In Judaism, strength comes with choices

Editor’s Note: Voices is a weekly commentary by a panel of Maine columnists who explore issues affecting spirituality and religious life.

Part of Judaism’s strength as a 4,000-year-old civilization is its diversity. Jewish scholarly tradition shows great respect for the many varied opinions expressed by our sages. In each period of our history, both majority and minority points of view were recorded and honored. We value different perspectives; we value scholarship.

Over the last 400 years, the Jewish people have had many movements: Kabbalists (Jews involved with the study of mysticism); Chassidism (Jews who celebrated life through song and dance); Mitnagdim (Jews who honored life through strict observance of Jewish law); Maskillim (the Jewish Enlightenment movement); Modern Zionism (Jews who believe that a Jewish homeland in Israel is critical to the security of the Jewish people); among others.

Two thousand one hundred years ago, the two main Jewish movements were the Sadducees – supporters of the biblical caste system primarily consisting of the members of the priestly aristocratic class – and the Pharisees – supporters of the Jewish legal system and the rabbis who interpreted it.

Sadducaic Judaism is no longer. Modern Judaism is a branch of Pharisaic Judaism. We are in the members’ debt for what they offered us: honoring education, study, debate, rabbinic scholarship and interpretation.

Today in America, there are four major Jewish movements: Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Reform.

Orthodox Jews are the most observant and uphold Jewish law in the strictest fashion. Orthodoxy teaches that God is supernatural and that our Torah, or Bible, is totally God’s word. Orthodox Jews, by and large, dress modestly, keep the kosher dietary laws, abstain from driving on the Sabbath and on holidays, and pray three times each day.

Conservative Jews seek to balance our tradition with present-day needs. Conservatism teaches that our Torah is the revealed word of God and that human beings play a role in its interpretation. Conservative Jews adjust certain laws and rituals to accommodate contemporary realities. Most Conservative Jews do not keep strictly kosher, most drive on the Sabbath (the Conservative movement allows its members to drive on the Sabbath and holidays if the purpose is to attend synagogue) and most pray regularly but not every day.

Reconstructionist Jews see Judaism as an evolving religious civilization. Reconstructionism teaches that God is a natural power or process and that our Torah was humanly written and records our history and our search for the divine in the world. Reconstructionism asserts that Jewish law has a vote but not a veto affirming the need for creative growth and change to accommodate contemporary understandings. Most Reconstructionist Jews do not keep strictly kosher (but may choose to be vegetarian), most drive on the Sabbath and holidays and most go to synagogue regularly throughout the year.

Reform Jews are the most lenient as far as Jewish law is concerned and the most active as far as social action is concerned. The ethical teachings of Jewish texts are the core components of Reform Judaism. Reform Judaism teaches that our Torah was humanly written, that ritual laws need to adapt and change while ethical commandments are godly. Most Reform Jews do not keep kosher, most drive on the Sabbath and holidays and most attend synagogue occasionally throughout the year.

These characterizations of the four major movements in America today are limited and general.

In his book, “Basic Judaism,” the Conservative rabbi Milton Steinberg broke down modern Jews into two groups: Traditionalists and Modernists.

Traditionalists refer to “those Jews who refuse to be moved in even the slightest degree from the faith, morality and practices of their fathers” (Orthodox and some Conservative Jews). Modernists refer to those Jews who “have decided that Judaism needs to be adapted to modern ideas and circumstances” (most Conservative and all Reform and Reconstructionist Jews).

Traditionalists are more fundamental in their approach and believe in a supernatural God. Modernists are more questioning in their approach, drawing on the sciences as part of their worldly perspective and generally believing in a more naturalistic concept of God.

This inherent diversity offers Judaism strength. Strength comes with choices. What will American Judaism look like in 100 years? No one knows. These movements may not even exist; there may be totally new movements that represent the new Jewish thinking of the 22nd century.

Which movement will best lead us, as a unique people, into the 22nd century? We don’t know. Our future is unknown. Our diverse ideas and movements will help keep us strong and vital into an uncertain future -a future which we all share as members of our diverse global life.

Rabbi Barry Krieger is the rabbinic facilitator for the Hillel organization at the University of Maine in Orono. The views expressed are solely his own. He may be reached at bkrieger56@aol.com.