August 2007


The Flavors of Judaism
By Suzan Berns

In the U.S., when people talk about Judaism, they’re usually referring to the three major streams – Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. In larger communities, such as our Bay Area there are two others to add to the mix – Reconstructionist, and the newest kid on the block, Renewal Judaism. How did they come about – and what is the difference?

In the beginning, according to Rabbi Michael Barenbaum, rabbi emeritus at Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael, Jews were of one kind. That’s not to say they all believed the same, for as Barenbaum mused, if there’s one Jew, there are two opinions. But their practice was virtually the same: it was based on “oral tradition” – a system of taking the laws written in the Torah and providing specific instructions on how to carry them out. This worked because Jews were relegated to their own communities, apart from the rest of society. It wasn’t until the 18th century and the Enlightenment, when Jews began to leave their shtetels and live in a limited way amongst the rest of society, that they began to rewrite the laws.

In the 1760s, Moses Mendelssohn, a philosopher and an orthodox German Jew, who was well regarded among German intelligentsia despite his religion, initiated the move into the greater society with the first translation of the Hebrew bible into another language – German. Mendelssohn’s goal was to encourage German Jews, who primarily spoke Yiddish, to learn to write and speak German so they could benefit from the privileges of a more worldly and educated life. Some leaders approved of his efforts and others condemned him for it, believing it provided an opening for Jews to assimilate.

Thus began the movement from only one way of practicing, based on oral or rabbinic tradition, to a more liberal translation of the laws – and subsequently, in the next centuries, to new streams of Judaism.

Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism is based on strict observance of the laws of the Torah as interpreted by the rabbis in the Talmud. Modern Orthodox Jews are more accepting of the secular world and encourage followers to take their places in it, while adhering strictly to the oral tradition. This tradition was not named “Orthodox” until Reform Judaism was formed in the early 19th century. Until then, it was the only form of practice.

Conservative Judaism
An American Jewish creation, Conservative Judaism was considered an alternative – a middle-ground – to Reform and Orthodox Judaism. It was founded in Philadelphia by Italian-born Rabbi Sabato Morais in the late 1800s, but the name most commonly associated with its development is Rabbi Solomon Schechter. Like Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism is bound by the laws of the Torah; but unlike it, Conservative Jews are willing to introduce modifications to accommodate changes in society and culture.

Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism started in Germany in the early 19th century as a reaction to the rigidity of practice at the time. It grew throughout Europe as Jews became more educated and accepted into mainstream society. Near the end of the 1800s, Isaac Mayer Wise, an orthodox Jew from Europe, founded American Reform Judaism. It was considered much more radical than its European counterpart. Wise rejected laws he felt were unimportant such as wearing a head covering during services and kashrut (keeping kosher), and made social activism the central focus for its adherents.

Reconstructionist Judaism
Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan introduced Reconstructionism in the 1940s. Based on his knowledge of science, he rejected the idea of a personal God and consequently, the idea of Jews as the “chosen people.” In his prayer book, published in 1945, he instituted changes in traditional prayers that reflected these notions. He believed that Judaism is an “evolving religious civilization” and its rituals were “folkways” of the Jewish people. In 1922, he celebrated the bat mitzvah of his daughter – the first such celebration for any Jewish girl in the U.S. Kaplan instituted the idea of Jewish community centers where Jews could gather for reasons other than prayer as well as havurot, small groups that observe holidays or study together. The Reconstructionist movement today has changed and many of Kaplan’s ideas are no longer followed.

Jewish Renewal
The newest stream of Judaism, Jewish Renewal traces its roots to movements of the late 20th century such as feminism, the Havurah movement and to the work of Rabbis Shlomo Carlebach and Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. It is sometimes referred to as post-denominational with an emphasis on direct spiritual experience and mystical or Kabbalistic teachings. Jewish Renewal includes meditation, chanting, dancing and mysticism as well as a commitment to tikkun olam, repairing the world.

 

« Previous Article | Back to Newsletter | Next Article »