The 'denominations of Judaism'

[famusamu]

Below is a plethora of information describing Judaism's major sects:


Traditionally, Judaism is not divided into religious traditions based on theological difference, although a wide array of communities have developed independently, distinguishable by their varying practices with respect to matters that are not considered central ideas within Judaism. There are several different types of Jewish communitys, which include: Ashkenazi,also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim communities comprise approximately 42% of the world's Jewish population,they are Jews descended from the Jewish communities of Germany, Poland, Austria, and Eastern Europe and Sephardic,whose ancestors were among the Jews expelled from the Spanish peninsula during the Spanish Inquisition incited by the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, comprise approximately 37%. Of the remainder, the collectively-named Mizrahi Jewish, sometimes also called Oriental Jews, communities, the "Arab" and "Persian Jews", comprise the greatest part, with about 16% of the world's Jewish population.

Perhaps the greatest dogmatic divisions since the time of the division between the Sadduccees and Pharisees two millennia ago, are the divisions within the Ashkenazic community that have arisen in the past two centuries. These are the forms of Judaism that we are familar with in America. They include:

Orthodox Judaism (includes Hasidic Judaism, Haredi ("Ultra-Orthodox") Judaism and Modern Orthodox Judaism). Orthodox Jews generally see themselves as practicing normative Judaism, rather than belonging to a particular movement.

Conservative Judaism. Outside of the USA it is known as Masorti Judaism. Conservative Judaism believes that scholarly study of Jewish texts indicates that Judaism has constantly been evolving to meet the needs of the Jewish people in varying circumstances, and that a central halakhic authority can continue the halakhic evolution today." (Soc.Culture.Jewish Usenet Newsgroup FAQ)

Reform Judaism (outside of the USA also known as Progressive Judaism) originally formed in Germany as a reaction to traditional Judaism, stresses integration with society and a personal interpretation of the Torah.

Reconstructionist Judaism. A small liberal Jewish movement, for the most part found only in the USA. It began as a leftist-leaning (politically) liberal (religiously) movement within Conservative Judaism, which formally separated itself from Conservative Judaism in the 1980s.


Other divisions among the rest of the Dispora

Sephardic and Mizrahi Judaism. These communities include the vast majority of remaining Jewish communities, commonly called either Edat Sfarad or Edot haMizrach. Doctrinally, according to these communities, one is either "observant" or "not observant", with numerous gradations in between. This view is an extension of the traditional Jewish position that observance of the mitzvot is a matter of progression toward perfection, rather than an "all or nothing" proposition. Over the past 2 centuries, this position, which appears "tolerant" by comparison, has been one of the great hallmarks delimiting Sephardic and Mizrachi forms of Judaism from Ashkanazic "Orthodoxy".

Karaite Judaism. A small movement which accepts only the written Tanakh, for the most part found in Israel.

Beta Israel. The sect of the Ethopian Jews.

Samaritans. An ancient sect, dating from the Babylonian Exile, sometimes not regarded as Jews. Identified as the Kuthim (possibly after the city of Kut, in modern Iraq, from which their ancestors are believed to have come), who opposed the return of the exiles, as recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

There also exist numerous other small sects within Judaism, and ethnic groups of Jews, such as the Lemba of Southern Africa... http://www.mindspring.com/~jaypsand/index.htm

And last and by no means least Messianic Judaism.

Messianic Judaism is any of a group of loosely related religious movements, all claiming a connection with Judaism. Beliefs and practice range from evangelical Christianity(Jews for Jesus) to close to Orthodox Judaism, while accepting Jesus to be the Messiah and G-d and believing the New Testament (Brit Hadasha) to be G-d inspire Divine Scripture.


It's late................more to come!  

[famusamu]

Next we look in depth as to what each group believes!  

[jhtdjojitjdoitjph]

I went to an Ethiopian Jewish school when I was touring Israel, they are all so cute!

 

[famusamu]

Very cool!!  

[Cradoc]

your smart where do you get all theis awesom information?...are the Jews more 'seperated' as the Christian denominations as the Protestant And Catholic/Orthodox are? (I'm Protestant)  

[murder13dolls]

well it depends. the only ones that are completely sepereate are usually the orthodox because their belief sturcture is stong. orthodox jews usually don't approve of more modernize jewish folk, but i would say they're serperate. for the most part u can say jewish people rather thatn "jews" or "the jews" sorry but it kind of sound offensive. but's it's ok i know you mean no harm 3nodding  

[jewangel]

murder13dolls

well it depends. the only ones that are completely sepereate are usually the orthodox because their belief sturcture is stong. orthodox jews usually don't approve of more modernize jewish folk, but i would say they're serperate. for the most part u can say jewish people rather thatn "jews" or "the jews" sorry but it kind of sound offensive. but's it's ok i know you mean no harm 3nodding

actually ur wrong about orthodox at least in my community and i believe troy the only differance in my community between the orthodox jews and conservitive jews is that we orthodox jews dont drive at all on shabbos and the conservitive jews if they drive its only to synagoge and back. in my community all of the synagoges get togather at all of the shuls and if their food being serve even we the orthodox jews will it it even though the reform shul doesnt have a seperate kitchen of counters like the orthodox and conservitive shuls. the synagoge in troy beth tephielah allows all jews to prayto go their eveb to pray and activities they hold.  

[Sir_Catherine]

jewangel; please watch your spelling. I can't understand every thing you said because of it and am unfamiliar with many of these words and concepts. Thank you. smile

Why is God often typed G-d here?  

[murder13dolls]

jewangel

murder13dolls

well it depends. the only ones that are completely sepereate are usually the orthodox because their belief sturcture is stong. orthodox jews usually don't approve of more modernize jewish folk, but i would say they're serperate. for the most part u can say jewish people rather thatn "jews" or "the jews" sorry but it kind of sound offensive. but's it's ok i know you mean no harm 3nodding

actually ur wrong about orthodox at least in my community and i believe troy the only differance in my community between the orthodox jews and conservitive jews is that we orthodox jews dont drive at all on shabbos and the conservitive jews if they drive its only to synagoge and back. in my community all of the synagoges get togather at all of the shuls and if their food being serve even we the orthodox jews will it it even though the reform shul doesnt have a seperate kitchen of counters like the orthodox and conservitive shuls. the synagoge in troy beth tephielah allows all jews to prayto go their eveb to pray and activities they hold.

oh i meant to put i wouldn't say they are sperate. i reread and that made no sense lol but where i live we all go ot the same synagogue butthere is a specifically orthodox synagogue here too and htey don't let the women in or anything. but they do compare to the way that protestants are with catholics adn what not, we get along... just don't agree with the lifestyles  

[Ragalar3]

Sir_Catherine

jewangel; please watch your spelling. I can't understand every thing you said because of it and am unfamiliar with many of these words and concepts. Thank you. smile

Why is God often typed G-d here?

Because Jews believe that G-d is such a holy name that if it is written down than that object can not go to waste or it would be dis-respectful.
(that is the most basic description there is a whole lot more to it)  

[famusamu]

Why I write G-d



Many people ask why do I type 'G-d' ~ I write it like that as a sign of respect and to remember that His Name should always be something unique and special. Why do you write it that way you may ask? This is to avoid taking His Name lightly or in vain



Why is G-d spelled the without an "o" throughout Jewish writings?

Any Hebrew Name of G-d is forbidden to erase. From the Torah's exhortation to destroy idolatry, we learn out the prohibition not to destroy the Name of G-d. (see Deuteronomy 12:3-4) In Exodus 20:7 it says, “You shall not take the name of the L-RD your G-d in vain, for the L-RD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”

It is forbidden to erase or deface the Name of G-d, and this prohibition applies to all languages. We, therefore, insert a dash in middle of G-d's Name, allowing us to erase or discard the paper it is written on if necessary.

It also is a way of showing respect such as when on the Internet where it can be profaned and disrepected. In the Bible, in prayer books and Holy writings G-d's Name is written properly, for there is no fear that one will discard a Holy text.

Although "G-d" is really just a title and not His name, it certainly is a word which is reserved for Him alone (as opposed to "Creator" or "the benevolent one" which can be used in other contexts as well). We show respect to G-d by not defacing or discarding a word which is designated for Him.

Note that if you disagree with another poster's decision to omit or include the hyphen, you should not publicly criticize or ridicule said poster. Shaul (Paul) wrote: "To the Yehudim(Jews) I became as a Yehudi(Jew), that I might gain Yehudim(Jews); to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, that I might gain those who are under the Law;" 1 Corinthians 9:20 Hebrew Names Version


Point in History: Between 890ce to 940ce, the Hebrew Scriptures added vowels to the Torah. Before this, the Torah had no Vowels. Thus the Name of G-d was written YHWH  

[Bezant]

Is there any idea of what YHWH was?
Are there any double vowels in Hebrew, so YHWH might be Je-hu-Oh-wah, for example?  

[famusamu]

Cherry Sodah

Is there any idea of what YHWH was?
Are there any double vowels in Hebrew, so YHWH might be Je-hu-Oh-wah, for example?

Historical documentation points to YHWH sounding very much like 'yah way' or 'yah vey'  

[Bezant]

famusamu

Cherry Sodah

Is there any idea of what YHWH was?
Are there any double vowels in Hebrew, so YHWH might be Je-hu-Oh-wah, for example?

Historical documentation points to YHWH sounding very much like 'yah way' or 'yah vey'

Yep, that's the most popular rendition...
Is that ancient Hebrew for I AM?  

[RoseRose]

Cherry Sodah

famusamu

Cherry Sodah

Is there any idea of what YHWH was?
Are there any double vowels in Hebrew, so YHWH might be Je-hu-Oh-wah, for example?

Historical documentation points to YHWH sounding very much like 'yah way' or 'yah vey'

Yep, that's the most popular rendition...
Is that ancient Hebrew for I AM?

I randomly found this guild (I'm not a member, but cause it's public I can post), and having taken Biblical Hebrew, it DOESN'T mean that. YHWH is the Hebrew letters yod, hey, vav, hey, while "I AM" is the Hebrew letters alef, hey, yod, hey.

By the way, I'm a Conservative Jew (non-Messianic). And one difference between Orthodox Judaism, and basically all the other Ashekenazic branches is that Orthodox Judaism follows traditional sexual divisions in prayer services and other sorts of observances, while the others are egalitarian. It varies within the Sephardic and Mizrahi communities depending on the religiosity of the synagouge, and I don't know about the others.