Will There Be One Jewish People

       Growing up as a Jew, the importance of unity as a people was always stressed upon. Even though I was aware of the different sects of Judaism as in Conservative, Reform, and Orthodox, I've always believed that all of these different aspects of Jewish culture doesn't divide us, but rather makes us stronger and allows our traditions to expand and grow. It is important to acknowledge that not everyone is going to have the same beliefs regarding a religion, some people may believe that the Torah is the direct words of God, while others may be more inclined to interpret the ideas into different meanings. One is not necessarily better than the other, but it is important to acknowledge all of the sides in an effort to learn from each other and address different opinions. In the article, two specific categories of Judaism are presented: the maximalists and the minimalists. The maximalist focuses on the social aspect of the Jewish people by meeting with others and expanding the horizon of teachings and important lessons that are offered. On the other hand, the minimalists are quite the opposite being tied down to their studies, narrowing their scope of integration with others, and focusing on "communal conformity" as much as possible. The consensus at hand is a split that is not focused on a theosophical standpoint, but that is between the way people regard Judaism.

       The different denominations of Judaism are not better than one another in any sense, but I think that the maximalists point of view will provide a foundation for the unity that is needed now more than ever between the Jewish people. We must reach out to each other, expand into different ground, dip our feet in the unfamiliar waters, and be able to listen and connect to others and the important aspect of unity in the Jewish culture. Adapting and interpreting in different ways is natural to the human experience, but time over time, history has proved to the Jewish people especially that unity and the powerful force of connection and oneness can override the power of our enemies. Once we are able to recognize and accept that the different levels of Judaism are all equally important for our religion, then this apparent split can be diminished, than will Judaism become even more solidified and strong.