major branches of Judaism Today

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Major branches of Judaism Today

Judaism religion is based on Abrahamic faith, with its origin being the Middle East. The religion was founded by Moses, though the believers trace their belief to Abraham time. The religion currently has over 13 million believers, most of them being in Israel, Germany and United States. The religion is founder on firm belief in one God, with whom Abraham entered a covenant on their behalf, and worshiped in synagogues.

Judaism has several branches today. The Orthodox Judaists believe that Moses was given both written and oral laws at Mount Sinai. The Torah is believed to contain 613 commandments. The believers observe the Jewish laws, but some integrate them with modernity. Some faithful’s however are too strict in their faith, dress uniquely and live in seclusion. The conservative Judaists argue that the Torah was directly transmitted to man via God (The Jewish Outreach Institute, 1). The Torah thus has human elements. While these laws should be adaptive, the true values of Judaism should not change. The Reform Judaism is based on the belief that the writing of the Torah was done by different people before being combined. As such, the Jewish Laws are not binding. The group however observes some Jewish values and ethics. The Reconstructionist Judaism is based on the argument that Judaism is a religion of civilization that is ever evolving. As such, there should be no personalization of the deity. The Torah is thus observed not because it is God given but because of its rich cultural teachings. Lastly, there is the Humanistic Judaism. This branch was founded by Rabbi Sherwin Wine in Michigan in 1960s. It is based on contemporary human life ((The Jewish Outreach Institute, 1). Religion is viewed as a way of life that is devoid of some supernatural authority. Religion should help man to achieve dignity, self-esteem and humanistic values.

Work Cited

The Jewish Outreach Institute. Different denominations (types) of Judaism. Web. <http://www.joi.org/qa/denom.shtml >