Branches of Judaism

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LincolnSpector

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In a separate thread, wil asked me to discuss my views of the various branches of Judaism. Here they are, in what I believe is the correct chronological order (although I'm not bothering to check my facts).

Orthodox: Practicing the religion as it has been for centuries, with a real attempt to follow all laws of Torah and Talmud.

Chasidic: They believe that God wants us to be happy, and that prayer should be joyful with song and dance. But also, they believe that God wants them to be more orthodox than the Orthodox.

Reform: Being Jewish without seeming too strange around white Protestants. Not much concern for the laws.

Conservative: Trying to find a middle ground between Orthodox and Reform. The old joke defines Conservative Judaism as when the rabbi is Orthodox and the congregation is reform. Except that these days, the Conservative rabbi is likely to be a woman, or openly gay.

Reconstructionist: God is a human-created social construct, not a supreme being, but God is still worth worshipping. Many but not all keep kosher, strictly observe Shabbat, etc.

Renewal: A merging of Chasidic joy with Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist open-mindedness. Renewal comes out of the cultural changes of the 60s, and tends towards left-wing politics and alternative lifestyles.

I'm most comfortable with Reconstructionist and Renewal Judaism.
 
The percentage that see the Pentateuch as written by Moses as dictated by G!d would be near 100% orthodox to near zero Renewal?

Same with Theists to agnostics/atheists?

But seems to me most of the literalists would reside in the middle? Toward renewal they are stories, into orthodox they are mystical/metaphysical stories?

Comfortable around Renewal? Run into many Jufies? JewBhus?
 
Chasids take the Torah literally. I don't think many Orthodox do. Of course, they could still think it was dictated by God and the creation stories aren't literal truth.

I'm pretty sure that, once you get away from the Orthodox, pretty much no one believes the Torah was dictated by God to Moses. A friend of mine, far more educated in this stuff than I am, estimates that 80% of American religious Jews, outside of Chasid and Orthodox, don't really believe that God exists. He describes them as "Reconstructionist but don't know it."

And yes, I know some JewBhus.
 
LincolnSpector said:
In a separate thread, wil asked me to discuss my views of the various branches of Judaism. Here they are, in what I believe is the correct chronological order (although I'm not bothering to check my facts).

Orthodox: Practicing the religion as it has been for centuries, with a real attempt to follow all laws of Torah and Talmud.

Chasidic: They believe that God wants us to be happy, and that prayer should be joyful with song and dance. But also, they believe that God wants them to be more orthodox than the Orthodox.

Reform: Being Jewish without seeming too strange around white Protestants. Not much concern for the laws.

Conservative: Trying to find a middle ground between Orthodox and Reform. The old joke defines Conservative Judaism as when the rabbi is Orthodox and the congregation is reform. Except that these days, the Conservative rabbi is likely to be a woman, or openly gay.

Reconstructionist: God is a human-created social construct, not a supreme being, but God is still worth worshipping. Many but not all keep kosher, strictly observe Shabbat, etc.

Renewal: A merging of Chasidic joy with Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist open-mindedness. Renewal comes out of the cultural changes of the 60s, and tends towards left-wing politics and alternative lifestyles.

I'm most comfortable with Reconstructionist and Renewal Judaism.
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Facile, outdated, and sometimes just plain wrong.
 
I am curious. How many Jews, Orthodox or not, are circumcised and still practicing circumcision on the eighth day of birth?
 
The Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox circumcise their sons at eight days unless the infant's health prevents it. I'm not sure if all of the other branches do or not, but eight days is the earliest.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
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Idk where you are from... But circumcision is commonplace in US...done before the male child leaves the hospital at birth (unless you are Jewish and/or object to it)
 
wil said:
Idk where you are from... But circumcision is commonplace in US...done before the male child leaves the hospital at birth (unless you are Jewish and/or object to it)
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True, but there is a special person who performs the circumcision in Judaism called a mohel. He is required to perform the ritual (unlike non-Jewish circumcisions done at the hospital.) More information can be found on jewfaq.org.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
 
Courage said:
I am curious. How many Jews, Orthodox or not, are circumcised and still practicing circumcision on the eighth day of birth?
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I am orthodox and manage a store with customers from all denominations. All Jews curcumsize. Can't tell you if reform / conservative do it in eigth day.
 
The difference between regular orthodox and chassidish is one of priority in service of God . Regular orthodox prioritize Torah study , chassidish focus more on prayer and mitzvah observance.
LincolnSpector said:
In a separate thread, wil asked me to discuss my views of the various branches of Judaism. Here they are, in what I believe is the correct chronological order (although I'm not bothering to check my facts).

Orthodox: Practicing the religion as it has been for centuries, with a real attempt to follow all laws of Torah and Talmud.

Chasidic: They believe that God wants us to be happy, and that prayer should be joyful with song and dance. But also, they believe that God wants them to be more orthodox than the Orthodox.

Reform: Being Jewish without seeming too strange around white Protestants. Not much concern for the laws.

Conservative: Trying to find a middle ground between Orthodox and Reform. The old joke defines Conservative Judaism as when the rabbi is Orthodox and the congregation is reform. Except that these days, the Conservative rabbi is likely to be a woman, or openly gay.

Reconstructionist: God is a human-created social construct, not a supreme being, but God is still worth worshipping. Many but not all keep kosher, strictly observe Shabbat, etc.

Renewal: A merging of Chasidic joy with Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist open-mindedness. Renewal comes out of the cultural changes of the 60s, and tends towards left-wing politics and alternative lifestyles.

I'm most comfortable with Reconstructionist and Renewal Judaism.
Click to expand...
 
LincolnSpector said:
In a separate thread, wil asked me to discuss my views of the various branches of Judaism. Here they are, in what I believe is the correct chronological order (although I'm not bothering to check my facts).

Orthodox: Practicing the religion as it has been for centuries, with a real attempt to follow all laws of Torah and Talmud.

Chasidic: They believe that God wants us to be happy, and that prayer should be joyful with song and dance. But also, they believe that God wants them to be more orthodox than the Orthodox.

Reform: Being Jewish without seeming too strange around white Protestants. Not much concern for the laws.

Conservative: Trying to find a middle ground between Orthodox and Reform. The old joke defines Conservative Judaism as when the rabbi is Orthodox and the congregation is reform. Except that these days, the Conservative rabbi is likely to be a woman, or openly gay.

Reconstructionist: God is a human-created social construct, not a supreme being, but God is still worth worshipping. Many but not all keep kosher, strictly observe Shabbat, etc.

Renewal: A merging of Chasidic joy with Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist open-mindedness. Renewal comes out of the cultural changes of the 60s, and tends towards left-wing politics and alternative lifestyles.

I'm most comfortable with Reconstructionist and Renewal Judaism.
Click to expand...
Comfortable doesn't make something correct , it just makes it easier.
 
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