Social Change and Halakhic Evolution in American Orthodoxy

Download or read book Social Change and Halakhic Evolution in American Orthodoxy written by Chaim I. Waxman and published by Liverpool University Press. This book was released on 2017-08-01 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chaim Waxman, a prominent sociologist of contemporary Orthodoxy, is one of the keenest observers of American Jewish society. In illustration of how Orthodoxy is adapting to modernity, he presents a detailed discussion of halakhic developments, particularly regarding women’s greater participation in ritual practices and other areas of communal life. He shows that the direction of change is not uniform: there is both greater stringency and greater leniency, and he discusses the many reasons for this, both in the Jewish community and in the wider society. Relations between the various sectors of American Orthodoxy over the past several decades are also considered.