What's the difference between orthodox, conservative and reform Judaism?

I disagree slightly (but, on the whole, agree) with Eddie & Feivel.

Orthodox and Conservative believe that *halakha* is binding. Reform does not believe halakha is binding, and instead believe that each Jew must struggle with Torah to decide which mitzvot to perform. (It's a misconception that Reform are simply less religious; however, you will see quite a bit more person-to-person variation in observance type among Reform Jews.)

Note that halakha is Jewish law, derived from Torah but not the same as Torah. Halakha evolves, while Torah does not. Orthodox halakha has been relatively static for the past few centuries since most of the more reform-minded Jews have left for other streams. Conservative halakha has evolved quite a bit more with changes in modern circumstances.

In the US among observant Jews:

- about 40% are Reform

- about 30% are Conservative

- about 20% are Orthodox

- the remainder are Reconstructionist, Renewal, and other smaller movements

That's about half of American Jews. The other half are generally non-observant.

I'm not sure what the breakdown is in Israel, but the divide is not by stream there so much as by Orthodox, traditional/masorti, and Hiloni (non-practicing).

Orthodox believe the Torah is for binding and eternal

Reform believe the Torah and its interpretation can change over time as the time's change and while our covenant is eternal, how we fulfill that covenant can change and should be reconciled so that Jews can live in a secular world as well. So, many Mitzvot are seen as not mandatory but are something Jews can follow if it gives them personal meaning.

Conservative Judaism tries to strike a balance between the two and appears to be more.

While many Reform think Orthodox are too rigid and many Orthodox think Reform are too lax, we are all Jews and in fact, there are more similarities than there are differences.

You can often tell an Orthodox Jew by the way we dress (easy with Orthodox males, less easy with Orthodox females), such as men wearing kippot and tzitzit. We live close to our Shul because we walk to Shul on Shabbat. Often a Reform Jew will look like the people in the country in which they live and you would not know they were Jewish unless they told you but again, those are just minor things in my opinion .

answer: i visit return to this question in some hours - the adjustments could be somewhat long. short version: Orthodox is the main strict Conservative - truly much less. they keep kashrut and positioned on adult men and a few women human beings positioned on the kippah at synagogue and prayers Reform - decrease than Conservative - the mitzvot (commandments) are left to the guy to be sure who they greater healthful into one's existence (some, needless to say are employer - worship of G-d and G-d on my own). They tension to synagogue on the sabbath and adult men and a few women human beings positioned on the kippah at synagogue and prayer in spite of the fact that that's optionally available (an excellent style of the Jewish men i understand the place the kippah) # # # Priest - without Judaism, you would be a clergyman for Zeus.

They are all as fake and pointless as the next.