Reform and Conservative Judaism have been said to be the responses of two different immigrant Jewish communities to America. Discuss in detail how this is so for German and Eastern European Jews. Why did Reform not suffice for both groups? Compare and contrast the two movements relevant to this; refer to Liebman's essay.
The beginning of Reform Judaism came in the early 1800's. During that time, many Jews questioned the traditions and the teachings of how Jewish sacred writings came to be. Those who founded Reform Judaism, felt and claimed that Judaism is defined principally by the bible, and they considered the oral law of human creation. Reform Judaism came to America in the mid 1800's when German "reformers" immigrated. The early Reformers were inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment. .
Today, Jews of the Reform division believe the moral and ethical teachings form the most important part of Judaism. As I see it, those who founded Reform Judaism did it as a backlash to the "extremism" of Orthodox Judaism. They were looking for something that required a little less commitment. .
Conservative Judaism was developed during the mid-1800's. These Jews consider the Talmud to be just as much an authority as is the Bible. These Jews however, believe that practices can be changed to fit the more modern times. In this way, they believe Judaism can remain relevant for future generations. The Conservative movement requires the observance of most of the traditional Jewish customs and laws. It seems that Conservative Jews probably wanted something a little more than the liberal Reform, but less than Orthodox. Something more in the "middle of the road." Reform would not suffice for both groups because many saw Reform as a way to lenient practice and they needed something more closely to Orthodox. .
In Liebman's essay, he tells of how Jews lived in America prior to the German immigration, but it was the German-Jew in search of liberty who brought with him Reform Judaism.
