Contemporary Branches of Judaism

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Please see response attached, which is also presented below. I also attached a highly information article for further reading.

RESPONSE:

1. Pick one of the contemporary branches of Judaism or Islam and write a summary that: (a) identifies its origin, and (b) compares and contrasts the branch with its mainline tradition.

Let's choose one contemporary branch of Judaism, mainly Reconstructionism Judaism and compare and contrast it with traditional Judaism (referred to as Orthodox Judaism).

Reconstructionist Judaism

Reconstructionist Judaism is a progressive, contemporary approach to Jewish life that integrates a deep respect for traditional Judaism with the insights and ideas of contemporary social, intellectual and spiritual life.

1. Origin

The founder of the reconstructionist movement, Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan, launched the movement in the 1920's with the creation of a reconstructionist magazine and his book, Judaism as a Civilization: Toward a Reconstruction of American Jewish Life. It was the insight of Rabbi Kaplan that Judaism could do well by incorporating the American ideals of equality and democracy. Theological perspectives that flourished in traditional hierarchical societies needed to be reconstructed to speak in a society where authority derived from the people and where one's religious or ethnic identity was not, in principle, a barrier to full economic and political participation. In other word, Kaplan incorporated Humanistic values and ideals and argued that Judaism needs to evolve and change from generation to generation.

2. Further description of Reconstructionist Judaism compared to traditional Orthodox Judaism

Similar to the traditional Judaism, Kaplan's beliefs endorsed traditional Jewish customs and practices, but the reasoning behind them changed from the Lord's creation to Sancta, a concept that rituals are made holy due to the unity and community of the people performing them, as opposed to the traditional Jewish view that customs are mandatory due to God's command.

· Kaplan saw Judaism not ...