On March 19th, 2024, American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Timothy P. Carney published his most recent book Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be. Through his travels and conversations with experts, Mr. Carney aimed to answer two key questions: Why is parenting so hard now? And why are the results so bad? 

Behind the scenes, Mr. Carney was assisted in his research by Straus Scholar Jacob (Yakov) Sundel (YC ‘24), who spent the summer of 2022 at the American Enterprise Institute working as a research intern. Below, Jacob shares his reflections on this important professional experience with Sarah Wapner, Straus Impact Officer.

SW: Can you provide an overview of the tasks you did for Mr. Carney, and the themes and ideas you focused on during your research? 

JS: In the summer of 2022, I researched, compiled data, and summarized academic papers for AEI Senior Fellow Mr. Timothy Carney. Specifically, I compared the difference in fertility rates between Israel and other OECD countries (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Israel posed a unique challenge to our research; it is the only OECD country with a total fertility rate (TFR) above the replacement level. 

Through my research, I analyzed social security benefits, tax rates, climate, and other social factors as potential reasons for this anomaly. However, I focused most heavily on the role of religion, and why in Israel, even amongst self-described secular couples, fertility rates are above replacement.

SW: What conclusions did you draw from your research? Did any of your findings surprise you?

JS: Ultimately, we concluded that religion embeds itself within Israel’s social framework, and even non-observant Israelis have more-religious-than-Western attitudes towards relationships and family-building. While I always assumed that secular Israelis were more religious than secular Americans—after all, a significant majority of Israelis gather for family Shabbos meals, celebrate a Pesach Seder, and attend synagogue on Yom Kippur—I didn’t realize the impact Judaism had on Israel’s core social and family fabric.

SW: What skills did you develop or improve as you engaged in this research? 

JS: Working at the American Enterprise Institute, one of the leading think tanks in the world, I developed a greater sense of professionalism. I strengthened my ability to work on group research projects, submitting my deliverables promptly, and most importantly, improving my writing skills. I also honed my ability to analyze documents and read dense data reports that were crucial to the overall research Mr. Carney was producing. 

SW: How did your experiences as a Straus Scholar and Yeshiva University student impact your research?

JS: As a Straus Scholar and Yeshiva University student, I leaned heavily on my religious background, upbringing, and knowledge to maximize my impact on this important project. I believe that my most significant contribution to the book was applying my understanding of Judaism’s view on family formation and children to ensure that a largely non-Jewish American audience could understand (and find interest in!) the importance of these enduring values on American social and political reality.

One of our missions as Jews is to be an אור גוים - a light of the nations (Isaiah 42:6). We must be leading members of society, and commit ourselves to building a flourishing world. Part of this work demands that we form stable communities and most importantly, healthy families. Particularly through our learning and work at the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, and through the support of the Straus Impact Office, I’m confident that Straus Scholars will help preserve the sanctity and importance of family, and positively impact American society.