Orthodox Jews

Strictly observant Hebrews

Orthodox Jews are adherents of traditional Judaism who observe religious law (halakha) strictly, including Sabbath restrictions, dietary laws (kashrut), and daily prayer.

The term distinguishes them from Reform and Conservative movements that emerged in the 19th century.

Orthodox Judaism itself spans a spectrum from Modern Orthodox, who engage fully with secular society, to Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) communities that maintain greater separation from the outside world.

community

synagogue

Jewish house of worship

  • rabbiJewish spiritual leader
  • yeshivaJewish religious study institution
  • shtetlHistoric Jewish village

rebbe · shul · congregation · beit din · mohel · sofer · dayan

practice

Shabbat

Jewish day of rest

  • kosherPermissible by Jewish law
  • mitzvotJewish religious commandments
  • TorahJudaism's core scripture

prayer · tefillin · tallit · mezuzah · halacha · minyan · mikvah · fasting · shomer · havdalah

holidays

Pesach

Jewish spring liberation festival

  • SukkotJewish autumn harvest commemoration
  • sukkahTemporary festival booth
  • PurimAdar feast day

Chanukah · Rosh Hashanah · Yom Kippur · Shavuot · seder · matzah · menorah · megillah · shofar · machzor

garb

kippah

Traditional Jewish head covering

snood · stockings · beard · velvet

scholarship

Torah

Judaism's core scripture

beit midrash

lifecycle

bris

Jewish circumcision ceremony

shiva · ketubah · yahrzeit · simcha

identity

Hasidic

Of fervent Jewish pietism

Categories
Opposites
religious observance level

Orthodox Jewssecular Jews

Those with heritage, not belief

Reform Jews · modernizers

Family

orthodox, orthodoxy, orthodoxies, unorthodox, Jews, Jewish, Jewishness

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