DU Jews: Question here

[Taverner]

And although I am ethically Jewish, I was never raised so so I don't have the answer to this.

But which denominations implicitly believe in the existence of G-d and which one's do not necessarily?

I know the Orthodox and Hasidim denominations are theist, and the Reconstruction denominations are not necessarily theist...

But what about the others? (Reform and Conservative, and any others I missed...)

Someone help this prodigal Jew :)

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

1. In my understanding, its Reform Judaism that it not necessarily theist

the reform movement was founded in Germany as a reaction to the religious sects. It stresses more integration with society and less religiosity. For example, in some Reform Temples they say prayers in english and use electricity and music during shabbat services. Also, the use of the word Temple is on purpose. It is to devalue the idea of a Temple in Jerusalem. Other Jewish Sects refer to Shuls or Synagogues. I believe they are the least theist of all...

Reconstruction was a liberal branch of Conservativism, then broke away. They believe in a liberal and egalitarian interpretation of Conservative Judaism, so religious but with Female Rabbis and gay marriage. They both are theist too.

[Taverner]

2. Ahhh gotchya

Thanks...although I've met many athiest Reconstruction Jews...

[sakabatou]

3. My shul is between reconstruction and conservative

[hsher]

4. Conservative Jew but skipped Yom Kippur this year

No clue. I know at our synagogue, everyone there seems to believe in G-d. But the feeling you get is that if you don't necessarily believe in G-d but just want to observe some of the traditions, davven, read from Torah, whatever, you are welcome to attend and do so. There's a physicist who attends our shul who is atheist. But he always attends oneg. A bunch of doctor and scientist guys share the same oneg table with him and they're all atheists. (It is fun as hell talking over nosh with them though. They are the most fun table in the entire place. You get to talk about intellectual and arcane subjects, it's like dining with Oscar Wilde and Einstein.) There's a Reform synagogue closer to my house, and the feeling there is that most of the congregation believes in G-d. Then there's an Orthodox community here, Chabad. They are extremely devout. They definitely believe wholeheartedly in HaShem; you get the strong whiff that if you don't, perhaps you should think of attending another synagogue. Their devotion and zeal was very inspiring when I met a few of them at this summer's Support Israel rally. I have never seen Jews that "on fire" before. It reminded me of Pentecostal Christians. Very "alive, dancing up and down and on fire, hellfire and brimstone" kinda. The Rabbi gave a speech about faith that was so full of enthusiasm I felt very lowly and wanted to crawl in shame out of the room. I believe in G-d, but not with that kind of fire and blind zealotry. I left there thinking I should.

I finally put up the mezuza the same day.