Judaism Many Branches of One Tree

1. JudaismMany Branches of One Tree

2. Movements in Ancient Times • Oldest records of formal differences: • The time of Chanukah • Land of Israel controlled by Greece • Hellenizing Jews opposed by traditionalists • War broke out • The Jewish people united against the Greeks

3. War ended • Jewish people divided into 4: • Essenes • Sadducees • Pharisees • Zealots

4. The Essenes • Mystical group • Strict discipline • Lived in isolation • Dead Sea Scrolls

5. The Sadducees • Developed from Hellenism • Priests and the wealthiest • Strict, narrow and unchanging interpretation of the written Torah • Did not believe in oral Torah • The Temple and its sacrificial services • Adopted Greek culture

6. The Pharisees • God gave the Jews both a written Torah and an oral Torah • Written and Oral Torah equally binding • Open to reinterpretation by the rabbis • Devoted to study of the Torah and education for all

7. Zealots • Judea conquered by Rome • Tensions with Rome began • The Zealots=nationalistic movement • Not a religious group • Favored war against Rome

8. Pharisees' ideas are the only one that survived the destruction of the Temple

9. After the destruction of the Temple, Judaism was Judaism • Basically the same as Orthodox Judaism today • Some differences in practices and customs between the Ashkenazim and Sephardim

10. Karaites and Rabbinical Judaism • 9th century, Karaites (literally, People of the Scripture) separated from Rabbinic Judaism • Believed in strict interpretation of the literal text • No rabbinic interpretation • Said rabbinic law not part of an oral tradition and not from God

11. Karaites and Rabbinical Judaism • Difference most obvious in regard to Shabbat: • Karaites kept their houses dark on Shabbat (no fires) • Rabbinic interpretation allowed Jews to leave burning a flame lit before Shabbat • Karaites use a different calendar • Karaites were once as much as 40% of Jews • Today, Karaites are a very small minority

12. Sephardim • Jews whose ancestors lived in Spain and Portugal starting in the Middle Ages • Fled first to North Africa and other parts of the Ottoman Empire • Settled in France, Holland, England, Italy, and the Balkan states • Differ from the Ashkenazi Jews: • Language: Ladino • Preservation of Babylonian traditions • Many now live in Israel

13. Ashkenazim • Descendants of Historically Yiddish-speaking European Jews who settled in central and northern Europe • Originally from the Rhineland valley • Name derived from the Hebrew word Ashkenaz ("Germany") • After the Crusades (late 11th century) many migrated east to Poland, Lithuania, and Russia • Ashkenazim and Sephardim differ in: • Cultural traditions • Pronunciation of Hebrew • Synagogue chanting • Today they constitute more than 80% of the world's Jews

14. Chasidim • Chasidism started in the 1700s • The first of the modern movements • Developed in Eastern Europe • Founded by Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov) • Before Chasidism, Judaism emphasized education as the way to get closer to God • Chasidism emphasized alternative routes to God : • personal experiences • Mysticism • Considered a radical movement at the time • There was strong opposition from those who held to the pre-existing view of Judaism.

15. Mitnagdim • Those who opposed Chasidism • Means opponents • Strong disputes between the Chasidim and the Mitnagdim • Today, the Chasidim and the Mitnagdim are relatively unified • Both are Torah observant forms of Judaism

16. Chasidim • Today all branches of Judaism have been strongly influenced by Chasidic teachings • Chasidic sects are organized around a spiritual leader called a Rebbe or a tzaddik • A Chasid consults his Rebbe about all major life decisions • Chasidism is a strong movement • The Lubavitcher Chasidim are very vocal with a high media presence • There are still many active Chasidic sects

17. Movements in the United States Today • Approximately 5 million of the world's 13 million Jews live in the United States. • There are basically four major movements in the U.S. today: • Reform • Conservative • Reconstructionist • Orthodox • Orthodox and sometimes Conservative are described as "traditional" movements. • Reform, Reconstructionist, and sometimes Conservative are described as "liberal" or "modern" movements

18. Orthodox Judaism • Orthodoxy is actually made up of several different groups. It includes: • Modern Orthodox: largely integrated into modern society and also observance of halakhah (Jewish Law) • Chasidim, who often live separately and dress distinctively • Yeshivish Orthodox, who are neither Chasidic nor modern. • The Orthodox movements are similar in belief

19. Orthodox Judaism • As a movement believe that God gave Moses the whole Torah at Mount Sinai • The "whole Torah" includes: • The Written Torah (the first five books of the Bible) • The Oral Torah (an oral tradition interpreting and explaining the Written Torah) • They Believe • The Torah is true • The Torah has come down to us intact and unchanged • The Torah contains 613 mitzvot binding upon Jews but not upon non-Jews

20. Orthodox Judaism • 1990 National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS) • 7% of the Jews in America identify as Orthodox • 2000 NJPS • 13% of the Jews in America identify as Orthodox • 2013 Pew Research Study: • 10% Jews in America identify as Orthodox

21. Reform Judaism • Began in the 1800’s in Germany • Founders of the movement sought to “Reform” Judaism • Wanted a Judaism more compatible with modern life • In the early years, Reform Judaism sought to get rid of traditions such as: • Kashrut • Kippot and Tallit • Praying in Hebrew (prayed in German) • Shabbat on Saturday (changed it to Sunday) • Bar Mitzvah (replaced by Confirmation) • Today, many of these traditions have been embraced once again

22. Reform Judaism • As a movement does not believe the Torah was the word of God • The movement accepts the critical theory of Biblical authorship: • the Bible was written by separate sources • It was redacted together • Reform Judaism does not believe the observance of ritual commandments is required • They retain much of the values and ethics of Judaism • Some choose to follow ritual practices

23. Reform Judaism • Many non-observant Jews identify themselves as Reform because Reform is the “most liberal” • There are approximately 850 Reform synagogues in the United States and Canada  • 1990 NJPS • 42% of the Jews in America identify as Reform • 2000 NJPS • 39% of the Jews in America identify as Reform • 2013 Pew Research Study: • 34% Jews in America identify as Reform

24. Conservative Judaism • Grew out of the tension between Orthodox and Reform • Formally organized as the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in by Dr. Solomon Schechter in 1913

25. Conservative Judaism • The movement believes the truths found in the Tanach and other Jewish writings come from God • They were transmitted by humans and contain a human component • Accepts the binding nature of halakhah • Believes that the Law should change and adapt, absorbing aspects of the predominant culture while remaining true to Judaism's values • Lots of variation among Conservative synagogues. • Some are indistinguishable from Reform, but with more Hebrew • Some practically Orthodox, except that men and women sit together • This flexibility deeply rooted in Conservative Judaism

26. Conservative Judaism • Approximately 325 Conservative synagogues in the U.S. and Canada • 1990 NJPS: • 38% Jews in America identify as Conservative • 2000 NJPS • 33% Jews in America identify as Conservative • 2013 Pew Research Study: • 26% Jews in America identify as Conservative

27. Reconstructionist Judaism • An outgrowth of Conservative Judaism • Founded by Mordecai Kaplan • Conservative rabbi • Taught at JTS (Conservative Rabbinical School) • Doesn't fit neatly into the traditional/liberal, observant/non-observant continuum

28. Reconstructionist Judaism • Movement believes that Judaism is an "evolving religious civilization" • Do not believe in a personified deity that is active in history • Do not believe that God chose the Jewish people • Greater emphasis on Jewish observance than Reform Judaism • Reconstructionists observe the halakhah: • If they choose to • Not because it is a binding Law from God • Because it is a valuable cultural remnant

29. Reconstructionist Judaism • Reconstructionism small movement • Lots of Reconstructionists serve as rabbis to Jewish college student organizations and JCCs • Just over 100 Reconstructionist synagogues in the U.S. and Canada • 1990 NJPS • 1% of Jews in America identify as Reconstructionist • 2000 NJPS • 3% of Jews in America identify as Reconstructionist • 2013 Pew Research Study: • 2% Jews in America identify as Reconstructionist

30. Other (Smaller) Movements • Jewish Renewal: • Seeking a renewed encounter between God and the Jewish people • Understanding Jewish history as a series of encounters with God • Nurtures the rebbe-spark (that is, the creative energy and leadership that comes from direct contact with the Divine) in everyone • Does not fear the rebbe-sparks emergence in different ways and degrees at different moments in different people • Nurtures communities that dance and wrestle with God and are: • Intimate • Participatory • Egalitarian • Create shared openness to spiritual experience • Seek to assist the spiritual growth and healing of individuals, communities, whole societies, and the planet • Humanistic Judaism • Embraces a human-centered philosophy • Combines the celebration of Jewish culture and identity with an adherence to humanistic values and ideas  • Offers a nontheistic alternative in contemporary Jewish life

31. Physical Differences • Mechitzah • Tallit / Tallit Katan • Kipah • Tefillin • Placement of the Bima • Leaders / Rabbis • Musical Instruments

32. Structure of the Service • One significant differences between services is Musaf (additional) service.  • Musaf represents the additional sacrifice offered at the Temple • Musaf expresses the hope that the Temple in Jerusalem and its rites of ritual sacrificed will be renewed • Reform and Reconstructionist synagogue do not recite Musaf • Conservative synagogues recites Musaf, but has redefined it: • It reminds us of the Temple • It is not a call for God to return to sacrifice

33. Reform Siddur • Poetic translations and new meditations • Gender sensitive: • Matriarchs along with patriarch • Reworks traditional Hebrew passages to match to Reform Judaism • Does not accept literal conception of: • The revelation of Torah • The physical resurrection of the dead • The reinstitution of sacrifices • Home observances (Kiddush and the parents' blessing for their children) come first • Starts with Shabbat prayers, then weekday prayers

34. Conservative Siddur • Uses traditional Hebrew with a few key passages adapted for ideological reasons • References to resurrection are the same Hebrew text, but are reinterpreted in English • Two parallel openings of the Amidah prayer: • One with the traditional reference to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob • Another including the matriarchs • Expands holidays on which one says the Al Ha-nisim prayer of thanks for miracles to include: • Hanukkah   • Purim • Yom Ha'atzmaut

35. Reconstructionist Siddur • Called Kol Haneshamah (every creature" or "all that breathes) • Innovative approach to liturgy: • Traditionalist in form • Radical in ideology • Full Hebrew text given for prayers • Follows the traditional "matbeah shel tefilah" (order of prayer) • Modern English translation • Gender neutral • Alternative versions reflect different interpretations • Varied names for God • "Kavanot” (deeper meanings) following many prayers • Songs, poems and readings

36. Differences in Prayers • ברכות השחר • אמהות • מתים \ הכל • משיב הרוח \ מוריד הטל • בחר בנו \ קרבתנו • מוסף • עלינו • שמות לה"