The paradoxical place of religion in "jewish statistics" in the early twentieth century. The case of Yakov Leshchinsky
El paradójico lugar de la religión en las "estad\'isticas jud\'ias" de principios del siglo XX. El caso de Yakov Leshchinsky
La place paradoxale du religieux dans les "statistiques juives" au début du XXe siècle. Le cas de Yakov Leshchinsky
Résumé
The expression "Jewish statistics" or "Jewish social science" refers to the important development of statistical studies about Jewish populations, that appeared first in Europe and in the United States in the second part of the nineteenth century. This article analyzes the role played by religion in Jewish statistics, focusing on the case of Yakov Leshchinsky, a key author in this field. Although religion is not a central theme in his writings, it remains an important preoccupation for Leshchinsky, especially in his demographic works. Leshchinsky's attitude toward religion and religious practices also reflects his conception - shared more generally by Eastern European Jewish statisticians in this period - that statistics should "serve the Jewish people".