View source for Modern Orthodox Judaism

{{Short description|Movement in Orthodox Judaism}}
{{Infobox religious group
|group            = Modern Orthodox Judaism
|flag             = <!-- Add flag file name here if applicable -->
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|image            = Rav_Hershel_Schachter.jpg
|image_size       = 
|image_alt        = 
|image_caption    = Rabbi [[Hershel Schachter]], a Modern Orthodox Rabbi at [[Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary]]
|population       = Approx. 700,000 to 1 million globally
|founder          = [[Samson Raphael Hirsch]], [[Azriel Hildesheimer]]
|regions          = Worldwide
|region1          = {{flag|United States}}
|pop1             = Approx. 250,000
|ref1             = 
|region2          = {{flag|Israel}}
|pop2             = Approx. 350,000
|ref2             = 
|region3          = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
|pop3             = Approx. 30,000
|ref3             = 
|religions        = [[File: Star of David.svg|17px]] [[Judaism]]
|scriptures        = [[Torah]], [[Nevi'im]], [[Ketuvim]]
|languages        = [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], [[English language|English]], [[Yiddish]]

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|related-c=[[Orthodox Judaism]], [[Religious Zionism]]}}
{{Judaism}}
'''Modern Orthodox Judaism''' (also '''Modern Orthodox''' or '''Modern Orthodoxy''') is a movement within [[Orthodox Judaism]] that attempts to [[Torah Umadda#Synthesis|synthesize]] [[Jewish principles of faith|Jewish values]] and the [[halakha|observance of Jewish law]] with the [[modern world]].

Modern Orthodoxy draws on several teachings and philosophies, and thus assumes various forms. In the [[United States]], and generally in the [[Western world]], ''Centrist Orthodoxy'' underpinned by the philosophy of ''[[Torah Umadda]]'' ("Torah and secular knowledge") is prevalent. In [[Israel]], Modern Orthodoxy is dominated by [[Religious Zionism]]; however, although not identical, these movements share many of the same values and many of the same adherents.<ref name="Liebman2">Charles S. Liebman, [https://web.archive.org/web/20051109070715/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0411/is_4_47/ai_54600118 ''Modern orthodoxy in Israel''] Judaism, Fall, 1998</ref>

==Modern Orthodoxy==
Modern Orthodoxy comprises a fairly broad spectrum of movements; each movement draws upon several distinct, though related, philosophies, which (in some combination) provide the basis for all variations of the movement today.

===Characteristics===
{{Further|Torah Umadda#Education|Torah im Derech Eretz#Earning a livelihood|Modern Orthodox Judaism#Haredi Judaism}}
In general, Modern Orthodoxy's "overall approach ... is the belief that one can and should be a full member of modern society, accepting the risks to remaining observant, because the benefits outweigh those risks".<ref name="HelmreichShinnar"/> Jews should engage constructively with the world that they are in to [[tikkun olam|foster goodness and justice]] within both themselves and the larger community, such as by avoiding [[sin]] in their personal lives while also [[Tzedakah|caring for the unfortunate]].

Thus, Modern Orthodoxy holds that [[halakha|Jewish law]] is [[Norm (sociology)|normative]] and [[Contract|binding]], while simultaneously attaching a positive value to interaction with the modern world. In this view, as expressed by Rabbi [[Saul Berman]],<ref>Rabbi Saul J. Berman, [http://www.shma.com/2001/02/the-ideology-of-modern-orthodoxy/ The Ideology of Modern Orthodoxy]</ref> Orthodox Judaism can "be enriched" by its intersection with modernity; further, "modern society creates opportunities to be productive citizens engaged in the Divine work of [[tikkun olam|transforming the world to benefit humanity]]". At the same time, in order to preserve the integrity of [[halakha]], any area of "powerful inconsistency and conflict" between Torah and modern culture must be filtered out.<ref>This includes Modern Orthodox's unequivocal stance prohibiting its members from engaging in gay and Lesbian relationships. There is, however, a difference of opinion as to what stance to take with individuals who violate [[halakha]] in this regard. See {{cite web |url= http://statementofprinciplesnya.blogspot.co.il/ |title= Statement of principles of the orthodox rabbis |access-date=15 September 2012}}</ref>

Modern Orthodoxy also assigns a central role to the "People of Israel".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.edah.org/backend/coldfusion/search/document.cfm?title=Some%20Comments%20on%20Centrist%20Orthodoxy&hyperlink=lamm21%2Ehtml&type=Document&category=Orthodoxy%20and%20Modernity&authortitle=Rabbi%20Dr&firstname=Norman&lastname=Lamm&pubsource=Tradition%2C%2022%3A3&authorid=285 |title=Rabbi Norman Lamm: Some Comments on Centrist Orthodoxy |access-date=2004-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007174857/http://www.edah.org/backend/coldfusion/search/document.cfm?title=Some%20Comments%20on%20Centrist%20Orthodoxy&hyperlink=lamm21%2Ehtml&type=Document&category=Orthodoxy%20and%20Modernity&authortitle=Rabbi%20Dr&firstname=Norman&lastname=Lamm&pubsource=Tradition%2C%2022%3A3&authorid=285 |archive-date=2016-10-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Here two characteristics are manifest: in general, Modern Orthodoxy places a high [[nationalism|national]], as well as religious, significance on the [[State of Israel]], and institutions and individuals are, typically, [[Zionist]] in orientation; relatedly, involvement with non-orthodox Jews will extend beyond "[[Baal teshuva#Orthodox outreach organizations|outreach]]" to include institutional relations and cooperation; see [[Torah Umadda#Centrality of the People of Israel|further]] under ''Torah Umadda''.

Other "core beliefs"<ref name="HelmreichShinnar"/> are a recognition of the value and importance of secular studies, a commitment to equality of education for both men and women, and a full acceptance of the importance of being able to financially support oneself and one's family.

===Ideological spectrum===
{{Further|Orthodox Judaism#Diversity|Joseph B. Soloveitchik#Debate over world view|Torah im Derech Eretz#Interpretation}}
The specific expression of Modern Orthodoxy, however, takes many forms, and particularly over the past 30–40 years, describes a [[political spectrum]].<ref name="HelmreichShinnar">William B. Helmreich and Reuel Shinnar: [http://www.jcpa.org/cjc/jl-383-helmreich.htm Modern Orthodoxy in America: Possibilities for a Movement under Siege] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229025428/http://www.jcpa.org/cjc/jl-383-helmreich.htm |date=2008-02-29 }}</ref> Among the issues have been the extent to which Modern Orthodoxy should cooperate with the more liberal denominations, support secular academic pursuits combined with religious learning, and embrace efforts to give [[Role of women in Judaism#Present day|women a larger role]] in Jewish learning and worship;<ref>{{cite news |author=Julie Weiner |agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |url=http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/15314/yeshiva-u-confronts-fault-lines-of-modern-orthodoxy/ |work=j Weekly |title=Yeshiva U. confronts fault lines of modern Orthodoxy |access-date=2014-11-19}}</ref> the acceptability of modern [[textual criticism]] as a tool for [[Torah study]] is also debated.<ref name="DavidBigman">Rabbi David Bigman: Finding A Home for Critical Talmud Study, ''The Edah Journal'' 2:1</ref>

To the [[Conservatism|ideological right]], the line between [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]] and Modern Orthodox has blurred in recent years; some have referred to this trend as "haredization".<ref name="Kress" /> In addition to increasing stringency in adherence to [[Halakha]], many Modern Orthodox Jews express a growing sense of distance from the larger, secular culture.<ref name="Kress" /><ref name="Richlen"/> ("Western civilisation has moved from what was once called the [[Judeo-Christian]] ethic to a [[Consumerism|consumer-driven]], [[Freedom#Types|choice-fixated]] culture.... Such a world is not ''chol'', but ''chiloni'', not [[secular]], but [[Secularism#Secularism in late 20th century political philosophy|secularist]]. It is impermeable to the values of ''[[Q-D-Š|kedushah]]''."<ref name="JonathanSacks">Chief Rabbi Dr. [[Jonathan Sacks]]. Shattering the Idols: The Struggle for Holiness in a Secular Age, ''Jewish Action'', Volume 62 No. 1.</ref>) Here, "the balance has tipped heavily in favor of Torah over madda (secular studies) ... [and many] have redefined 'madda' as support for making one's livelihood in the secular world, not culturally or intellectually engaging with it."<ref name="Kress" /> Although defining themselves as "centrist", institutions here include the [[Orthodox Union]] (Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America), the [[Rabbinical Council of America]], and the [[Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary]].

Adherents on the [[Left-wing politics|ideological left]] have begun to develop new institutions that aim to be outward looking while maintaining a discourse between modernity and [[halakhah]]. The resultant "[[Open Orthodoxy]]" seeks to re-engage with secular studies, Jews of all denominations and global issues. Some within this movement have experimented with orthodox egalitarianism where gender equality solutions are found through [[halakhah]]. This has led to [[Jewish feminism#Modern Orthodox approaches|women taking on more leadership roles]]. Others in this movement are increasingly re-engaging with [[social justice]] issues from a halakhic point of view. ''[[Tikun olam|Tikun Olam]]'' ("repairing the world") is re-mapped onto the values of social justice and basic Judaism is increasingly abandoned.<ref>{{cite news |author=Alexander Goldberg |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/subdivisions/modernorthodoxy_1.shtml |publisher=BBC |title=Modern Orthodoxy |date=2009-08-13 |access-date=2014-11-19}}</ref> See [[Yeshivat Chovevei Torah]], [[Shalom Hartman Institute]], [[Hebrew Institute of Riverdale]], [[Partnership minyan]], [[Shira Hadasha]], [[Maharat]].

===The behaviorally modern===
It is also noted<ref name="Liebman2"/><ref name="Waxman" /> that many Modern Orthodox are "behaviorally modern" as opposed to [[Modernity#Defining modernity|"ideologically modern"]], and, in truth, fall outside of "Modern" Orthodoxy, at least in the philosophical sense; see [[#Standards of observance|below]]. This phenomenon is sometimes termed "Social Orthodoxy".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-04-01|title=The Rise of Social Orthodoxy: A Personal Account|url=https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/jay-lefkowitz/the-rise-of-social-orthodoxy-a-personal-account/|access-date=2020-12-27|website=Commentary Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref>

The distinction is as follows: The ideologically modern are "meticulously observant of Halakha",<ref name="Waxman" /> and their interaction with the secular comprises a tangible expression of their ideology, wherever it may lie on the spectrum described. The "behaviorally modern", on the other hand, define themselves as "Modern Orthodox" only in the sense that they are neither Haredi ("Ultra-Orthodox") nor [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative]]: these, in other words, are "not deeply concerned with philosophical ideas",<ref name="Waxman" /> and, often, are not as careful in their observance.

This "Orthodoxy of convenience" has maintained a certain stability over time: as long as these don't seek to legitimize their behaviour in halakhic terms, the leadership of the (Modern) Orthodox world have no particular difficulty with them.<ref name="Liebman2"/>

===Positioning===
{{See also|Orthodox Judaism #Modern Orthodoxy}}
Various highly differing views (or non views) – ranging from traditionalist to revisionist – are thus offered under the banner of "Modern Orthodoxy". In fact, even among its leadership, there is limited agreement "on the philosophical parameters of modern Orthodoxy".<ref name="HelmreichShinnar"/> The boundaries here, with respect to Haredi and Conservative Judaism, have therefore become increasingly indistinct. At the same time, some elements of [[Haredi Judaism]] appear to be more receptive to messages that have traditionally been part of the Modern-Orthodox agenda. Similarly, at Modern Orthodoxy's left, many appear to align with more traditional elements of [[Conservative Judaism]]. In discussing "Modern Orthodoxy", it is thus also important to clarify its position with reference to other movements in Judaism: see [[#Comparison with other movements|§ Comparison with other movements]] below. Further, given this wide range of views, some see the possibility that, in fact, "[t]here is no longer a cohesive, singular Modern Orthodoxy";<ref name="Hain"/> see further [[#Sociological and philosophical dilemmas|below]].

==Philosophy==
Modern Orthodoxy traces its roots to the works of [[Rabbi]]s [[Azriel Hildesheimer]] (1820–1899) and [[Samson Raphael Hirsch]] (1808–1888). While Hildesheimer's role is not disputed—comprising distinct [[philosophy|philosophic]] and [[pragmatism|pragmatic]] contributions—Hirsch's role is less clear, with some Hirsch scholars arguing that his "Torah im Derech Eretz" philosophy is in fact at odds with that of Modern Orthodoxy; see further [[#Neo-Orthodoxy/Torah Im Derech Eretz|below]] and [[Azriel Hildesheimer#Comparison with Samson Raphael Hirsch|in the Hildesheimer article]]. Today, the movement is additionally, and particularly, influenced by the philosophy of Rabbi [[Joseph B. Soloveitchik]] and the closely related [[Torah Umadda]], as well as by the writings of Rabbi [[Abraham Isaac Kook]]. ([[Religious Zionism]], strictly speaking a distinct philosophy, has an indirect influence.)

===''Torah im Derech Eretz''===
Hirsch's ''[[Torah im Derech Eretz]]'' ({{Script/Hebrew|תורה עם דרך ארץ}} – "Torah with the 'Way of the World'/Society") is a philosophy of Orthodox Judaism that formalizes a relationship between halakhically observant Judaism and the modern world. Hirsch held that Judaism requires the application of Torah philosophy to all human endeavor and knowledge compatible with it. Thus, secular education becomes a positive religious duty. "Judaism is not a mere adjunct to life: It comprises all of life ... in the synagogue and the kitchen, in the field and the warehouse, in the office and the pulpit ... with the pen and the chisel."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/363_Transp/Orthodoxy/SRHirsch.html|title=S. R. Hirsch: "Religion Allied to Progress"|website=people.ucalgary.ca}}</ref> Hirsch's vision, although not unqualified, extended to the [[science]]s as well as to (German) literature, [[philosophy]] and culture. Torah im Derech Eretz remains influential to this day in all branches of Orthodox Judaism.

[[Torah im Derech Eretz#Neo-Orthodoxy: The "Breuer" communities|Neo Orthodoxy]], the movement descended from Hirsch's [[Frankfurt]] community, regards itself as positioned, ideologically, outside of contemporary Modern Orthodoxy; see further [[#Neo-Orthodoxy/Torah Im Derech Eretz|below]].

===Pragmatism===
Rabbi [[Azriel Hildesheimer]], along with Rabbi Hirsch, was insistent that Orthodox Jews living in the west should not segregate themselves behind ghetto walls. On the contrary, modern Jewish education must teach Jews how best to confront and deal with modernity in all of its aspects.<ref name="Marc B. Shapiro ">Marc B. Shapiro, [http://www.yutorah.org/_shiurim/%2FTU9%5FShapiro%2Epdf ''Rabbi Esriel Hildesheimer's Program of Torah u-Madda'']</ref> His approach, "Cultured Orthodoxy", was defined as representing "unconditional agreement with the culture of the present day; harmony between Judaism and science; but also unconditional steadfastness in the faith and traditions of Judaism".<ref name="Marc B. Shapiro " />

He was, however, "the pragmatist rather than the philosopher", and it is his actions, rather than his philosophy, which have become institutionalized in Modern Orthodoxy,<ref name="Waxman">Chaim I. Waxman, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060219212642/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0411/is_n1_v42/ai_13796421/print Dilemmas of modern orthodoxy: sociological and philosophical<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and through which his influence is still felt.
* He established Jewish education for males and females, which included both religious and [[Secular education|secular studies]].
* He established [[Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary]], one of the first Orthodox [[Yeshiva|yeshivot]] incorporating [[Jewish studies|modern Jewish studies]], secular studies, and academic scholarship in its curriculum.
* He was non-sectarian, and worked with communal leaders, even non-Orthodox ones, on issues that affected the community.
* He maintained traditional attachments to the [[Land of Israel]], and worked with the non-Orthodox on its behalf.

===''Torah Umadda''===
''[[Torah Umadda]]'' ({{Script/Hebrew|תורה ומדע}} – "Torah and secular knowledge") is a philosophy concerning the secular world and Judaism, and in particular secular knowledge and Jewish knowledge. It envisions a [[Identity (social science)|personal]]—''as opposed to'' [[philosophic]]—"[[Torah Umadda#Synthesis|synthesis]]" between Torah scholarship and Western, secular scholarship, entailing, also, positive involvement with the broader community. Here, the "individual has absorbed the attitudes characteristic of science, democracy, and Jewish life, and responds appropriately in diverse relations and contexts".<ref name="Sol Roth">Rabbi Sol Roth, [http://www.yutorah.org/_materials/ACF4B2B.pdf The Jewish Idea of Community]</ref> The resultant mode of Orthodox Judaism is referred to as "[[Torah Umadda#Centrist Orthodoxy|Centrist Orthodoxy]]".

This philosophy, as formulated today, is to a large extent a product of the teachings and philosophy of Rabbi [[Joseph B. Soloveitchik]] (1903–1993), [[Rosh Yeshiva]] at [[Yeshiva University]]. In Rav Soloveitchik's thought, Judaism, which believes that the world is "very good",<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lookstein.org/nechama_parasha1_bereshit.htm |title=Jewish Education and Lookstein Center and Nechama Leibowitz |access-date=2005-10-02 |archive-date=2006-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209085843/http://www.lookstein.org/nechama_parasha1_bereshit.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> enjoins man to engage in ''[[tikkun olam]]''. "[[Joseph Soloveitchik#Halakhic Man|Halakhic Man]]" must therefore attempt to bring the sanctity and purity of the transcendent realm into the material world.<ref name="Ziegler">Rabbi Ronnie Ziegler: [http://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/rav/rav13.htm Introduction To The Philosophy of Rav Soloveitchik: The Need for Action] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320130846/http://vbm-torah.org/archive/rav/rav13.htm |date=2015-03-20 }}</ref> Centrist Orthodoxy is the dominant mode of Modern Orthodoxy in the [[United States]], while ''Torah Umadda'' remains closely associated with Yeshiva University.

===Religious Zionism===
Modern Orthodoxy draws on the teachings of Rabbi [[Abraham Isaac Kook]] (1864–1935), as well as the writings and interpretations of his son Rabbi [[Zvi Yehuda Kook]] (1891–1982), both as regards their views on [[Jewish peoplehood]] and as they regard the (related) interaction with the secular world.
* "Rav Kook" saw [[Zionism]] as a part of a divine scheme finally to result in the resettlement of the Jewish people in its homeland, bringing redemption ("Geula") to the Jewish people, and the entire world.
* In Rav Kook's thought ''Kodesh'' and ''Chol'' (sacred and profane) play an important role: ''Kodesh'' is the inner ''taam'' (lit: "flavor") of reality, while ''Chol'' is that which is detached from ''Kodesh'' and is without any meaning; Judaism, then, is the vehicle "whereby we sanctify our lives, and attach all the practical, secular elements of life to spiritual goals which reflect the absolute meaning of existence – G-d Himself".<ref>Rabbi Hillel Rachmani: [http://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/rk1-kook.htm Introduction to the Thought of Rav Kook]</ref>

In [[Israel]], the [[Religious Zionism]] of the ''Dati Leumi'' ({{Script/Hebrew|דתי לאומי}}, "National Religious") dominates Modern Orthodoxy. Here too, the ideological basis is largely drawn from the teachings of Rav Kook,<ref name="Richlen">Lisa Richlen (2003). {{cite web|url=http://www.wzo.org.il/en/resources/view.asp?id=1219 |title=Then and Now: Trends in Israeli Judaism |access-date=2005-11-29 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050324171603/http://www.wzo.org.il/en/resources/view.asp?id=1219 |archive-date=March 24, 2005 }}, wzo.org.il</ref> and there is therefore much overlap; philosophical differences, as well as other "non-modern" forms of Religious Zionism, are discussed [[#Religious Zionism 2|below]].

See also ''[[Mizrachi (religious Zionism)|Mizrachi]]''; ''[[Bnei Akiva]]''; ''[[National Religious Party]]''; ''[[Hesder]]''; ''[[Mechina]]''; ''[[Gush Emunim]]''; ''[[Torat Eretz Yisrael]]''.

==Comparison with other movements==
As above, Modern Orthodoxy comprises various approaches, ranging from traditionalist to revisionist, and the movement apparently overlaps with Conservative Judaism and with Haredi Judaism at its respective boundaries. At its centre too, the movement appears to share practices and values with Neo Orthodoxy and with Religious Zionism. Therefore, in clarifying what Modern Orthodoxy in fact entails, its positioning must be discussed with reference to these movements.

===Haredi Judaism===
{{hatnote|See also under [[Torah Umadda#Centrist Orthodoxy|Centrist Orthodoxy]] and [[Divine providence in Judaism|Divine Providence]] for further elaboration of the differences discussed here.}}
Although there is some question as how precisely to define the distinction between Modern Orthodoxy and [[Haredi Judaism]], there is basic agreement that they may be distinguished on the basis of three major characteristics:<ref name="Waxman" />
# Modern Orthodoxy adopts a relatively inclusive stance toward society in general, and the larger Jewish community in particular.
# Modern Orthodoxy is, in comparison, accommodating, "if not welcoming", to [[modernity]], general scholarship, and [[science]].
# Modern Orthodoxy is almost uniformly receptive toward Israel and [[Zionism]], viewing the [[State of Israel]] (in addition to the [[Land of Israel]]) as having inherent religious significance.

A fourth difference suggested, relates to the acceptability of moderation within [[Halakha|Jewish law]]. Both Modern Orthodoxy and Ultra Orthodoxy regard ''Halakha'' as divine in origin, and as such, no position is assumed without justification in the [[Shulchan Aruch]] and in the [[Acharonim]]. The movements differ, however, in their approach to strictures (''[[Khumra (Judaism)|chumras]]'') and leniencies (''kulas'').
Modern Orthodoxy holds that strictures are not [[Norm (sociology)|normative]], rather, these are a matter of personal choice;<ref name="Diverse Orthodox Attitudes">Rabbi Saul Berman (edah.org): [http://www.edah.org/backend/coldfusion/search/diverse.cfm#Chumrah ''Diverse Orthodox Attitudes: Chumrah''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812053649/http://www.edah.org/backend/coldfusion/search/diverse.cfm#Chumrah |date=2016-08-12 }}</ref> "severity and leniency are relevant only in circumstances of factual doubt, not in situations of debate or varied practice. In the latter situations, the conclusion should be based solely on the legal analysis." 
See {{slink|Torah Umadda|Moderation}}.
Note though, that in recent years, many Modern Orthodox Jews are described as "increasingly stringent in their adherence to Jewish law".<ref name="Kress">Michael Kress, [https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/orthostate.html The State of Orthodox Judaism Today]</ref> 
As to the contention that Modern Orthodoxy's standards of observance of [[halakha]] are "relaxed", as opposed to moderate, see [[#Standards of observance|below]] under ''Criticism''.
In the Haredi view, on the other hand, "the most severe position ... is the most likely basis for unity and commonality of practice within Orthodox community, and is therefore to be preferred". Further, "such severity ... results in the greatest certainty that God's will is being performed".<ref name="Diverse Orthodox Attitudes" /><ref>See also, ''[[Mesillat Yesharim]]'' {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100714155030/http://www.shechem.org/torah/mesyesh/14.htm Ch 14]}}</ref> ''Haredi'' Judaism thus tends to adopt ''chumras'' as a norm.

Related to this<ref>Friedman, M. (2004). Halachic rabbinic authority in the modern open society. Jewish Religious Leadership, Image, and Reality, 2, 757–770.</ref> is the acceptance of the concept of [[Da'as Torah]] - the extent to which Orthodox Jews should seek the input of rabbinic scholars not just on matters of Jewish law, but on all important life matters.
Most rabbinic leaders from [[Haredi]] communities view the concept as inextricably linked to the centuries of Jewish tradition. Within Modern Orthodox Judaism, many rabbis and scholars view the matter as a modern development that can be traced to changes in Jewish communal life in the nineteenth century.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kaplan|first=Lawrence|url=http://www.balintlaw.com/DaasTorah.pdf|title=Rabbinic Authority and Personal Autonomy|date=1992|publisher=Jason Aronson|pages=1–60|chapter=Daas Torah: A modern conception of rabbinic authority|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124204625/http://www.balintlaw.com/DaasTorah.pdf|archive-date=2011-01-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Lawrence|first=Kaplan|title=Between Authority and Autonomy in Jewish Tradition|date=1997|publisher=Hakibbutz Hameuhad|pages=105–145|language=Hebrew|chapter=Daat Torah: A modern view of rabbinic authority}}</ref> 
Thus, while the notion of da'as Torah is viewed by [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]] rabbis as a long-established tradition within Judaism, Modern Orthodox scholars argue that the Haredi claim is a revisionist one. According to Modern Orthodox scholars, although the term "da'as Torah" has been used in the past, the connotations of absolute rabbinic authority under this banner occurs only in the decades that follow the establishment of the Agudas Yisrael party in Eastern Europe.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Katz|first=Jacob|date=30 November 1994|title=Da'at Torah: The unqualified authority claimed for Halachists|url=http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/Gruss/katz.html|url-status=live|website=The Harvard Law School Program in Jewish Studies (The Gruss Lectures – Jewish Law and Modernity: Five Interpretations)|publisher=The President and Fellows of Harvard College|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317193356/http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/Gruss/katz.html|archive-date=2010-03-17}}</ref>
See {{slink|Rabbinic authority|Orthodox Judaism and da'as Torah}} for further elaboration of these differences.

Modern Orthodoxy's efforts to encourage religious observance among non-Orthodox Jews has been likened to similar efforts by the [[Chabad]] movement. The similarity between the two groups in their relationships towards the non-Orthodox, and its adoption by some Haredi groups, has blurred the lines between the modern and Haredi segments of Orthodoxy.<ref name="chabadquestion3">Ferziger, Adam S. "Church/sect theory and American orthodoxy reconsidered". Ambivalent Jew – Charles S. Liebman in memoriam, ed. Stuart Cohen and Bernard Susser (2007): 107–124.</ref>

===Neo-Orthodoxy/Torah Im Derech Eretz===
Both Modern Orthodoxy and [[Torah im Derech Eretz#Neo-Orthodoxy: the "Breuer" communities|Neo Orthodoxy]], the movement directly descended from Hirsch's Frankfurt community, have combined Torah and secular knowledge with participation in contemporary [[Western world|Western life]], and thus some maintain that there is a degree of practical and philosophical overlap between the two. The movements are nevertheless distinct, and in general, Neo-Orthodoxy has taken a more qualified approach than Modern orthodoxy, emphasizing that followers must exercise caution in engagements with the secular world.

Differences between the movements may be more than a question of degree: some Hirsch scholars argue that Hirschian philosophy is at odds with that of Modern Orthodoxy,<ref name="Elias">See, for example: Joseph Elias' introduction to ''The Nineteen Letters''. Feldheim, 1995. {{ISBN|0-87306-696-0}}</ref> while some Modern Orthodox scholars maintain that Modern Orthodoxy accords with Hirsch's worldview.<ref>See, for example: Norman Lamm ''Torah Umadda: The Encounter of Religious Learning and Worldly Knowledge in the Jewish Tradition''. Jason Aronson, 1994. {{ISBN|1-56821-231-3}}</ref> These philosophical distinctions (though subtle), manifest in markedly divergent religious attitudes and perspectives. For example, [[Shimon Schwab]], second rabbi of the Torah Im Derech Eretz community in the United States, has been described as being "spiritually very distant" from Yeshiva University and Modern Orthodoxy.<ref name="Waxman" />

From the viewpoint of Neo-Orthodoxy, that movement differs from Modern Orthodoxy (and particularly Centrist Orthodoxy) on three main counts.<ref name="Elias"/><ref>Others claim that these distinctions -save the last one – are unclear and/or unsubstantiated given the selective nature of the evidence.</ref>
* The role of secular life and culture: In the [[Torah im Derech Eretz#Secular culture and education|Hirschian view]], interaction with the secular and the requisite acquisition of culture and knowledge is encouraged, only insofar as it facilitates the application of Torah to worldly matters. For Modern Orthodoxy, on the other hand, secular culture and knowledge are seen as a complement to Torah, and, to some extent, encouraged for their own sake. Some would suggest that in Modern Orthodoxy, Judaism is enriched by interaction with modernity, whereas in Neo-Orthodoxy human experience (and modernity) are enriched by the application of Torah outlook and practice.
* Priority of Torah versus Secular knowledge: In the Hirschian view, Torah is the "sole barometer of truth" by which to judge secular disciplines, as "there is only one truth, and only one body of knowledge that can serve as the standard.... Compared to it, all the other sciences are valid only provisionally." (Hirsch, commentary to [[Leviticus]] [http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9919 18:4–5]; see also [[Rashi]] [http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9919/showrashi/true ''ad loc.'']). By contrast, in the view of Modern Orthodoxy, although Torah is the "preeminent center", secular knowledge is considered to offer "a different perspective that may not agree at all with [Torah] ... [but] both together present the possibility of a larger truth". (''Torah Umadda'', p.&nbsp;236).
* Broader communal involvement: Neo-Orthodoxy, influenced by Hirsch's philosophy on ''[[Samson Raphael Hirsch#Frankfurt am Main|Austritt]]'' (secession), "could not countenance recognition of a non-believing body as a legitimate representative of the Jewish people", and is therefore opposed to the ''[[Mizrachi (religious Zionism)|Mizrachi]]'' movement, which is affiliated with the [[World Zionist Organization]] and the [[Jewish Agency]].<ref>Ernst J. Bodenheimer and Nosson Scherman {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20051109103642/http://www.tzemachdovid.org/gedolim/jo/tworld/rbreuer.html ''Rabbi Joseph Breuer: The Rav of Frankfurt, U.S.A.'']}}</ref> Modern Orthodoxy, on the other hand, is characterised by its [[Torah Umadda#Centrality of the People of Israel|involvement with the broader Jewish Community]] and by its [[Religious Zionism]].

===Religious Zionism===
Broadly defined, [[Religious Zionism]] is a movement that embraces the idea of Jewish national [[sovereignty]], often in connection with the belief in the ability of the Jewish people to bring about a [[Jewish eschatology|redemptive state]] through natural means, and often attributing religious significance to the modern [[State of Israel]]. The spiritual thinkers who started this stream of thought include Rabbi [[Zvi Hirsch Kalischer]] (1795–1874) and Rabbi [[Yitzchak Yaacov Reines]] (1839–1915). <!-- (This attitude is rejected by most Haredim—but not all, particularly the [[Hardal]] movement.) --> Thus, in this sense, Religious Zionism in fact encompasses a wide spectrum of religious views including Modern Orthodoxy.

Note, however, that Modern Orthodoxy, in fact, overlaps to a large extent with [[Mizrachi (religious Zionism)|"Religious Zionism" in its narrower form]] ("Throughout the world, a 'religious Zionist day school' is a synonym for a 'modern Orthodox day school'"<ref name="mizrachi.org">{{Citation |first=Rav Yosef |last=Blau |url=http://www.mizrachi.org/ideas/view.asp?id=122 |title=Religious Zionism And Modern Orthodoxy |publisher=Mizrachi |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041216072651/http://www.mizrachi.org/ideas/view.asp?id=122 |archive-date=2004-12-16}}.</ref>). At the least, the two are not in any direct conflict, and generally coexist,<ref name="Liebman2" /> sharing both values and adherents. Further, in practice, except at their extremes, the differences between Religious Zionism and Modern Orthodoxy in Israel are not pronounced, and they are often identical, especially in recent years and for the younger generation.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{Citation|first=Shlomo |last=Fischer |url=http://www.vanleer.org.il/Data/UploadedFiles/Files/fundamentalis.doc |title=Fundamentalist or Romantic Nationalist?: Israeli Modern Orthodoxy |publisher=Van Leer |place=[[Israel|IL]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926234137/http://www.vanleer.org.il/Data/UploadedFiles/Files/fundamentalis.doc |archive-date=2007-09-26}}.</ref>

Nevertheless, the two movements are philosophically distinct on two broad counts.

* Firstly, ([[Chardal|the more conservative]]) Religious Zionists differ with Modern Orthodoxy in its approach to secular knowledge.<ref>{{Citation |first=Ami |last=Isseroff |url=http://www.zionism-israel.com/ezine/religious_zionism.htm |title=Religious Zionism Revisits the State of Israel |publisher=Zionism Israel}}.</ref> Here, engagement with the secular is permissible, and encouraged, but only insofar as this benefits the [[State of Israel]]; secular knowledge (or, at the least, an extensive secular education) is viewed as valuable for practical ends, though not in and of itself. See [[Torah Umadda#Religious Zionism|further under ''Torah Umadda'']].
* Secondly, under Religious Zionism, a "nationalistic coloration" is given to traditional religious concepts, whereas, by contrast, Modern Orthodoxy includes "a greater balance which includes openness to the non-Jewish world";<ref name="mizrachi.org" /> thus, under Religious Zionism, the Jewish nation is conceived of as an "organic unity", whereas Modern Orthodoxy emphasises the individual.<ref name="autogenerated2" />

Applying the above distinction, in [[Israel]] today, Modern Orthodoxy—as distinct from (right-wing) Religious Zionism—is represented by only a select group of institutions: the [[Religious Kibbutz Movement]], [[Ne'emanei Torah Va'Avodah]],<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.toravoda.org.il/ |title=Tora Voda |place=IL}}.</ref> the [[Meimad]] political party, and the [[Shalom Hartman Institute]], [[Yeshivat Har Etzion]] / [[Migdal Oz (seminary)|Migdal Oz]] and [[Yeshivat Hamivtar]]/[[Ohr Torah Stone Institutions]]/[[Midreshet Lindenbaum]] (some would include [[Yeshivat Hesder Petach Tikva]], [[Yeshivat Ma'ale Gilboa]], and the [[Tzohar Foundation]]<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.tzohar.org.il/english/ |title=Tzohar |place=IL}}.</ref>).

===Conservative Judaism===
<!-- This section is linked from [[Conservative Judaism]] -->
In some areas, Modern Orthodoxy's left wing appears to align with more traditional elements of [[Conservative Judaism]], and in fact some on the left of Modern Orthodoxy have allied with the formerly Conservative [[Union for Traditional Judaism]]. Nonetheless, the two movements are generally described as distinct. Rabbi [[Avi Weiss]], from the left of Modern Orthodoxy, stresses that Orthodox and Conservative Judaism are "so very different in ... three fundamental areas: ''Torah mi-Sinai'', rabbinic interpretation, and rabbinic legislation".<ref name="Avraham Weiss">Avraham Weiss: {{cite web|url=http://www.yctorah.org/downloads/articles/aw-open-orthodoxy.pdf |title=Open Orthodoxy! A modern Orthodox rabbi's creed |access-date=2006-05-21 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305235117/http://www.yctorah.org/downloads/articles/aw-open-orthodoxy.pdf |archive-date=March 5, 2005}} ''Judaism''; Fall 1997</ref> Weiss argues as follows:
* ''Torah mi-Sinai'' ("Torah From [[Sinai Peninsula|Sinai]]"): Modern Orthodoxy, in line with the rest of Orthodoxy, holds that Jewish law is Divine in origin, and as such, no underlying ''principle'' may be compromised in accounting for changing political, social or economic conditions,<ref name="Kaplan">See for example, Rabbi [[Aryeh Kaplan]], [http://www.aish.com/jl/m/pm/48932007.html ''The Rules of Halacha''].</ref> whereas Conservative Judaism holds that [[Posek|Poskim]] should make use of literary and historical analysis in deciding Jewish law, and may reverse decisions of the [[Acharonim]] that are held to be inapplicable today.<ref name="Avraham Weiss" /><ref name="Elliott N Dorff" />
* Rabbinic interpretation: (Modern) Orthodoxy contends that legal authority is cumulative, and that a contemporary ''[[posek]]'' (decisor) can only issue judgments based on a full history of Jewish legal precedent,<ref name="Kaplan" /> whereas the implicit argument of the Conservative movement is that precedent provides illustrations of possible positions rather than binding law. Conservatism, therefore, remains free to select whichever position within the prior history appeals to it.<ref name="Avraham Weiss" /><ref name="Golinkin">Rabbi Professor David Golinkin: [http://www.responsafortoday.com/about/about.htm ''The Hows and Whys of Conservative Halakhah'']</ref>
* Rabbinic legislation: Since the (Modern) Orthodox community is ritually observant, rabbinic law legislated by (today's) Orthodox rabbis can meaningfully become binding if accepted by the community (see [[minhag]]).<ref name="Kaplan" /> Conservative Judaism, on the other hand, has a largely non-observant laity.<ref name="Avraham Weiss" /><ref name="NJPS">According to the 1990 [[National Jewish Population Survey]], 29% of Conservative congregants buy only [[kosher meat]] and 15% consider themselves [[shomer Shabbat|Sabbath observant]]. According to the 2001 survey, 30% keep Kosher at home and 50% Light Shabbat candles. See also: [http://www.jtsa.edu/x497.xml#6 Sacred Cluster #6] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005151246/http://www.jtsa.edu/x497.xml |date=2011-10-05}}, jtsa.edu and [[Conservative Halakha#Conservative Jewish observance of Halakhah|Conservative Halakha]].</ref> Thus, although Conservatism similarly holds that "no law has authority unless it becomes part of the concern and practice of the community"<ref name="Elliott N Dorff">Elliott N Dorff: [http://www.adath-shalom.ca/dorff158.htm "How Conservative Judaism Makes Decisions in Jewish law halakha"]</ref> communal acceptance of a "permissive custom" is not "meaningful", and, as a result, related rabbinic legislation cannot assume the status of law.

In general, Modern Orthodoxy does not, therefore, view the process by which the Conservative movement decides ''halakha'' as legitimate—or with the non-normative weighting assigned to halakha by the Conservative movement. In particular, Modern Orthodoxy disagrees with many of Conservative Judaism's ''halakhic'' rulings, particularly as regards issues of [[egalitarian]]ism. See further on the [[Orthodox Judaism#Beliefs about Jewish law and tradition|Orthodox view]] and the [[Conservative Judaism#Jewish law|Conservative view]].

Modern Orthodoxy clearly differs from the approach of [[Reform Judaism]] and [[Humanistic Judaism]], which do not consider ''halakha'' to be [[normative]].

==Criticism==
This section deals with criticism relating to standards of observance and to social issues. See [[Torah Umadda#Criticism|"Criticism"]] under [[Torah Umadda]] for discussions of [[philosophy]].

===Standards of observance===
{{Hatnote|See further under [[Torah im Derech Eretz#Jewish law|Torah im Derech Eretz]]; [[Torah Umadda#Centrist Orthodoxy|Torah Umadda]]}}
There is an often repeated contention that Modern Orthodoxy—beyond its approach to ''chumrahs'' ("strictures") [[#Haredi Judaism|described above]]—has lower standards of observance of [[halakha|traditional Jewish laws and customs]] than other branches of [[Orthodox Judaism]].<ref>See for example, [http://www.hashkafah.com/index.php?showtopic=1926&st=20 What is Modern Orthodox?-Hashkafah.com<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818073228/http://www.hashkafah.com/index.php?showtopic=1926&st=20 |date=2007-08-18 }}.</ref> This view is largely anecdotal, and is based on individual behaviour, as opposed to any formal, institutional position;<ref>{{cite web|last=Menchell|first=Dovid|title=Edah Holds Conference|url=http://yuweb.addr.com/v63i9/news/edah.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051110172630/http://yuweb.addr.com/v63i9/news/edah.shtml|archive-date=November 10, 2005|access-date=September 2, 2005}}</ref> see [[#The_behaviorally_modern|above]] re "the behaviorally modern":

{{Blockquote|There are at least two distinct types of Modern Orthodox. ... One is philosophically or ideologically modern, while the other is more appropriately characterized as behaviorally modern. ... [The] philosophically Modern Orthodox would be those who are meticulously observant of Halakhah but are, nevertheless, philosophically modern. ... The behaviorally Modern Orthodox, on the other hand, are not deeply concerned with philosophical ideas ... by and large, they define themselves as Modern Orthodox [either] in the sense that they are not meticulously observant [or] in reference to ... right-wing Orthodoxy.<ref name="Liebman2" />}}

{{Blockquote|[This] group is appropriately described as "modern" in the sense that those who see themselves as part of it are committed to the tradition, in general, but feel free to pick and choose in their observance of rituals. In contrast to the more traditional Orthodox, they do not observe all of the rituals as deemed obligatory by the traditional community. Their sense of "freedom of choice", although never articulated theoretically, is as evident as it is among many other contemporary Americans who view themselves as religiously traditional, but, nevertheless, are selective in their religiosity.<ref name="Waxman" />}}

Additionally, whereas the Modern Orthodox position is (generally) presented as "unquestioned allegiance to the primacy of Torah, and that the apprehension of all other intellectual disciplines must be rooted and viewed through the prism of Torah",<ref>{{cite web|title=What Does Torah U'Madda Mean to You?|url=http://yuweb.addr.com/v67i7/culture/toyou.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070308081945/http://yuweb.addr.com/v67i7/culture/toyou.html|archive-date=March 8, 2007|access-date=March 26, 2006}}</ref> ''[[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]]'' groups have sometimes compared Modern Orthodoxy with early [[Reform Judaism]] in [[Germany]]: Modern Orthodox rabbis have been criticised for attempting to modify [[Halakha|Jewish law]], in adapting Judaism to the needs of the [[modern world]].{{citation needed|reason=No reliable source for such claims|date=March 2015}}

Note that claims of this nature have been commonplace within Orthodox Judaism since the first "reforms" of [[Samson Raphael Hirsch]] and [[Azriel Hildesheimer]]. Thus, in [[Europe]] of the early 19th century, all of [[Judaism]] that differed from the strictest forms present at the time was called "Reform". Then, as now, Modern Orthodoxy took pains to distance its "reforms", which were consistent with the [[Shulkhan Arukh]] and [[poskim]], from those of the Reform movement (and the Conservative movement), which were not.{{Citation needed|date=December 2021}}

{{Blockquote|It is foolish to believe that it is the wording of a prayer, the notes of a synagogue tune, or the order of a special service, which form the abyss between [Reform and Orthodoxy].... It is not the so-called Divine Service which separates us, [rather it] is the theory—the principle [of faithfulness to Jewish law] ... if the Torah is to you the Law of God how dare you place another law above it and go along with God and His Law only as long as you thereby "progress" in other respects at the same time? (''Religion Allied to Progress'', [[Samson Raphael Hirsch]])}}

===Sociological and philosophical dilemmas===
Some observe<ref name="Waxman" /> that the ability of Modern Orthodoxy to attract a large following and maintain its strength as a movement is inhibited by the fact that it embraces [[modernity]]—its ''[[wikt:raison d'être|raison d'être]]''—and that it is highly [[Rationality|rational]] and [[intellectual]].
* Modern Orthodoxy is, almost by definition, inhibited from becoming a strong movement, because this would entail organization and authority to a degree "which goes against the very grain of modernity". A related difficulty is that Modern Orthodox rabbis who do adopt stringencies may, in the process, lose the support of precisely the "Modern" group they sought to lead. The logic: since one of the characteristics of [[orthodoxy|religious orthodoxy]] is the submission to the authority of [[oral law|its tradition]], the individual is expected to conform to all of its dictates, whereas [[modernity]], by contrast, emphasizes a measure of personal autonomy as well as rationalist truth. The very term "Modern Orthodoxy" is thus, in some sense, an [[oxymoron]].
* Modern Orthodoxy's "highly intellectual and rational stance" presents its own difficulties. Firstly, the ideology entails built-in tensions and frequently requires conscious living with inconsistency<ref name="Richlen"/><ref name="Sol Roth" /> (even in the term itself: modernity vs. orthodoxy). Secondly, there are also those who question whether "the literature ... with its intellectually elitist bias fails to directly address the majority of its practitioners".<ref>Rabbi Prof. Alan Brill, [http://www.edah.org/backend/JournalArticle/4_1_brill.pdf Judaism in Culture: Beyond the Bifurcation of Torah and Madda].</ref> The suggestion here is that Modern Orthodoxy may not provide a directly applicable theology for the contemporary Modern Orthodox family; see [[Torah Umadda#Modern Orthodoxy|further discussion]] under ''Torah Umadda''.
* As observed [[#Positioning|above]], the (precise) "philosophical parameters of modern Orthodoxy" are not readily defined. It is posited then that "modern orthodoxy", as such, may be disappearing, "being sucked into [[Jewish religious movements#Trans- and post-denominational Judaism|pluralistic Judaism]] on the left and [[yeshivish]] on the right".<ref>This [[tongue in cheek]] comment is from [http://www.frumsatire.net/2009/05/13/artscroll-may-soon-be-losing-its-siddur-monopoly/ frumsatire.net]; although see Shmuel Hain in note.</ref> "Modern orthodoxy", then, as opposed to constituting an [[#Ideological spectrum|ideological spectrum]] centred on a common core of values, is, in fact, (tending towards) several entirely separate movements. In fact, "[m]any are making the argument that the time has come to state the inevitable or to admit that which already has occurred: There is no longer a cohesive, singular Modern Orthodoxy. Separate rabbinical schools and separate rabbinic organizations, the argument goes, reflect the reality of a community divided."<ref name="Hain">Shmuel Hain: [http://jta.org/news/article/2010/02/07/1010497/op-ed-the-vital-center-and-modern-orthodoxy Op-Ed: The vital center and Modern Orthodoxy], jta.org</ref> See {{section link|Orthodox Judaism |Modern_Orthodoxy}}.

==Important figures==
Many Orthodox Jews find the intellectual engagement with the modern world as a virtue. Examples of Orthodox rabbis who promote or have promoted this worldview include:

* [[Yehuda Amital]] – A [[Hungary|Hungarian]] [[Holocaust survivors|survivor of the Holocaust]], he emigrated to [[Israel]] in 1944, and resumed his yeshiva studies in [[Jerusalem]]. During the [[1947–1949 Palestine war]], he served in the [[Haganah]] armored corps, taking part in the battle of [[Latrun]]. Following the [[Six-Day War]], Amital founded and led [[Yeshivat Har Etzion]]. He eventually founded the [[Meimad]] political party in Israel.
* [[Raymond Apple (rabbi)|Raymond Apple]] – former senior rabbi of the [[Great Synagogue (Sydney)|Great Synagogue]], Sydney, Australia.
* [[Samuel Belkin]], former President of Yeshiva University.
* [[Eliezer Berkovits]] – philosopher whose works include ''Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha'' and ''Faith after the Holocaust''.
* [[Saul Berman]] – director of the now defunct [[Edah]], a Modern Orthodox advocacy organization.
* [[J. David Bleich]], professor at Yeshiva University.
* [[Shalom Carmy]] – professor of Jewish Studies and Philosophy at [[Yeshiva University]]; theologian
* [[Chuck Davidson]], an activist against the [[Chief Rabbinate of Israel]], specifically in the areas of conversion and marriage, where he is creating alternatives to the official paths.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/magazine/conversion-in-israel-where-are-we-heading-513873|title=Conversion in Israel: Where are we heading?|website=The Jerusalem Post &#124; JPost.com}}</ref>
* [[Efrem Goldberg]] – Senior Rabbi at [[Boca Raton Synagogue]] in [[Florida]], one of the largest Modern Orthodox congregations in the U.S.; speaker and writer.
* [[Irving Greenberg]] (Yitz) – theologian, lecturer, and author. A student of Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Greenberg espouses the philosophy of [[Tikkun Olam]] and has written extensively on the theological impact of the Holocaust and the creation of the state of [[Israel]].
* [[David Hartman (rabbi)|David Hartman]] – Rabbi and founder of [[Shalom Hartman Institute]] in Jerusalem, a prominent philosopher, lecturer, and author, and a student of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik
* [[Leo Jung]], Rabbi at the [[Jewish Center (Manhattan, New York)]]
* [[Hillel Maresky]], thinker, radiologist, educator.
* [[Norman Lamm]] – [[Rosh Yeshiva]], [[Yeshiva University]]; Orthodox Forum; author of ''Torah U-Maddah''.
* [[Aharon Lichtenstein]] – the son-in-law of Joseph Soloveitchik, in 1971 he joined [[Yehuda Amital]] as leader of [[Yeshivat Har Etzion]]. Author of ''Leaves of Faith: The World of Jewish Learning'', and ''By His Light: Character and Values in the Service of God''.
* [[Haskel Lookstein]] – Rabbi of [[Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun]] in [[Manhattan]] and principal of the [[Ramaz School]]. Voted by ''Newsweek'' magazine as the most influential orthodox rabbi in the United States in 2008. Rabbi Lookstein is best known for his strong political activism, which began with numerous visits to the former Soviet Union, numerous rallies on behalf of [[Natan Sharansky]] and continues today with activism on behalf of the Jews of Israel and worldwide.
* [[Shlomo Riskin]] – formerly rabbi of the [[Lincoln Square Synagogue]] in Manhattan, he emigrated to [[Israel]] to become the Chief Rabbi of [[Efrat (Israeli settlement)|Efrat]].
* [[Michael Rosensweig]] – [[Rosh Yeshiva]] at the [[Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary]] of [[Yeshiva University]] and the [[Rosh Kollel]] of the Beren Kollel Elyon
* [[Jonathan Sacks]], philosopher and theologian, author of 25 books, and previous [[Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth|Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth]]; see esp. [[Jonathan Sacks #Torah v'Chokhma|#Torah v'Chokhma]] there, re Modern Orthodoxy.
* [[Hershel Schachter]] – one of Joseph B. Soloveitchik's students, dean of the Katz Kollel at the Yeshiva University-affiliated [[Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary]] (RIETS). Has published several works establishing a definitive view of Soloveitchik's ''Weltanschauung''.
* [[Joseph B. Soloveitchik]] – known as "The Rav", he was an important figure in Modern Orthodoxy in mid-20th century America. He wrote ''The Lonely Man of Faith'' and ''Halakhic Man'', and was an outspoken Zionist, an opponent of extending rabbinic authority into areas of secular expertise, and a proponent of some interdenominational cooperation, such as the [[Rabbinical Council of America]]'s participation in the now-defunct [[Synagogue Council of America]].
* [[Gedalia Dov Schwartz]] – , scholar and [[posek]] in Chicago, Illinois. From 1991 to 2020, he was the av beis din (head of the rabbinical court) of both the [[Beth Din of America]] and the [[Chicago Rabbinical Council]].
* [[Moshe David Tendler]] – Professor of Jewish Medical Ethics, and of Biology, as well as Rosh Yeshiva in Yeshivat Rav Yitzchak Elchanan (MYP/RIETS). Holding a Ph.D. in Microbiology, Rav Tendler was a student of rabbis Moshe Feinstein, (his father-in-law) and [[Yosef Dov Soloveitchik]]. Tendler is an expert on [[Jewish medical ethics|medical ethics]] as it pertains to Jewish law. He is the author of ''Practical Medical Halakhah'', a textbook of Jewish responsa to medical issues, and ''Pardes Rimonim'', a book about the halakhot of ''Taharat Mishpacha'', and is rabbi of the Community Synagogue in Monsey, New York, and the chairman of the Bioethical Commission, RCA, and of the Medical Ethics Task Force, [[UJA]]-Federation of Greater New York.
* [[Joseph Telushkin]] – author, teacher, lecturer
* [[Marc B. Shapiro]] – author, lecturer
* [[Stanley M. Wagner]] – American rabbi and academic
* [[Mordechai Willig]] – Rosh yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Yeshiva University; Rabbi of Young Israel of Riverdale
* [[Joel B. Wolowelsky]] – [[Yeshiva of Flatbush]]; Orthodox Forum; [[Tradition (journal)|Tradition]]
* [[Walter Wurzburger]] – editor of ''Tradition'' magazine, and head of the [[Rabbinical Council of America]]
* [[Pinchas Polonsky]] – Jewish-religious philosopher, researcher, and educator active among the Russian-speaking Jewish community.

==Modern Orthodox advocacy groups==
There are a few organizations dedicated to furthering Modern Orthodoxy as a religious trend:
* The largest and oldest are the [[Orthodox Union]] (Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America), which sponsors youth groups, kashrut supervision, and many other activities, and its rabbinic counterpart, the [[Rabbinical Council of America]] (RCA). Both have Israel and diaspora (outside the land of Israel) programs.

Others include:
* The [[Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance]] (JOFA): a forum for enhancing the roles of Orthodox Jewish women within the Orthodox community, and reducing Orthodox religious disabilities against women.
* [[Ne'emanei Torah Va'Avodah]] is a non-profit organization operating in Israel whose proposed goal is "To forge a more open and tolerant discourse in Religious Zionism, one that integrates a halachic lifestyle with active engagement in Israeli society, in order to strengthen tolerance, equality, and social responsibility".

==See also==
* [[Bar-Ilan University]]
* [[Hebrew Theological College]]
<!-- * [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] -->
* [[Jerusalem College of Technology]]
* [[Touro College]]
* [[Religious Zionism]]
* [[Yeshiva University]]
* [[Young Israel]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Further reading ==
* Etengoff, C. (2011). "An Exploration of religious gender differences amongst Jewish-American emerging adults of different socio-religious subgroups". ''Archive for the Psychology of Religion'', 33, 371–391.
* [[Samuel Heilman|Heilman, Samuel C.]]; [[Steven M. Cohen|Cohen, Steven M.]] (1989). ''Cosmopolitans and Parochials: Modern Orthodox Jews in America''. Chicago, Il: University of Chicago Press. {{ISBN|0226324966}}.
* {{cite book |surname=Soloveitchik
|given=Haym |authorlink=Haym Soloveitchik |title=Rupture and Reconstruction: The Transformation of Modern Orthodoxy |year=2021 |url={{Google books|id=cG9vEAAAQBAJ|plainurl=y|page=|keywords=|text=}} |publisher=Littman Library of Jewish Civilization; Liverpool University Press |place=London; Liverpool |isbn=978-1-906764-38-8}}

==External links==
*[http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/modern-orthodox-judaism-a-documentary-history Jewish Book Council: Modern Orthodox Judaism – A Documentary History]

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