What are the differences between Progressive/Conservative/Orthodox Judaism?
Most people could easily name some differences between the Progressive (formerly ‘Reform’) and Orthodox Judaism. Progressive Judaism allows mixed seating and female rabbis. Orthodox Judaism has separate seating of men and women and only male rabbis. Orthodox Judaism maintains that a Jew should keep kosher and not drive on Shabbat. Some might incorrectly state that Progressive Jews do not keep kosher or observe any of the mitzvot. Conservative Judaism, well, most people don’t know what it is or think it’s just the compromise somewhere in the middle. All three movements are represented among the NSW Jewish Community. These practical differences which we observe or assume are the manifestation of significant theological differences between the movements. The single most distinguishable factor that determines these differences is each movement’s relationship to halachah (Jewish Law). Halachah is the system which determines how to observe the mitzvot (biblical commandments). Each of the mov
