Judaism

Branches of Judaism

The different denominations of Judaism are usually distinguished from one another on the basis of their approach to Jewish teachings, their interpretations of the Torah and Talmud, and the level of observance of Jewish law (the halachah). Judaism can be loosely divided into five religious streams: Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Ultra-Orthodox, and Reconstructionist.

Orthodox

The Orthodox Jewish tradition considers the Torah to be the divine word passed down from God to Moshe. As such, the details of the Torah are considered to be unchanging and binding. Orthodox Judaism also advocates for the full observance of Jewish law as interpreted by rabbinic authorities over the centuries. This includes weekly observance of Shabbat, observing Jewish dietary laws and recognition of male-only rabbis. For many Orthodox Jewish people, Judaism is understood as an all-encompassing system that defines their social, cultural and religious life.

Reform

The Reform Jewish tradition (also called Liberal or Progressive) is the largest affiliation of Jewish people in America. The general view of Reform Judaism is that the beliefs and practices encompassed in the Jewish tradition are adaptable to the norms of modern society. As a result, emphasis is often placed on ethical principles (such as tikkun olam) rather than strict observance of Jewish law. For some Reform Jewish people, Judaism is understood more as a culture rather than an all-encompassing worldview.

Conservative

The Conservative Jewish tradition has often been thought of as the midpoint on the spectrum between Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Like Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism advocates for the authority and observance of Jewish law. But, like Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism emphasises the historical developments of Judaism and how Jewish law has and can change according to the historical context. As such, Conservative Jews often maintain traditions such as observing Shabbat and keeping kosher, while also embracing modern values such as gender equality.

Ultra-Orthodox

The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish tradition (also known as Haredi in Hebrew) is strongly committed to living in accordance with the Torah, Talmud and Jewish law as interpreted by rabbinic authorities. As such, Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities generally believe that the Torah and Jewish law provide detailed guidance for everyday life, including religious practices, family life, education, and community behaviour. Religious study, particularly the study of the Torah and Talmud, is highly valued, and many Haredi communities emphasise separation from aspects of secular culture that they view as conflicting with Jewish values. There are many sub-groups within the Ultra-Orthodox tradition, such as Chabad-Lubavitch.

Reconstructionist

The Reconstructionist Jewish tradition emerged in the early 20th century, founded by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan. It views Judaism as an evolving culture with an emphasis on community, Jewish identity, traditions, ethics, and shared values. Similar to Conservative Judaism, Reconstructionist Judaism views the Jewish tradition as able to maintain its connection and adherence to Jewish law, while also able to be adapted and reinterpreted over time. For instance, the bat mitzvah was introduced in 1922 by Mordecai Kaplan to celebrate his daughter’s religious coming of age.

Jewish Mysticism

The Jewish mystical tradition is diverse, with some more intellectual in nature and others more focused on the experience. Some common activities of the intellectually focused streams include studying the Torah and performing mitzvot while simultaneously foregrounding the mystical significance of these practices. Practices from the experientially focused streams include meditation and chanting as an attempt to experience a unity with God. Traditional mystical concepts are found throughout Jewish thought. The most famous stream of Jewish mysticism is Kabbalah, which focuses on a commentary of the Torah known as the ‘Zohar’.

Secular Judaism

There are some secular streams of Judaism based on political, ethnic or cultural Jewish identification, rather than religious affiliation. Those who are secularly Jewish tend to have a vague identification with Judaism through culture or ethnicity. One example is Humanistic Judaism, which allows Jewish people to celebrate Jewish culture, history and events through a non-theistic interpretation (i.e., without reference to God).

Social Structure

The social structure of a Jewish community is generally expected to be able to provide for all the members’ spiritual and physical needs. This means that many Jewish communities may have specific buildings, institutions and professions dedicated to the Jewish community. Some examples include a synagogue, Jewish schools, a court, doctor, teacher and ritual slaughterer or butcher (to help the community abide by dietary laws). Local synagogues are often at the heart of the Jewish community.

Organisational Structure

The organisational structure of Judaism is not hierarchical, which means there is no figurehead who presides over the entirety of the religion. There are numerous different roles within a Jewish community related to services held at a synagogue:

• Rabbi: A rabbi is a person sufficiently educated in Jewish law and tradition to spiritually guide the community, answer questions, resolve disputes and officiate life-cycle events. Although a rabbi holds considerable authority within their respective stream of Judaism, a rabbi is usually thought of as a teacher, not a priest. Some streams of Judaism indicate that only males can become rabbis, while some permit both men and women.
• Chazzan: A chazzan (cantor) is the person who leads the congregation in prayer. Any Jewish person with thorough knowledge of the prayers and songs can lead the prayer service, though in more conservative synagogues the role of cantor is reserved for a man. In some synagogues, members of the community may lead some of the prayer service. In smaller congregations, the rabbi may act as both the rabbi and the chazzan.
• Minyan: The term minyan refers to an assembly of ten or more Jewish men (or adults depending on the tradition). The presence of a minyan is required for public worship.