Can someone please explain the differences between orthodox and conservative Judaism?

Question

Can someone please explain the differences between orthodox and conservative Judaism?

Answer 1

Orthodox Jews believe in following the Torah. Conservative Jews believe in taking what they want from the Torah and throwing away what they don't want to fit there desires

Answer 2

Orthodox Jews believe that the Torah was given by God to Moses at Sinai 3,300 years ago, and that we are bound by Torah law as well as Rabbinic law (the halacha).  Any changes to halacha are very rare, and only made with great deliberation among the leading Rabbis.  They place a heavy emphasis on Torah study.  Most Orthodox families send their children to Yeshiva (private Jewish schools).  Orthdox Judaism is not monolithic.  There are many different groups, Sephardi, Ashkenazi, Lithuanian, various Hasidic sects, and also "modern Orthodox" which tends to be more open to secular studies and culture.  

The intermarriage rates for Orthodox Jews is very low, they tend to marry other Jews at a relatively young age and raise many children.  Orthodox Judaism represents perhaps 10%-15% of the Jewish population in the U.S., but growing.  

The Conservative movement grew out of the Reform movement approx. 100 years ago.  Whereas Reform had wholly abondoned the halacha, Conservative felt that halacha should be binding but also change with the times.  Conservative Judaism introduced major changes such as allowing one to drive to synagogue on the Sabbath, allowing women equal roles in synagogue services, and more recently approving g*y clergy and the performance of same s*x unions.  Because they have strayed so far from the halacha, Orthodox Judaism considers Conservative and Reform to be deviant forms of the religion.

Many Conservative Rabbis to not believe that the Torah was given by God to Moses at Sinai, instead saying that the Torah is a "Divinely Inspired" man-made work.  

I would also add that although they claim to be a halachic movement, only a very small minority of Conservative Jews actually observe the laws.  Most do not focus intensely on Torah study or send their children to Jewish schools.  The intermarriage rate is quite high, they tend to marry later in life and have smaller families.  Once the largest Jewish movement in America, their number of Conservative Jews is dropping precipitously.

Answer 3

you may want to ask this again in the religion section