10 Minute Topics: Modern Sects of Judaism

The next in a weekly series of 10 minute topics teaching about various topics within Judaism. This week's topic is: Modern Sects of Judaism.

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.

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.

Reform Judaism can trace its origins back to the thoughts of Leopold Zunz who 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.

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.

Sources:
Orthodox Judaism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Judaism)

Conservative Judaism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Judaism)

The Origins of Reform Judaism (http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/The_Origins_of_Reform_Judai­sm.html)

Reform Judaism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_Judaism_(North_America))

Reconstructionist Judaism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructionist_Judaism)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Judaism
• Jewish
• Sects
• Orthodox
• Conservative
• Masorti
• Reform
• Progressive
• Reconstructionist
• Torah
• Revelation
• Talmud
• Law
• Halacha
• Holidays

[ZviJ1]

The presenter ignores the Qaraite (Scripturalist) denomination altogether, possibly on purpose since it formally rejects the supposed authority of the Rabbis altogether. Google Qaraite Judaism...

[becomingjewishorg]

@ZviJ1 - Karaties are NOT considered a valid sect of Judaism. At best they can be considered Noahides but not Jews.

[zochirho]

I find the Hasidic view of Judaism fascinating. It provides a metaphysical exegesis of mainstream Rabbinic Thought and theology. This video fails to mention them and I do not know why. Is it because of the Kabbalah(Kohar) and its teachings of the sefirot shechina?

[becomingjewishorg]

Due to the time limit I did not really separate out all the sects. I personally have learned a lot from the Chasidim. Even though I am not really all that interested in Zohar/Kabbalah at this point, I have learned from it.

[sillypuppy2]

I keep hearing every now and then about how the old testament doesn't mention heaven or hell. How do Jews today view the afterlife?

[becomingjewishorg]

There really is no mention of an afterlife in the Tanach. Today, the general consensus is that there is a heaven and there is a "hell". There is a place of eternal hell for the very evil (Hitler, Hussein, etc). There is also a "hell" which is a place of purification before one ascends to heaven.

Generally, the focus for Judaism is on this life and not the hereafter.

[ZviJ1]

@bariguy87 Some Samaritans are Jewish according to ONE Halakhic criterion (born to Jewish mothers), but to count them as full-fledged Jewish is spurious.

The only manner I deign to refer to the "Judaism" on the heels of the Messianic word is to surround it with quotation marks as I've just done, and I implore every fellow Jew to do so.

Todah rabbah

[bariguy87]

@ZviJ1

Many dont count them, I am a Jewish Rabbi who does count them. Karaite, Samaritan, Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Convervadox, Reconstructionist, Renewal, Humanistic. Not Messianic Judaism, but the rest, yes

[ZviJ1]

@becomingjewishorg Noahides? Neither Rambam nor any other Rabbinic great from the Rishonim or Aharonim writing on the Qaraite Jews considered themn "Noahides" to my knowledge,whereas Rambam & any Rabbinic Gadol following his position consider them Jewish e.g. R. David Ibn Zimra (16th cen.),R. Ovadia Yosef+R. Ben Shlush (of 20th cen.)...But ur fringe opinion should b preferred when it's downright ridiculous? I'll keep believing those serious Rabbis and dismiss ur hateful opinion.

[ZviJ1]

@DanielForkbeard I see in the Khumash's Text only a general condemnation of following gentile pagan ways.

Whether or not the Text forbids shaving beards is under controversy.

[ZviJ1]

@XXpRoMLGsNiPeXX Still are. More than 40,000 of them, not counting the closet Qaraites.

How typical of the presenter to gloss over them altogether as if they're non-existant.

[Mrpastry909]

@tastybitepizza

No, it's the other way around. Orthodox Judaism for centuries was really the only sect of Judaism. Reform Jews don't keep kosher or wear yarmulkes all the time. Gradually throughout the years it became a bit less intense. I think it wasn't until the 1700s or so when Moses Mendelssohn, a Jewish student in Germany, helped form Reform Judaism. His message was "believe in G-d and be a Jew, but don't isolate yourselves from your fellow countrymen. Assimilate with your country."

[leilaloveslollies]

i have an assignment on judaism and i need to know why the different sects formed

what i am trying to say if what caused people to start a new sect rather than sticking to the old sect or the sect that came before