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Orthodox Reform Conservative SPECIAL TOPIC 8.4 JEWISH SPECIAL TOPIC 8.4 JEWISH MOVEMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES: INSTITUTIONS, SIZE, AND KEY BELIEFS Movements Orthodox Reform Conservative Reconstructionist Humanistic Renewal Institutions 1886: Jewish Theological Seminary 1873: Union of American Hebrew 1901: Rabbinical Assembly (RA) 1922: Society for the Advancement of 1967: Association of Humanistic Rabbis 1962: B’nai Or Religious Fellowship (JTS) Congregations (UAHC); now called 1902: Founded in 1886, only at this Judaism 1969: Society for Humanistic Judaism 1993: Alliance for Jewish Renewal (ALEPH) 1898: Union of Orthodox Jewish Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) time did the Jewish Theological 1955: Jewish Reconstructionist Federation 1985: International Institute for Secular 1997: ALEPH rabbinical program § Congregations of America (OU) 1875: Hebrew Union College (HUC) Seminary (JTS) begin an explicit (synagogue arm of movement); now part Humanistic Judaism (IISHJ) 1998: Ohalah (Association of Rabbis for 1902: Agudat ha-Rabbanim (Union 1889: Central Conference of transformation from Orthodoxy of RRC 1992: IISHJ rabbinical school Jewish Renewal) of Orthodox Rabbis of the United American Rabbis (CCAR) to what eventually became called 1968: Reconstructionist Rabbinical States and Canada) Conservative Judaism College (RRC) 1928: Yeshiva College 1913: United Synagogue of America; 1935: Rabbinical Council of America now called United Synagogue of 1937: Ramaz School Conservative Judaism What 1800: 100%* 1800: 0%* 1880: 0%† 1950: 0%† 1950: 0%† 1950: 0%† percentage of 1880: 6% of all U.S. synagogues‡ 1880: 94% of U.S. synagogues‡ 1950: 60% 1971: <1% 1971: <1% 1971: <1%† American Jews 1950: 10% 1950: 25% 1971: 42% 1990: 1.3% 1990: <1% 1990: <1%† affiliate with 1971: 11% 1971: 33% 1990: 35% 2000: 2% 2000: <1% 2000: <1% you? 1990: 6% 1990: 38% 2000: 27% 2013: 2–3% 2013: <1% 2013: 2–3% 2000: 10% 2000: 35% 2013: 18% 2013: 10% 2013: 35% What is your Someone born to a halakhically Someone who has at least one Someone born to a halakhically Jewish No offcial position. Since 1968, this “A Jew is a person of Jewish descent or No offcial position. definition of a Jewish woman or who converts to parent who is Jewish (i.e., both woman or who converts to Judaism movement has accepted both patrilineal any person who declares himself or Jew? (And can Judaism according to an Orthodox patrilineal and matrilineal descent according to a Conservative (or and matrilineal descent. As for those herself to be a Jew and who identifes one convert to (or perhaps Conservative) are recognized) or converts to Orthodox) understanding of halakhah. choosing to become Jewish, unoffcially with the history, ethical values, culture, Judaism?) understanding of halakhah. Judaism according to Reform a ritual conversion is encouraged but not civilization, community, and fate of the standards. required. Jewish people. [As for becoming part of the Jewish community,] Humanistic Jews use the term ‘adopted’ rather than ‘converted’ because we believe that the person wishing to be Jewish is adopting both Judaism and our community and that the community adopts those desiring to be part of the Jewish people.” Further, “we welcome into the Jewish people all men and women who sincerely desire to share the Jewish experience regardless of their ancestry. We challenge the assumption that the Jews are primarily or exclusively a religious community and that religious convictions or behavior are essential to full membership in the Jewish people.” What is the The Written Torah is the word of The Written Torah embodies the Some believe the Written Torah comes “We consider our sacred texts to be the “Each Jew has the right to create a No offcial position. Considers the Torah to be Torah’s God, letter for letter. The Oral Torah relationship between the Jewish directly from God; others believe it was product of inspired experience in the meaningful Jewish lifestyle free from the Jewish community’s core sacred text. authority? is also the word of God, though people and God. There is a range of written by humans. Most contend that human search for God and holiness in supernatural authority and imposed some believe it is the rabbinic offcial beliefs regarding whether the Oral Torah is a manifestation of our world. To us, they are neither literal tradition. Humanistic philosophy affrms interpretation of the Written Torah, the Written Torah was given by human interpretation. transcriptions from a supernatural that knowledge and power come from which the Talmudic rabbis had God to humans or was written by being nor anachronisms that are mere people and from the natural world in the authority to dictate and which humans. Unoffcially, most in this constructs and fctions.” which they live. Jewish continuity needs continues to have a divine status. movement believe the latter. As for reconciliation between science, personal the Oral Torah, it was not divinely autonomy, and Jewish loyalty…. Judaism given by God but is the rabbinic is an ethnic culture. It did not fall from interpretation of the Written Torah heaven. It was not invented by a divine through the ages. spokesperson. It was created by the Jewish people. It was molded by Jewish experience.” (continued) * Not all Jews at this time identifed as “Orthodox” or attended synagogue. But for those who did, Orthodoxy was the only denomination around, § Although the Renewal movement did not have a formalized rabbinical school until 1997, between 1974 and 2007, “112 Renewal spiritual leaders even though it was not yet called Orthodoxy nor did any American synagogue identify as such. [were] ordained—98 rabbis, three cantors and 11 rabbinic pastors,” 60 of whom graduated from the ALEPH rabbinical program. † Did not yet exist as a formalized movement. ‡ Not all Jews at this time identifed as “Reform” or attended synagogue. But for those who did, Orthodoxy did not yet have a signifcant synagogue presence. Immediately thereafter, between 1880 and 1910, one million–plus Ashkenazi European Jews arrived in the United States from Russia and East- ern Europe, most of whom would have identifed as Orthodox in terms of today’s denominational terms. 160 CHAPTER 8 UC-HahnTapper_text.indd 160 4/8/16 4:59 PM SPECIAL TOPIC 8.4 JEWISH MOVEMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES: INSTITUTIONS, SIZE, AND KEY BELIEFS Movements Orthodox Reform Conservative Reconstructionist Humanistic Renewal Institutions 1886: Jewish Theological Seminary 1873: Union of American Hebrew 1901: Rabbinical Assembly (RA) 1922: Society for the Advancement of 1967: Association of Humanistic Rabbis 1962: B’nai Or Religious Fellowship (JTS) Congregations (UAHC); now called 1902: Founded in 1886, only at this Judaism 1969: Society for Humanistic Judaism 1993: Alliance for Jewish Renewal (ALEPH) 1898: Union of Orthodox Jewish Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) time did the Jewish Theological 1955: Jewish Reconstructionist Federation 1985: International Institute for Secular 1997: ALEPH rabbinical program § Congregations of America (OU) 1875: Hebrew Union College (HUC) Seminary (JTS) begin an explicit (synagogue arm of movement); now part Humanistic Judaism (IISHJ) 1998: Ohalah (Association of Rabbis for 1902: Agudat ha-Rabbanim (Union 1889: Central Conference of transformation from Orthodoxy of RRC 1992: IISHJ rabbinical school Jewish Renewal) of Orthodox Rabbis of the United American Rabbis (CCAR) to what eventually became called 1968: Reconstructionist Rabbinical States and Canada) Conservative Judaism College (RRC) 1928: Yeshiva College 1913: United Synagogue of America; 1935: Rabbinical Council of America now called United Synagogue of 1937: Ramaz School Conservative Judaism What 1800: 100%* 1800: 0%* 1880: 0%† 1950: 0%† 1950: 0%† 1950: 0%† percentage of 1880: 6% of all U.S. synagogues‡ 1880: 94% of U.S. synagogues‡ 1950: 60% 1971: <1% 1971: <1% 1971: <1%† American Jews 1950: 10% 1950: 25% 1971: 42% 1990: 1.3% 1990: <1% 1990: <1%† affiliate with 1971: 11% 1971: 33% 1990: 35% 2000: 2% 2000: <1% 2000: <1% you? 1990: 6% 1990: 38% 2000: 27% 2013: 2–3% 2013: <1% 2013: 2–3% 2000: 10% 2000: 35% 2013: 18% 2013: 10% 2013: 35% What is your Someone born to a halakhically Someone who has at least one Someone born to a halakhically Jewish No offcial position. Since 1968, this “A Jew is a person of Jewish descent or No offcial position. definition of a Jewish woman or who converts to parent who is Jewish (i.e., both woman or who converts to Judaism movement has accepted both patrilineal any person who declares himself or Jew? (And can Judaism according to an Orthodox patrilineal and matrilineal descent according to a Conservative (or and matrilineal descent. As for those herself to be a Jew and who identifes one convert to (or perhaps Conservative) are recognized) or converts to Orthodox) understanding of halakhah. choosing to become Jewish, unoffcially with the history, ethical values, culture, Judaism?) understanding of halakhah. Judaism according to Reform a ritual conversion is encouraged but not civilization, community, and fate of the standards. required. Jewish people. [As for becoming part of the Jewish community,] Humanistic Jews use the term ‘adopted’ rather than ‘converted’ because we believe that the person wishing to be Jewish is adopting both Judaism and our community and that the community adopts those desiring to be part of the Jewish people.” Further, “we welcome into the Jewish people all men and women who sincerely desire to share the Jewish experience regardless of their ancestry. We challenge the assumption that the Jews are primarily or exclusively a religious community and that religious convictions or behavior are essential to full membership in the Jewish people.” What is the The Written Torah is the word of The Written Torah embodies the Some believe the Written Torah comes “We consider our sacred texts to be the “Each Jew has the right to create a No offcial position. Considers the Torah to be Torah’s God, letter for letter. The Oral Torah relationship between the Jewish directly from God; others believe it was product of inspired experience in the meaningful Jewish lifestyle free from the Jewish community’s core sacred text.
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