Movements in Modern Judaism

Emancipation and enlightenment

• Until the 18th century Jews' participation in general society was limited. Education was mainly limited to the study of Torah and Talmud.
• Haskalah - Jewish movement adopting the values of enlightenment, promoting the integration of Jews in general society. Secular education is encouraged, while maintaining a traditional lifestyle and complete adherence to Halakha.
• Emancipation - equal rights to Jews were given between late 18th to mid 19th century throughout Europe.

The Reform Movement

• Many Jews realize that their traditional lifestyle does not allow complete integration in general European society. This results with a large number of them converting to Christianity.
• Jewish lay leaders propose a reform in traditional Judaism, calling for the abandoning of traditional attire, changes in the orders of the synagogue -  introducing organ and choral music, family seating, a weekly sermon in the vernacular.
• The founded Reform movement [Neolog in Hungary] stresses ethical and moral aspects of Judaism, and places less stress on practical adherence to Halakha. Practices that interfere with integration in general society [dietary laws, etc.] are neglected.
• Radical Reform leaders promoted the change of the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday from financial reasons. The proposal never gained real momentum.
• Reform Rabbis neglect the belief in the restoration of the Temple and the reinstallment of animal sacrifices and remove any mentioning of these concepts from the liturgy.
• German-Jewish immigration to America causes the Reform movement to become central in American Jewish life.

Counter Reformation

• Orthodoxy - The most traditional counter-movement. Guiding principles asserted by Hatam Sofer [Rabbi Moses Schreiber]. Placed great emphasis on maintaining traditional practice and preserving ancient customs. Refrained from integration in general society.
• Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch - Torah with Derech Eretz. Encouraging integration in general society and secular education while maintaining commitment to Halakha.
• Rabbi Zacharias Frenkel - Positive-Historian school. Maintaining commitment to Halakha while recognizing its different form in every generation. Openness to non-traditional forms of studying Judaism.
• The American Conservative Movement - Appealing to Eastern-European Jewish immigrants. Led by Rabbi Solomon Schechter, following Frenkel's general ideas. Stresses Jewish "Peoplehood".
• Reconstructionism - Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan. Offshoot of Conservative Judaism. Social-Scientific. Stresses custom rather than faith.

Reform	Orthodox	Conservative	Reconstructionist
Least traditional	Most traditional	Middle ground - traditional in practice, ideologically liberal	Traditional [similar to Conservative] in practice, radically liberal  in theology
Disregard of Halakha and rejection of traditional practice. Stresses ethical and theological ideas.	Strict adherence to Halakha as interpreted by Rabbinic authority	Committed to Halakha, but interpret it more freely. Pluralist approach to legal issues.	Does not recognize the divine origin of Halakha, but view is as a set of popular customs
[Originally] rejects non-religious aspects of Judaism	Varied approaches to Jewish nationalism - Zionist, Anti-Zionist	Stresses Jewish "Peoplehood"	Views Judaism as an evolving civilization
Main American Rabbinical school - Hebrew Union College	Yeshiva University	Jewish Theological Seminary of America	Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Key Figures - Abraham Geiger [Germany], Issac M. Wise [US]	Hatam Sofer, Samson R. Hirsch	Zecharias Frenkel [Germany], Solomon Schechter [US]	Mordecai M. Kaplan, Ira Eisenstein

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