World Religion: Orthodox and Reformed Judaism - Essay Example

World Religion: Orthodox and Reformed Judaism YOUR FULL OF YOUR SCHOOL OR World Religion: Orthodox and Reformed Judaism The scope of this assignment is to understand different religious practices and relate my personal experience subsequent to a visit to a house of religion. In this paper, I will give a brief description of the differences between two sects of Judaism; Orthodox and Reformed. After that, I will include my personal reaction to my visit at Temple Sinai, a Reformed synagogue. While I understand the theory and practice of the Reformed movement, my personal experience was predominately negative and only served to reinforce my belief that Orthodox Judaism is a better expression of that religion. Key Differences While sharing the same historical and religious heritage, the underlying philosophy between Orthodox and Reformed Judaism could not be more distinct. The very word Orthodox means "correct belief" and its adherents are "traditionalists [who] have consciously resisted the influences of modernization" (Segal, 2006, p. 1). For the Orthodox Jew, the Torah is derived directly from God and it, as well as oral laws such as the "Talmud" and "Aggadah" which are "intrinsically and inherently entwined with the written law of the Torah," is not to be ignored or altered in any way (Wikipedia, 2006, p. 1). Accordingly, the Orthodox Jew believes that the traditions and laws of the faith must be strictly followed. In Reformed Judaism, however, there is much more latitude when it comes to the law, as that belief maintains that "a Judaism frozen in time is an heirloom, not a living fountain...[and that] Jewish people [should] introduce innovation while preserving tradition..." (Union for Reform Judaism, 2005, p. 1). These innovations can include things like "incorporating music and the local language" as well as making other adjustments that "appeal to modern people" (American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, 2006, p. 1). The central issue for these two sects is whether a religion should be able to change its fundamental tenets to have a broader appeal to the society in which it is practiced while preserving the most important elements of the faith. In my experience, as noted below, the efforts of the Reformed movement go too far in attempting to modernize Judaism and lose parts of the major characteristics of the faith that make it distinct. My Experience Upon the guidance of Professor Katz, I attended the service that took place at Temple Sinai, in Miami Gardens drive. It is important that I emphasize the fact that whenever I attend services in an Orthodox synagogue, which is my normal choice, it is a traditional "Shul" where the customs are extremely rigid. These strict procedures are designed to make it easier for Jews from all over the world to follow the rituals. In the Reformed service I attended, however, those traditions were completely opposite of those to which I am accustomed. The only positive difference that I saw in that congregation on Saturday morning was the fact that, unlike the Orthodox synagogue, men and women where allowed to sit together during the service. I found that atmosphere to be more family-oriented and comfortable for the crowd that gathered. There were several differences that caused me to have a negative reaction. First, in the traditional Jewish religion, there is a strong and obvious hierarchy of gender roles in which the men and women engage. While some might dismiss that as chauvinism, others think differently and truly appreciate the importance of the different gender portrayals. Regardless of personal preference, Judaism has a particular set of laws that have not changed; nor will they change any time soon. One of these laws indicates clearly that women are forbidden from holding the holy Torah book, and are not allowed to lead the ritual ceremony. Without getting into the theological explanations of why these laws are important, I would simply like to point out an idea which I believe all religions have in common; follow the laws as they are given to you. While individuals can interpret these laws differently within certain parameters, the main idea should stay the same. That is why a woman should not walk around holding the Torah book or, prior to that, go to the arch where the book is placed and open it. Yet, they do this at Temple Sinai. Another negative experience I had was also based on the violation of one of these basic laws. From childhood, Jews are taught not to violate the "Shabbat," a holy day in the Jewish religion. While I may not always strictly adhere to this law myself-in fact I actually drove there that day-I do try to follow it. So, once I entered the temple, I turned off my cellular phone and got into the mood of that special holiness that a synagogue provides whenever I attend a service there. I found it particularly ironic that, during the service, the Rabbi who lectured us about the importance of keeping the Shabbat, as it was written specifically in the Torah, was violating the Shabbat by using a microphone to deliver his speech! According to the Jewish faith, he was committing a great sin, and he made other Jews join in that sin as well. To make things worse, and even bizarre, there was a man next to him that played the keyboard (again, on Shabbat and inside a synagogue!) which made me feel that I was taking a part in a mass, in a church on a Sunday morning. Further, I wore my "yamaka" (a small hat that Jewish men put on their heads when they pray), and put on my "talit" (a special cloth that Jewish men put on top of their clothes at the time of prayer) as is the requirement for men who attend the service. Some of the male participants that morning did not respect even this simple requirement of covering their heads during the reading of the Torah. On the other extreme, some of the women were either confused or not knowledgeable of the code of dress, so they wore both yamakas and talits; which are only intended for men. Oddly, that behavior made me think that perhaps they were providing a balance for the men that did not put a cover on their heads. Of all the disturbing things I experienced, there was one incident that bothered me most that Saturday morning. In the Jewish religion there is a sacred prayer know as "Shma-Israel," which many Jews said before they were murdered in the death camps in World War II. I was horrified to hear the way the Rabbi at Temple Sinai conducted that prayer; he was singing it like it was a pop song from the Top 20 Billboard Chart. Further, most of the prayers were conducted in English and not in Hebrew, which is a violation of the law. The overall conclusion of my experience at Temple Sinai was obviously a negative one. I truly believe that the Jewish Reform movement took a great tradition and heritage and removed it to a far and remote place; perhaps their intent was to fit in or blend with modern society. For me, however, what I experienced that day did not even resemble Judaism. Probably the most positive impact that I gained from the experience of visiting Temple Sinai was a new appreciation for Judaism as I see it. References American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, (2006). The Origins of Reform Judaism. Retrieved June 17, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/ The_Origins_of_Reform_Judaism.html Segal, E. (2006). Varieties of Orthodox Judaism. Retrieved June 17, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://ucalgary.ca/ elsegal/363_Transp/08_Orthodoxy.html Union for Reform Judaism, (2005). What is Reform Judaism Retrieved June 17, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://rj. org/Whatisrj.shtml Wikipedia, (2006, 6 June). Orthodox Judaism. Retrieved June 17, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Orthodox_Judaism Read More