Jack Ukeles, researcher of Jewish communities, dies at 89 in Jerusalem

Jack Ukeles, a highly respected researcher and consultant dedicated to improving Jewish communities worldwide, died in Jerusalem at the age of 89. For over five decades, Ukeles combined rigorous research, data analysis, and strategic planning with a deep sense of idealism to foster positive change.

His work significantly influenced organized Jewish life from the 1980s through the 2000s. Philanthropists and leaders of Jewish non-profits frequently sought his expertise on critical issues such as intermarriage rates, attachment to Israel, demographic trends, and declining engagement with Jewish institutions. Ukeles's integrity, wisdom, and compassion earned him widespread admiration both personally and professionally.

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Generations of Jewish communal professionals are his students, and are taught to reflect the method and values he held dear.

Ukeles began his career in the Jewish non-profit sector in 1981, joining the New York Federation of Jewish Philanthropies (now UJA-Federation of New York) as a senior planning officer. There, he spearheaded the organization's first scientific study of the New York Jewish population, alongside major studies on senior services and Jewish poverty. In 1987, he established Ukeles Associates, Inc., where for 28 years he led consulting projects for various secular and Jewish non-profits, integrating his policy research, planning, and management skills.

Friends and colleagues remember Ukeles for his lasting impact on generations of Jewish communal professionals. Asher Ostrin, a longtime friend and executive at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, noted at Ukeles's funeral that his teaching in both academic and professional settings instilled valuable methods and values. Ukeles's own values were shaped by his upbringing in a religious Zionist household and his parents' experiences in Eastern Europe. He was part of the first class at Bar-Ilan University in Israel in 1955, pursuing a blend of modern scholarship and traditional Jewish learning.

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My father was proud to be a member of that first class.