did not differ significantly. Reform widows survived longest (16.5 years) after death of a spouse. Conservative and Reform widows did not differ significantly from one another.
C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. eabel@wayne.edu
Ernest L
EL
Abel
Michael L
ML
Kruger
D000368:Aged; D055699:Cemeteries / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007585:Jews / Q000266:history*; D007599:Judaism / Q000266:history*; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000266:history*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D018454:Spouses / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States