Reform Judaism

The religious movement that began in the early 19th century in Germany, championing views on modernization and adaptation through the abandonment of traditional Jewish beliefs and laws deemed antiquated and inappropriate in the social and political conditions of the modern world. This branch of Judaism challenged the absolute nature of ritual laws and customs established in the Torah and Talmud by advocating reform and liberalism. One important characteristic of this branch of Judaism is that men and women are allowed to worship together rather than in separate groups as promoted by Orthodox sects.