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Variants in Judaism The three major variants of Judaism are Orthodox Judaism, Reform Judaism (often called “Liberal” or “Progressive”) and Conservative Judaism. The Australian Jewish community is a united, but pluralistic, community, which includes groups and sub-groups from all of the major streams. However the majority of Jews in Australia, whether strictly observant or not, are affiliated to orthodox synagogues.
Variants in Judaism Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism defines itself as the only authentic Judaism. One distinguishing feature of orthodoxy is its maintenance of the traditional forms of worship in the Hebrew language, and of the traditional observances as prescribed by the Law.
Variants in Judaism The “Ultra-Orthodox” The long black coats, flowing beards and picturesque hats seen in the news films of Jerusalem and in some streets of Sydney, represent various minority groups within orthodox Judaism, these originated in Eastern Europe of the 18th century. Some, but not all, of these movements are Chassidic. Chassidism bears some ideological resemblance to charismatic Christianity in its search for ecstasy in prayer, its interest in medieval mysticism, and its emphasis on the possible imminence of a Messianic era. The Chassidim represent a very small, but very active, minority within Orthodox Judaism.
Variants in Judaism A new element entered the Jewish world in the early nineteenth century, a movement which is variously described as Reform, Liberal, or Progressive Judaism. Whilst Orthodoxy sees the Torah as subject to very limited processes of interpretation, the Liberal view regards the “sacred heritage” as evolving and adapting over the centuries and continuing to do so.
Variants in Judaism The English language is used for parts of the Reform service, which often features a mixed choir, and the service is adapted and shortened and is conducted with somewhat more decorum than the usual Orthodox services, which often accommodate individual praying and occasional conversation. Men and women sit together in the Temple, both participate in all aspects of the service, and women Rabbis may officiate
Variants in Judaism Conservative Judaism Conservative Judaism fosters the practice of traditional Judaism among Jewish men and women while embracing modernity. It comes midway between Orthodoxy and Reform, intellectually liberal in matters of belief, but conservative in matters of religious practice. It attempts to “combine a positive attitude to modern culture, acceptance of critical secular scholarship regarding Judaism’s sacred texts, and also commitment to Jewish observance”.
Variants in Judaism Ashkenazim and Sephardim The difference between Ashkenazi Jews and Sephardic Jews lies in the cultures developed in the countries in which they have lived. The Ashkenazi culture originated in the Franco German region in Western Europe and developed in Eastern Europe and Russia. In contrast, the formative experience of the Sephardim originates in Spain, North Africa and the Middle East.
Public Worship The emphasis on the detailed code of conduct and the following of each individual and community of these codes is a form of daily worship. Therefore, all of life is a liturgy (public worship). Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jews are in agreement that life should be seen as a ritual to honour the Creator. The difference lies in what the definition of the word “ritual” should be. For the Orthodox tradition, there is a heavy emphasis on the precise recitation of specific prayers in specific situations. According to the Torah, there are specific prayers for waking and before eating for example.
Public Worship For the Conservative Jew, the approach to worship is less formal than the Orthodox, but it is still guided by tradition. The Conservative movement holds to the view that ritual is an expression of values like loving God and helping others. Ritual is not particularly a commitment to make specific prayers for every conceivable situation. For Reform Jews, the practicing of some specific forms of daily religious worship does not have to be found in scripted responses to daily activities.
Public Worship It would be impossible to speak about Judaism without mentioning the Jewish Dietary Laws. The adherence to these food laws are another form of worship for the Jewish people. The rules were set out in the Hebrew Bible. Food laws broadly are: • Kosher meat comes from an animal that chews a cud and has cloven hoofs (sheep and cows for example). The meat must be killed in accordance to special rules and the meat must be prepared in such a way that all blood is removed. • Seafood is Kosher if the animals have scales or fins. • Poultry is kosher if it follows the special rules of slaughter and preparation. • It is prohibited to consume dairy products at the same time or shortly after a meal which included meat products. • Separate utensils are required for dairy and non-dairy meals.
Public Worship Synagogues are the names of Jewish places of worship. Group prayer is extremely important. The prayers vary depending on the hour of the day, the day of the month and the branch of Judaism. During services Jewish males are required to wear yarmulke (skull caps).
Public Worship The Jewish holy day is called the Shabbat (meaning rest). The Shabbat begins at sunset on Friday and continues until the first 3 stars appear in the night sky on Saturday. Work is prohibited during the Shabbat. On the Shabbat prayer services are more detailed for all branches of Judaism – Friday services can be anywhere from half an hour to an hour and a half; and Saturday morning services can be as long as three hours.
Public Worship The sacred language of Judaism is Hebrew. Hebrew would be used the most in an Orthodox service, while it would be used the least in Reform one. It is Jewish tradition that a communal service requires something called a minyan (or quorum) of at least 10 adults. For Orthodox Jews, this quorum must consist of 10 men and the men and women sit separately.
Public Worship Services are conducted by Rabbis (Jewish scholars or teachers) and a cantor sings and leads the congregation in song. Essentially a service consists of three parts: • Amidah: Grateful salutations and prayers to praise G-d. • Shema: The pledge of faith. • A public reading of a passage of the Torah.
Marriage in Judaism
Marriage InJudaism • Marriage is considered to be the ideal state for everyone. The bible changed marriage from an option to a mitzvah (good deed…literally a commandment) Tradition believes that G-d is the matchmaker for every wedding, and the bride and groom are destined for each other from the time preceding their birth. • Essentially both orthodox and reform marriage services are the same. • There is a custom that the bride presents the groom with a tallit (prayer shawl) on the wedding day. One of the reasons is that there are 32 fringes on it and this number is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word lev (heart)…What a romantic notion! • The kallah (bride) and chattan (groom) are not supposed to see each other for a period of time before the wedding (anywhere from a day to a week). Observant Jews follow the law that bride and groom fast on the wedding day until after the ceremony. In this way the holy day is compared to a day when we examine our past actions with a goal of self-improvement and a day on which we commit ourselves to be better human beings in the future.
Marriage InJudaism • Before the ceremony there is a “veiling” called the ‘badeken’. The groom is led to the room where the bride is seated and places the veil over her eyes. The biblical basis for this is the story of Jacob where his father-in-law Laban fooled him by switching Leah for Rachel before the wedding…the moral to this story is that “A Jew may be fooled once, but for the next thousands of years he’ll be sure not to make the same mistake again”
Marriage InJudaism • The ceremony begins with the signing of the wedding document (called the KETUBAH) in front of two witnesses. These witnesses are not to be blood relatives. In the Ketubah the groom promises to support his wife and to provide for her if they are divorced or he dies before her.
Marriage InJudaism • The ceremony itself takes place under a canopy called a CHUPPAH. The chuppah symbolises the new home about to be created. The chuppah is usually cloth or floral and supported by four poles. It can be used indoors or outdoors, and does not have to be in a synagogue
Marriage InJudaism • The bride circles the groom 7 times. In doing so, the bride demonstrates she is entering the seven spheres of her beloved’s soul. She also shows she has captured the heart of her beloved just as Joshua captured the city of Jericho by marching around it 7 times. • The round ring with its circular shape is a symbol of eternity. It is placed on the first finger of the right hand. • The engagement and the wedding are performed under the chuppah. Both involve blessings over a cup of wine, (a symbol of joy and gladness). One blessing is for the wine and the other is to bless the commitment the bride and groom make to each other. Bride and groom drink from the same cup to show that their lives will now be joined together and they will evermore share in whatever the cup of life has to offer them.
Marriage InJudaism • The breaking of the glass by the groom ends the ceremony. Some claim it is the last time the husband will ever get a chance to put his foot down now that he’s married! There are a couple of reasons for this… • 1. the breaking of the glass reminds us that in rejoicing we must also remember our people’s catastrophes. In modern terms no matter how happy we are, we dare not forget the Holocaust. • 2. the fact another generation has signaled its commitment to Jewish continuity “shatters” the hopes of those who planned Jewish genocide.
Marriage InJudaism • There is one last tradition which follows after the guests shout “Mazeltov” and the bride and groom realise they are now husband and wife. It is generally followed by the more observant Jews that instead of mingling with guests, the mitzvah of Yichud (togetherness alone) demands that the bride and groom go off to a private room to spend some time with just each other. Judaism hopes to accomplish from this ritual a sense of : Be concerned with your mate from now on more than with others.
