Sects and Sacred Practices

Sacred Practices Ideal is to remember God in everything one does, through prayer and keeping the commandments.

Purity Circumcision- Circumcision- –Boys at 8 days old symbolic symbolic Mikva- Mikva- –Orthodox women immerse themselves in this special deep bath structure to signify their completion of the menstrual period

Purity Marital Sex Marital Sex –Sacred –Adultery forbidden Kosher Kosher –Ritually acceptable –Warm-blooded, cloven hoofs, chew cud –Some poultry –Drain blood, no meat and milk mixed

Prayer Weekday Weekday –T’fillin Small leather boxes containing verses about the covenant Small leather boxes containing verses about the covenant –Talit Fringed prayer shawl, to keep heads covered at all times Fringed prayer shawl, to keep heads covered at all times Daily prayer- morning, afternoon, evening Daily prayer- morning, afternoon, evening Prayer daily in synagogue Prayer daily in synagogue

Sabbath Praise Sabbath Sabbath –Sunset Friday night to sunset Saturday Night –No work –Synagogue –Torah scrolls kept in Ark Study of Torah Study of Torah Friday/Saturday Friday/Saturday –Dinner- family time –Havdala ceremony- Saturday night

Shabbat Worship Shabbat Worship The community and congregation are welcome to worship with us each Shabbat. Throughout the year, there are some special Shabbats with different start times such as Synaplex. Please check the calendar on this website for any change in service times. Friday night: Shabbat worship is at 8:00 p.m, except the first Friday of the month when we have Family Shabbat worship at 7:15 p.m. Saturday morning: Shabbat worship is at 11:00 a.m. when there is a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. On other Shabbat mornings worship is at 10:45 a.m. following Torah Study. Several times during the year there is also a 9:00 a.m. Shabbat service at which one of our young people becomes a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. It is best to check the calendar on this website or in your Beth Or News for service times on Saturday mornings. The community and congregation are welcome to worship with us each Shabbat. Throughout the year, there are some special Shabbats with different start times such as Synaplex. Please check the calendar on this website for any change in service times. Friday night: Shabbat worship is at 8:00 p.m, except the first Friday of the month when we have Family Shabbat worship at 7:15 p.m. Saturday morning: Shabbat worship is at 11:00 a.m. when there is a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. On other Shabbat mornings worship is at 10:45 a.m. following Torah Study. Several times during the year there is also a 9:00 a.m. Shabbat service at which one of our young people becomes a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. It is best to check the calendar on this website or in your Beth Or News for service times on Saturday mornings

Other Bar Mitzvah-boys Bar Mitzvah-boys Bat Mitzvah-girls Bat Mitzvah-girls Becoming a full fledged member of the Jewish community Becoming a full fledged member of the Jewish community

Sects Orthodox/Hasidic Orthodox/Hasidic Conservative Conservative Reform Reform Reconstructionist Reconstructionist Secular* Secular* Havurot* Havurot*

Orthodox Traditional Traditional Entire Torah given to Moses Entire Torah given to Moses Daily worship, dietary laws, traditional prayers and ceremonies, regular and intensive study of the Torah, separation of men and women in the synagogue, strict observance of Sabbath and religious festivals, no instruments during service Daily worship, dietary laws, traditional prayers and ceremonies, regular and intensive study of the Torah, separation of men and women in the synagogue, strict observance of Sabbath and religious festivals, no instruments during service Accept other groups as Jewish but not marriages, divorces, conversions on grounds not done in accordance with Jewish law Accept other groups as Jewish but not marriages, divorces, conversions on grounds not done in accordance with Jewish law

Hasidic Baal Shem Tov Baal Shem Tov Influenced by Kabbalah Influenced by Kabbalah Emphasizes personal experience of God over religious education and ritual. Emphasizes personal experience of God over religious education and ritual. Common activities hold religious value Common activities hold religious value Tzaddik or rebbe- leader- enlightened and close to God, look to him for guidance Tzaddik or rebbe- leader- enlightened and close to God, look to him for guidance

Conservative Wish to conserve traditional elements while allowing for modernization Wish to conserve traditional elements while allowing for modernization Observe Sabbath and dietary laws, three daily prayers, holidays and life-cycle events, women may be rabbis, Jewish nationalism, study Hebrew, Zionism Observe Sabbath and dietary laws, three daily prayers, holidays and life-cycle events, women may be rabbis, Jewish nationalism, study Hebrew, Zionism Strive to live by Jewish law in daily lives Strive to live by Jewish law in daily lives

Reform Liberal- Germany- early 1800’s Liberal- Germany- early 1800’s Deemphasizes Jewish people-hood, services in vernacular, instruments in service, lack of observance of dietary laws, monotheism, focus on ethical behavior, women rabbis, interfaith families accepted, gays and lesbians Deemphasizes Jewish people-hood, services in vernacular, instruments in service, lack of observance of dietary laws, monotheism, focus on ethical behavior, women rabbis, interfaith families accepted, gays and lesbians

Reconstructionist Mordecai Kaplan Mordecai Kaplan Do not hold supernatural Torah given by God Do not hold supernatural Torah given by God Denied Jews chosen people of God, new prayer book, deleted portions found offensive, no physical resurrection, denied God rewards or punishes Israel Denied Jews chosen people of God, new prayer book, deleted portions found offensive, no physical resurrection, denied God rewards or punishes Israel

Others Havurot- Community of Jews- not belonging to any group Havurot- Community of Jews- not belonging to any group Secular Jews- cultural/origins but not practice- Jewish by birth but not survive-marry non-Jews, etc… Secular Jews- cultural/origins but not practice- Jewish by birth but not survive-marry non-Jews, etc…