Orthodox Judaism Is Strictest

Orthodox Judaism is strictest

form of Judaism. Orthodoxy collectively considers itself the only true heir to the Jewish tradition. Most of Orthodoxy considers all other Jewish movements to be unacceptable deviations from tradition. The belief that the Torah and its pertaining laws are Divine. Orthodox Judaism's central belief is that the Torah, including both the Written Law and the Oral Law, was given directly from God to Moses and can never be altered or rejected in any way. Resultantly, all Jews are required to live in accordance with the commandments and Jewish law. In Orthodox Jewish thought, religious observance encompasses a broad spectrum of areas including but not limited to observance of the Sabbath and dietary laws, contemplation, social interaction, personal development, business practice and charity. The role of women in Orthodox Jewish life is very complex. These general components of the role of the Jewish woman are constant throughout history: Jewish law does not regulate every detail of life, but provides a basic structure within which each person may express his or her own personality. In Orthodox prayer services, men and women are separated by a curtain or low wall, with only men allowed to lead services and read or bless the Torah. Women are exempt from many mitzvot (commandments) and cannot become rabbis. In some Orthodox communities, women do not study Talmud. In the area of education, women were traditionally exempted and often discouraged from any study beyond a understanding of the practical aspects of Torah, and the rules necessary in running a Jewish household. Many Orthodox synagogues do not allow a woman to become the president of a congregation, or to discuss the Bible in public. One of the more annoying aspects of Jewish law is that only a man can institute a divorce. Unless a women gets permission from her husband to divorce him she cannot officially divorce him. Some husbands withhold them out of vindictiveness or to extort financial or custody settlements from their wives. Women, however, have a substantial role of "passing down" Judaism to their offspring. In Orthodox Judaism, Judaism is inherited by matrilineal descent.

Reform Judaism took root in North America more than 130 years ago under the leadership of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise. Reform Judaism is now the largest Jewish movement in North America, with more than 900 congregations and 1.5 million people. The great contribution of Reform Judaism is that it has enabled the Jewish people to introduce innovation while preserving tradition, to embrace diversity while asserting commonality, to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt, and to bring faith to sacred texts without sacrificing critical scholarship. Reform Jews accept the Torah as the foundation of Jewish life containing God's ongoing revelation to our people and the record of our people's ongoing relationship with God. Reform Jews consider children to be Jewish if they are the child of a Jewish father or mother, so long as the child is raised as a Jew. When it comes to women, Reform Jews are committed to the absolute equality of women in all areas of Jewish life. They were the first movement to ordain women rabbis, invest women cantors, and elect women presidents of their synagogues. And surprisingly Reform Jews

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