BOCA RATON, Fla .– Faith is changing, at least by some numbers. A Gallup survey shows church membership numbers fell below the majority for the first time.

In 2020, 47% of American adults were members of a church, synagogue, or mosque. It’s a statistic that now has leaders of different religions taking action.

“This is a very big problem,” said Rabbi David Steinhardt, senior rabbi of the B’Nai Torah congregation in Boca Raton.

“Among our young people, in particular GenZ, there are tendencies to distrust institutions,” said Reverend Daniel Daza-Jaller, a Catholic priest.

Daza-Jaller and Steinhardt represent different religions, but they are in the midst of the same challenge.

“There’s going to be reform, so to speak,” Steinhardt said. “We are going to change the way we do religion.”

“To move people from a religion purely based on the obligation of” I am going to mass because I have to go to mass “or” I am going to hell “, whatever it is, to bring them to a new one relationship-based faith, ”says Daza-Jaller.

Gallup attributed the drop in membership to an increase in the lack of religious affiliation.

“Pope Benedict used to say that he thought the church was going to get smaller but stronger,” said Daza-Jaller.

The survey also cites a decline in formal church membership for those with a religious preference.

“One has to do with the rapid change in society and how difficult it is for religion to change,” Steinhardt said.

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The survey indicated that it aligns with age.

“The impact of technology, the changes in the family, the changes in gender identification,” Steinhardt said.

According to the survey, 66% of adults born before 1946 are members, 58% of baby boomers, 50% of GenX and 36% of millennials.

“In fact, I come here pretty much every day,” said Robin Schwartz, a member of the B’Nai Torah congregation. “It’s something we struggle with all the time. It’s really a dilemma because, on the one hand, I want to know that my children and my grandchildren carry on the joy of traditions,” he said. she said, acknowledging that times are different.

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“Our grandparents who traveled here and fled Europe, when they came here they brought with them their love of their family and their love of their Judaism and their traditions, so me growing up, I was able to connect with that. “

Yolanda and Rogelio Ulibarri try to go to mass every day.

“Each generation is different, but they are neither better nor worse,” said Rogelio Ulibarri. “It’s just different.”

Yolanda Ulibarri believes COVID-19 played a role in this.

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“A lot of people got complacent and watched it on TV, but it’s so important and that’s how you create a community,” said Yolanda Ulibarri.

Some young people agree that the world is a different place.

“Are we practicing? I would say no, probably not in the traditional sense,” said Stephanie Hochberger.

“I just think it’s a modified definition of what practice is,” her husband Eric Hochberger said.

The couple said the faith evolves as families change and their synagogue adapts.

“I think we work more hours collectively than previous generations,” Eric Hochberger said. “It’s harder to find free time.”

“We are raising our children in a Jewish family,” said Stephanie Hochberger. “I think we don’t feel the pressure or the stress of saying prayers every week.”

“I think as long as religion adapts to the changing needs of young families, I think they will survive,” her husband said.

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Jaimie Kuriakose described herself as a devout young Catholic. She believes change is on the horizon.

“We saw the obligations, we saw the practices, the rituals, but we never understood the deeper meaning of things,” Kuriakose said.

“When you look at the 2000 years of the Catholic Church, there have certainly been ebbs and flows,” Daza-Jaller said.

“The changes for me present great challenges and indeed opportunities,” said Steinhardt.