New JPR Report Highlights Youthful Engagement and Strong Religious Ties Shaping British Jewish Identity.
The Institute for Jewish Policy Research has published a comprehensive new study examining how Jews in the United Kingdom observed Purim in 2025, revealing that just under half of British Jews marked the festival in some form. The report, titled “Masks and noisemakers: The celebration of Purim among Jews in the UK,” was authored by Dr. David Graham and draws on findings from the Jews in Uncertain Times Survey conducted during the summer of 2025.
Based on responses from 4,822 self-identifying Jewish residents aged 16 and above, the research found that 49 percent reported celebrating Purim in the previous year. Compared to other major Jewish festivals, Purim ranks among the least widely observed. Participation levels are similar to Succot at 50 percent, yet significantly lower than Pesach, where 84 percent attended a seder, and Chanukah, where 89 percent lit candles at least once during the same period.
The study examined multiple expressions of celebration, including hearing the megillah, dressing in costume, and attending festive meals or parties. No significant gender differences were recorded, with 49 percent of both men and women reporting participation. Age, however, emerged as a decisive factor. Among respondents aged 16 to 29, 63 percent celebrated Purim, while fewer than four in ten individuals aged 60 and above reported doing so.
Household composition played a central role in observance patterns. Individuals living alone were the least likely to celebrate, with 38 percent participation. Rates climbed steadily with household size, reaching 73 percent among five-person households and becoming nearly universal in households of seven or more members. The presence of school-age children was strongly associated with celebration. Seventy percent of households with school-age children observed Purim, compared to 44 percent of households without children.
Educational environment further influenced participation. Among households with primary-age children enrolled in Jewish schools, 94 percent celebrated Purim, compared with 70 percent among those whose children attended non-Jewish schools. A similar pattern was identified among families with secondary-age children.
Synagogue connection and self-described religiosity also demonstrated a clear correlation with observance. Only 27 percent of non-members reported celebrating Purim, compared with 61 percent of synagogue members and 67 percent of those who feel affiliated without formal membership. Religiosity displayed a pronounced gradient, ranging from 17 percent participation among those identifying as very weakly religious to 92 percent among those describing themselves as very strongly religious.
Denominational identity further illustrated this pattern. Nineteen percent of secular or cultural Jews reported celebrating Purim. Participation rose to 48 percent among Reform or Progressive Jews and 59 percent among those identifying as Traditional. Observance was nearly universal among Orthodox respondents at 99 percent and fully universal among Haredi respondents.
The report concludes that Purim observance in the UK is shaped less by gender and more by generational stage, family structure, synagogue engagement, and religious identity. Younger adults and families with children represent the driving force behind celebration rates, highlighting the central role of communal and educational frameworks in sustaining Jewish life.
The data were collected between June 8 and July 20, 2025, and weighted for age, sex, geography, and synagogue membership. Published in February 2026, the report offers a detailed snapshot of how communal engagement, education, and religious identity continue to shape Jewish continuity in contemporary Britain.
