Note: The differences discussed here are based upon shared generalities of that movement. There are of course differing opinions within each movement.

Find an Orthodox Synagogue near you
Find a Chabad Center near you

Orthodox Judaism (also known as Traditional Judaism) is the oldest sect of Judaism - and in fact, was the only sect until Reform Judaism came into being in 19th century Germany.

Orthodox Judaism is a formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmudic texts ("Oral Torah") and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim.

Orthodox Judaism is characterized by belief that the Torah and its laws are Divine, were transmitted by Hashem to Moses, are eternal, and are unalterable; belief that there is also an oral law in Judaism, which contains the authoritative interpretation of the written Torah's legal sections, and is also Divine by virtue of having been transmitted by Hashem to Moses along with the Written Law, as embodied in the Talmud, Midrash, and innumerable related texts, all intrinsically and inherently entwined with the written law of the Torah; belief that Hashem has made an exclusive, unbreakable covenant with the Children of Israel to be governed by the Torah; adherence to Halacha, or Jewish law, including acceptance of codes, mainly the Shulchan Aruch, as authoritative practical guidance in application of both the written and oral laws, as well as acceptance of halacha-following Rabbis as authoritative interpreters and judges of Jewish law; belief in Jewish eschatology. Orthodox beliefs may be most found in their adherence to the thirteen Jewish principles of faith as stated by the Rambam (Maimonides).^[1]

The 2000 National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS) performed by the Council of Jewish Federations found that 21% of the Jews in America identify themselves as Orthodox as compared to 7% in the 1990 NJPS.

Find a Conservative Synagogue near you (Canada/America)
Find a Masorti Synagogue near you (Outside Canada/America)

Conservative Judaism grew out of the tension between Orthodoxy and Reform. It was formally organized as the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism by Dr. Solomon Schechter in 1913, although its roots in the Jewish Theological Seminary of America stretch back into the 1880s.

The principles of Conservative Judaism include:
1. A deliberately non-fundamentalist teaching of Jewish principles of faith;
2. A positive attitude toward modern culture; and
3. An acceptance of both traditional rabbinic modes of study and modern scholarship and critical text study when considering Jewish religious texts.

Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism, developed in 1850s Germany as a reaction to the more liberal religious positions taken by Reform Judaism. The term conservative was meant to signify that Jews should attempt to conserve Jewish tradition, rather than reform or abandon it.²

The term Conservative Judaism doesn't refer to a narrowly defined movement or school of thought. Rather, it refers to a broad religious movement with an overlapping range of beliefs and practices that are more liberal than what is affirmed in Orthodoxy, and more traditional than what is affirmed in Reform. This definition covers a wide range of groups and individual prayer communities outside of the formal Conservative movement.^[2]

The Conservative movement, more narrowly defined, refers to a specific religious group with a well-defined organizational structure, specifically the LCCJ, Leadership Council of Conservative Judaism, and any people affiliated with any of these organizations.^[2]

Conservative Jewish groups in the broader sense include Traditional-Egalitarian synagogues, and many non-movement affiliated synagogues, kehillot and chavurot, and any people affiliated with any of these organizations.^[2]

The 2000 NJPS found that 33% of the Jews in America identify themselves as Conservative as compared to 38% in the 1990 NJPS.

Find a Reform Synagogue near you (Canada/America)
Find a Progressive Synagogue near you (Outisde Canada/America)

Leopold Zunz suggested that Jews study their history and learn of the great achievements of the past. While Zunz was implementing his ideas, a movement began to make religious services better understood, by incorporating music and the local language. Rabbi Abraham Geiger suggested that observance might also be changed to appeal to modern people. Between 1810 and 1820, congregations in Seesen, Hamburg and Berlin instituted fundamental changes in traditional Jewish practices and beliefs, such as mixed seating, singleday observance of festivals and the use of a cantor/choir. Many leaders of the Reform movement took a very "rejectionist" view of Jewish practice and discarded traditions and rituals.^[3]

Traditional Reform Judaism does not believe that the Torah was written by Hashem but was written by separate sources and redacted together. Many non-observant, nominal, and/or agnostic Jews identify themselves as Reform simply because Reform is the most liberal movement.

The classical approach of Reform Judaism towards halacha was based on the views of Rabbi Samuel Holdheim (1806-1860), leader of Reform Judaism in Germany, and other reformers. Holdheim believed that Reform Judaism should be based solely upon monotheism and morality. Almost everything connected with Jewish ritual law and custom was of the ancient past, and thus no longer appropriate for Jews to follow in the modern era. Since the 1940s, the American Reform movement has continued to change, sometimes evolving in what appears to be a traditional direction. Many Reform congregations use more Hebrew in their religious services and are incorporating aspects of laws and customs, in a selective fashion, into their lives. This is a departure from the classical Reform position in favor of more traditional Judaism.^[4]

The 2000 NJPS found that 39% of the Jews in America identify themselves as Reform as compared to 42% in the 1990 NJPS.

Find a Reconstructionist Synagogue near you

Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement based on the ideas of Mordecai Kaplan. The movement views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization. It originated as the radical left branch of Conservative Judaism before it splintered. The movement developed from the late 1920s to 1940s, and it established a rabbinical college in 1968.^[5]

There is substantial theological diversity within the movement. Halacha is not considered binding, but is treated as a valuable cultural remnant that should be upheld unless there is reason for the contrary. The movement emphasizes positive views towards modernism, and has an approach to Jewish custom which aims toward communal decision making through a process of education and distillation of values from traditional Jewish sources.^[5]

Unlike classical Reform Judaism, Reconstructionism holds that a person's default position should be to incorporate Jewish laws and tradition into their lives, unless they have a specific reason to do otherwise. The most important distinction between Reconstructionist Judaism and traditional Judaism is that Reconstructionism feels that all of halacha should be categorized as "folkways", and not as law.^[5]

Reconstructionism promotes many traditional Jewish practices, while holding that contemporary Western secular morality has precedence over Jewish law. Thus, mitzvot (commandments) have been replaced with "folkways", non-binding customs that can be democratically accepted or rejected by the congregations. Folkways that are promoted include keeping Hebrew in the prayer service, studying Torah, daily prayer, wearing kipot (yarmulkas), tallitot and tefillin during prayer, and observance of the Jewish holidays.^[5]

According to the 2000 NJPS, only 3% of the Jews in America identify themselves as Reconstructionist as compared to 1% in the 1990 NJPS.

^[1]"Orthodox Judaism." wikipedia.org Wikipedia, n.d.
^[2]"Conservative Judaism." wikipedia.org Wikipedia, n.d.
^[3]"The Origins of Reform Judaism." jewishvirtuallibraya.org Jewish Virtual Library, n.d.
^[4]"Reform Judaism." wikipedia.org Wikipedia, n.d.
^[5]"Reconstructionist Judaism." wikipedia.org Wikipedia, n.d.

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