Orthodox, Diverse Yet Alike

Examining different sects of religious shows similarities

One of the things that strikes me every time I am in Israel is the disparity between the nature of the Orthodox communities of the United States and Israel. There is a general assumption by many people that the Orthodox in both countries can be divided into the Modern Orthodox and the Haredim, usually translated as Ultra-Orthodox, and that those labeled by these sobriquets in these two very different environments truly must be equivalent. Both of these assumptions are false. Understanding how and why these communities are so different is a tremendous help in grasping the religious issues that separate Israel and the American Jewish community and that periodically lead to major public spats.

Read the rest of this article from the Jewish Tribune.