Reform Judaism came about during the time of the French revolution, it was a time when European Jews were recognised as citizens in the countries they lived for the first time. It was a great time for the Jews because for the first time they had the freedom to settle where the pleased, dress as they liked and have occupations they wanted, all the ghettos were being abolished and special badges were no longer worn.
It was because of this freedom that many Jews began to live outside Jewish districts and lived like their neighbours, this meant they spoke less Hebrew and more of the language of the land. They also went to public schools and universities and began to neglect Jewish studies.
In 1815 after Napoleon’s defeat Jews lost their rights to citizenship in several countries. It was because of this that may Jews converted to Christianity to retain these rights. Rabbis saw this problem but no matter how hard they tried to convince Jews not to go to public schools and universities it didn’t work.
Leopold Zunz suggested something different. He tried to get the Synagogue services to change, he wanted them to be spoken in the local language and have local music. However, local Rabbis didn’t like this idea and change it back. Was this just proof that they weren’t prepared to move with the times?
Shortly after this Rabbi Abraham Geiger suggested the observances be change to suit modern people. He discovered that Judaism had gradually but steadily changed over the last 2000 years to make Judaism easier to follow for modern people and he decided it was time for some more changes in order to make the religion more attractive to Jews.
Between 1810 and 1820 three cities in Germany; Seesen, Hamburg and Berlin made some dramatic changes such as mixed seating in the Synagogue. Many rabbis of reform movements took a ‘rejectionist’ view on some traditional rituals. For example:
- Circumcision was seen to be barbaric and not practiced
- The Hebrew language in the liturgy was replaced with German
- The hope for restoration of the Jews in Israel was officially renounced.
- Bar Mitzvah was replaced with a ‘confirmation ceremony’
- The laws of Kashrut and family purity were officially declared ‘repugnant’.
- Shabbat was observed on Sunday
- Traditional resurrections on Shabbat behaviour were not followed.
Orthodox Jews don’t believe in the above changes and see it as compromising. The don’t see reform Jews to be ‘Real Jews’, infact many don’t see them as Jews at all.
Q2- Describe the worship and lifestyle of these and explain how this reflects and assists beliefs.
Because Chassidic Jews along with all Orthodox Jewish groups see the Torah as being divinely inspired and sacred they follow every word while Reform Jews see it as guidance from god that can be interpreted.
Orthodox Jews have very long synagogue services each Sabbath lasting up to _________hours. Reform Jews don’t always go to the Synagogue, sometimes they only go on special occasions such as Rosh Hashanah. If they do go on the Sabbath the reform service usually only lasts _______hours. Another difference is what they do on the Sabbath. While Chassidic Jews don’t do any of the 39 things considered to be work on the Sabbath, most reform Jews do. They think the laws don’t apply to modern Jews. Reform Jews see the Sabbath to be on a Sunday to fit in with the Western way of life.
Chassidic Jews try their hardest to follow all the mitzvots and go to a lots of effort in trying. Strict orthodox even by pre-torn toilet paper so they don’t have to tear. They will not turn on light switches or even the TV. Reform Jews will.
Kosher food is another aspects of Jewdaism in which Chasidic and Reform Jews differ in opinion greatly. Chassidics keep to all the food laws such as no fish with cartilage and no birds of prey as well as how all meat is prepared. Reform Jews however do not keep to these laws.
Circumsision was abbolished by reform Jews after being classified as ‘Barbaric’. Chassidic Jews however see it as a symbol that connects all Jewish boys to Abraham, the Father of the Jews. Bar Mitzvah’s were also changed by Reform Jews replacing it with a confirmation ceremony.
Reform Jews do not hope for restoration of the Jews in Israel and it was officially stated that Germany was to be the new Zion. Traditionally all Jews wanted to return to the Promised Land given to them by god.
Festivals such as Yom Kippur and Rosh Hishanah are acknowledged by Reform Jews as well Chassidics but are not necessarily taken as seriously especially when it comes to the reasons behind the festivals.
A Jewsish marriage is pretty much the same for Orthodox Jews and Chassidic Jews both with being under a Chuppa and the Ketuba. However reform Jews permit divorce while Chassidic forbid it.
Q3- “Jews should try an overcome the differences between groups and Unite”. Do you agree? Include different points of Views.
There is an obvious reason why the Orthodox and reform Jews should unite. It would
mean they have larger numbers and thy could work together. They could learn things from each other and together they could conquer problems, which they may face. They would also appear more powerful and influential, which means gentiles, would respect their beliefs and traditions more. If compared to Christianity, Catholics have many people all with the same general belief but each with a different degree of observance. If Catholics are able to overcome their differences why wouldn’t Jews.
On the other hand though, Reform Jews and Orthodox Jews have different beliefs. Orthodox Jews think Reform Jews are compromising and don’t want to be associated with this. Chassidic Jews go to a lot of effort to keep to the commandments and mitzvots and think it is unfair that Reform Jews still call themselves Jews when the don’t put half as much effort or commitment in. Reform Jews don’t see the changes they have made as a compromise, they see it as modernisation. They believe as the people change the religion should change to fit. They interpret things differently. For example, not working on Shabbat, they see this to have it’s literal meaning, not going off and doing your job. Orthodox Jews see work to be the 30 jobs it took to build up the temple in which they worshipped thousands of years ago before they found there promised lands. This means they don’t create fire or anything that could be associated with fire like electricity and many other things. Since the Reform Jews have split from the Orthodox hundreds of years ago they have grown apart and now have their own ways o doing things. If there was wars between the two groups over there differences then obviously there needs to be a change but Judaism is the worlds oldest religion and thy have got along fine for thousands of years. I think if Jews are happy with having separate groups then it is their decision and they should be able to stay this way.
C
