Conservative Judaism Puns

I have great respect for Orthodox Judaism. This is in no way to want to disrespect or start a hate train against Orthodox Jews.

I work with synagogues, rabbis, and other partners to make Judaism meaningful and relevant to our time. I've done a lot of different things, including creating a start-up congregation, creating interfaith partnerships, helping to start a Jewish day camp (Ramah DC), and helping to found the Den Collective in the DC area, engaging young adults. I want to create a Judaism about Becoming, Belonging, Purpose, and Meaningful Journeys.

What do those ideas mean to you? What do you want to know about Jewish life today? What have you always wondered about being a rabbi? What do you want to know about synagogues? What have you always wanted to ask a rabbi? AMA!

I know that dating/marrying a gentile is not allowed according to the Orthodox denomination. However, I always figured this was because of the emphasis placed on raising children in a proper Jewish home, with all observed rituals and traditions.

But what happens if the couple flat out doesn't want children? Or what happens if the couple cannot have children due to medical/biological reasons?

And what do other denominations have to say on the subject?

My whole life I've been conflicted between Christianity, Judaism, and atheism/indifference. I was baptized as a Christian but I never went to any church, although I did go to Catholic school as my parents wanted me to. So Christianity was sort of my default, but for whatever reason I've felt this desire inside of me to join Judaism and the Jewish people. In high school and college, I went from believing in Christianity to being indifferent, and perhaps atheistic, to believing in Judaism, to believing in Christianity again, and now to Judaism again. I was initially turned off by Judaism because of the difficulty, the pressure, and the challenges I knew would come about if I were to try to convert, but that was back when I was in high school. Now, though, I am still feeling that calling to Judaism and to join the Jewish people, and I feel that despite the difficulties and obstacles it is what G-d is calling me to do. It's hard for me to explain, but I nonetheless feel a deep and strong calling to join Judaism and the Jewish people, particularly conservative Judaism.

However, I've heard quite many people suggest that I should either not convert or convert to orthodox Judaism, and anything in between, such as converting to conservative Judaism, is pointless and a waste of time, at best, and arguably an insult to Judaism. I've heard that if I convert to conservative Judaism, then I'm really not becoming Jewish, and converting to orthodox Judaism would be the only respectable, appropriate, and fulfilling conversion to become a part of the Jewish people, faith, and nation.

Hi, I am a reform jew from Milan. I have been recently studying more types of Jewish branches and their beliefs. At my temple I have two rabbis a male and female. They’re both great. My male rabbi loves video games and my female rabbi loves video games. I recently found out about the “purity laws” how a man can’t touch or sleep with a woman who is on her period. I was shocked to find this out l, I found it different. (The niddah) I have a partner and him and I have always touched and sleep together when I’m on my period, it’s natural and not that big of a deal to us. (He’s not Jewish) I spoke to my female rabbi and she said “this is Reform Judaism, we see those laws as out dated”. I spoke to some of my female Jewish friends who go to same temple and they said that they still touch and sleep with their male partners during that time. (Some of their male partners are Jews too) I have heard some other law been talked about during services by both of my rabbis as “out dated” hearing some of the laws I was shocked to find out they have exist. My question is: what are some of the main differences you notice or heard between different types of Judaism? What kind of Jewish traditions are your favourites?

Shalom to everybody!

Finished Exodus today and started on Leviticus. Animal sacrifice is mentioned so much so it makes me wonder why modern Judaism including Haredis and other ultra conservatives no longer practise it?

Conservative Judaism attempts to combine a positive attitude toward modern culture, acceptance of critical secular scholarship regarding Judaism's sacred texts and commitment to Jewish observance. Conservative Judaism believes that scholarly study of Jewish texts indicates that Judaism has constantly been evolving to meet the needs of the Jewish people in varying circumstances, and that a central halachic authority can continue the halachic evolution today.

Conservative Judaism affirms that the halachic process reflects the Divine will. It makes use of Solomon Schechter's concept of Klal Yisrael (the whole of the [observant] Jewish community), in that decisions on Jewish Law are largely determined by the practices of Klal Yisrael.

In Conservative Judaism, the central halachic authority of the movement, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS), will often set out more than one acceptable position. In such a case, the rabbi of the congregation (mara d'atra) is free to choose from the range of acceptable positions (or none of them), and his congregation is expected to abide by his choice. The CJLS speaks for the Conservative movement and offers parameters to guide local rabbis who turn to it for assistance. Local rabbis will make use of traditional sources and, when available, teshuvot written for the CJLS. Although rabbis mostly adhere to the CJLS, they have the ability to make their own halchic decisions when appropriate.

An exception is made in the case of "standards." A "standard" requires an 80 percent (not unanimous) vote of the membership of the CJLS (not just those in attendance) and a majority vote by the plenum of the Rabbinical Assembly. At present, there are four standards:

1. Rabbis and cantors are prohibited to officiate at intermarriages in any way.

2. The performance of remarriages without an acceptable get (divorce according to Jewish law) or other halachic termination of the previous marriage whether by death or haf'kaat kidushin (annulment) is prohibited..

3. The recognition of Jewish lineage through matrilineal descent only.

4. Conversions to Judaism requires both circumcision and mikveh immersion for males and only the latter for females.

Conservative Judaism holds that the laws of the Torah and Talmud are of divine origin, and thus mandates the following of halakhah (Jewish law). At the same time, the Conservative movement recognizes the human element in the Torah and Talmud, and accepts modern scholarship that shows that

Is there a viable middle ground between an Orthodox Judaism that is sliding to the right and a Conservstive Judaism moving to the left?

I know there was the UTJ, but it doesn't seem to be much of anything anymore, from what I can tell. Do OO and YCT fill in that space?

What is conservative judaism? I am from the twin cities, Minnesota.

When I attended public school I was friends with several Jewish kids and went to bar mitzvahs. They were all reformed judaism.

In a Minneapolis suburb there is a compete Orthodox/ Hasidic community.

Who are conservative Jews and what do they belive? I have the least exposure to them

Hi folks,

So here’s the deal. I grew up in a reform synagogue in MA (although, we were always told it was significantly more strict than most, not sure how true that is). I had a bris, bar mitzvah, attended Hebrew school until I was 16, went to Avoda summer camp, etc. etc. etc. My mother isn’t Jewish, but was irreligious, and we always were made to feel fully Jewish by our synagogue, rabbi, Hebrew school teachers, friends, etc. and never questioned that fact. We even spent way more time with my father’s side of the family. We never kept kosher, and admittedly, I’ve not really been practicing since around 17 or so (I’m 33 now).

My fiancé is from Guatemala, and the Jewish community there is, on average, significantly more conservative than the community in southeastern Mass. her family keeps kosher (at the home anyway, they don’t mind eating vegetarian at restaurants that serve pork), and is fully practicing. A potentially relevant wrinkle is that her dad is a convert from Catholicism. That being said, my fiancé hasn’t been practicing since she was about 18 (more than a decade before we met) and gave up keeping kosher before that.

So, now we’re getting married. Her folks are wonderful, are extremely happy with our engagement, love me and I love them, and are very supportive. That being said, her mother has wondered, in passing and only to my fiancé, whether I would consider converting to “real Judaism”. My fiancé jumped down her throat and reamed her out, and maybe the matter is dropped.

If it’s not, however, I’m curious as to what that’s process might even look like? I’d probably do it just to avoid any headaches, but the very notion strikes me as wildly anti-semetic? Am I alone in feeling this? I’d love whatever input anyone has about any of this.

Tl;dr: how do I convert to Judaism from Judaism?

I'm not Jewish, but I'm interested in Judaism. I asked someone who works at a local conservative synagogue (not the rabbi; she's new and her schedule is full until after the High Holidays) a bunch of questions a few weeks ago. I don't remember how this came up, but he said that animal sacrifices should NEVER be brought back because they're inhumane. So I'm like, uh, but G-d said to do them... If G-d commanded something, it can't possibly be wrong, right? Is it common for Conservative Jews to think that animal sacrifices are inhumane and should never be done again, or was that guy just extremely confused?

A lot of the distaste everyone here has with Judaism is the orthodoxy of it. In that every aspect of your life is controlled and maintained by Judaism.

Has anyone considered going to a less extreme sect of Judaism instead or has anyone gone to one of those lesser sects before dropping out completely?

What's your story?

Hey everyone. One of your resident Conservative Jews here.

After making the great migration from the main sub to here, as well as spending time on Jewish forums, something I unfortunately see is that Orthodox Jews are not the only ones who unfairly mischaracterize Reform. Many of my fellow Conservative and Trad Egal Jews are very much guilty of this as well.

So, what's something about Reform Judaism that you'd want to tell "my side" about? Whether it's dispelling a misconception or affirming something.

I am still in the process of deciding whether or not I do want to convert to Judaism. One of my many questions and concerns that I have is about wanting to convert to another movement as a Jewish convert. I'm deciding between reform and conservative, because i'm of the belief that our understanding of G-d and halakha change overtime because we humans are fallible creatures, which is why I am not seeking an Orthodox conversion. I'm a noahide by default, but I want to do more for my faith in God and want to be a part of the Jewish faith and people, one way or another.

Random thought/question for those who affiliate with CJ/Masorti: do you feel that the movement would be stronger/more viable with less congregational autonomy and more allegiance to the response and rulings of the CJLS?

Finished Exodus today and started on Leviticus. Animal sacrifice is mentioned so much so it makes me wonder why modern Judaism including Haredis and other ultra conservatives no longer practise it?

Finished Exodus today and started on Leviticus. Animal sacrifice is mentioned so much so it makes me wonder why modern Judaism including Haredis and other ultra conservatives no longer practise it?

Finished Exodus today and started on Leviticus. Animal sacrifice is mentioned so much so it makes me wonder why modern Judaism including Haredis and other ultra conservatives no longer practise it?

Finished Exodus today and started on Leviticus. Animal sacrifice is mentioned so much so it makes me wonder why modern Judaism including Haredis and other ultra conservatives no longer practise it?

Finished Exodus today and started on Leviticus. Animal sacrifice is mentioned so much so it makes me wonder why modern Judaism including Haredis and other ultra conservatives no longer practise it?

Finished Exodus today and started on Leviticus. Animal sacrifice is mentioned so much so it makes me wonder why modern Judaism including Haredis and other ultra conservatives no longer practise it?

Finished Exodus today and started on Leviticus. Animal sacrifice is mentioned so much so it makes me wonder why modern Judaism including Haredis and other ultra conservatives no longer practise it?