Related Terms • Reform Judaism • Torah • Halakah

Definition:
Conservative Judaism is a modern Jewish movement which developed as a reaction to various reformist movements (Reform Judaism). Conservative Judaism wanted to maintain stronger links traditional Jewish beliefs and practices while also adapting to modern, secular society. Members themselves apply the name Masorti to their movement - this is the Hebrew word for "traditional."

Doctrinally, members of the Conservative Jewish movement accept that the Torah came originally from God - but they add the caveat that it was transmitted through fallible humans. Thus, it contains an important human component which might include error and which also means that there should be changes as the world and society change.

Conservative Judaism also tries to claim that it is the only "authentically American" form of Judaism. There is some basis for this, because both Reform and Orthodox Judaism originally developed in Europe while Conservative Judaism was developed in the United States and achieved organizational form in 1913. The movement can be dated back to the work of Dr. Solomon Schechter although the basis was laid even earlier by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in the 1880s.

According to Ismar Schorsch, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, Conservative Judaism retains the "core values" of the traditional Jewish experience and belief - which is important because he also defines "core values" as being the essence of a shared, lived religious experience. For Schorsch, there are seven such "core values" which define Conservative Judaism: the Centrality of Modern Israel, the centrality of Hebrew as the language of Judaism, devotion to the idea of Klal Yisrael (the fellowship of all Israel), the defining role of the Torah, the study of the Torah, the centrality of the Halakah in governing Jewish life, and the belief in God.

Also Known As: none

Alternate Spellings: none

Common Misspellings: none

Related Resources:

What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism? For that matter, what is and is not a religion?

What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear.