| Orthodox | Conservative | Reform | Reconstructionist | |
| God | A perosnal diety whose providence is reality. | Varied interpretations ranging from supernaturalism to naturalistic humanism. | Varied interpretations with latitude for naturalists, supernaturalists or religious humanists. | Power that makes for human salvation; source of highest human values and transcendent feelings. |
| Torah | Of Divine origin, handed down to Moses on Mount Sinai. | The revealed, but no the literal, word of God, as refracted through human transmission. | Written by human hands, with Divine inspiration; other viewpoints acceptable. | The attempt to strive for salvation, self-fulfillment. Collection of writings by different people. Belief in Divine inspiration, not revelation. |
| Halakha/
Jewish Law |
Eternal, binding and irrevocable, it is Orthodoxy's guide and can be interpreted and applied to new situations only by rabbinical sages. | In favor of tradition, but can change in response to modern needs. Rabbinic rulings are binding. | Ethical aspects are God's revalation and binding. Ritual Mitzvot are means of infusing spirituality. Individuals decide halakha for themselves. | Considered custom or tradition. Commitment to tradition and search for contemporary meaning. Communities adapt their own in democratic procedures. Rabbis work as teachers with lay people to make guidelines. |
| Women | Different roles and obligations from men. Sit separately in synagogue. Rabbi and cantor are male positions. Minyan not relevant to women's worship. | Accorded the same role as men in most rituals and practices. May be part of a minyan, sit with men in synagogue, serve as cantor and rabbi. | Egalitarian in rituals and practices. May be part of a minyan, sit with men in synagogue, serve as cantor, rabbi. Symbolic brit mila-equivalent ceremony. | Supports a fully egalitarian approach to religious life and liturgy. Women sit with men, are counted in a minyan and become rabbis and cantors. |
| Kashrut | An obligation per Orthodox rulings. | An obligation per Conservative rulings. | Encourages study of laws and observances that increase the sancity of life and relationship with God. | Considered custom and is encouraged as a way of enhancing Jewish involvement and identification. |
| Brit Mila | An obligation. | An obligation. | Required of all born-Jewish men. | An obligation. |
| Divorce | Get, divorce document, required. | Get required. | Get not required. | Husband and wife give each other an egalitarian version of the get. |
| Conversion | Requires instruction on Jewish life, and agreement to fulfill the commandments, brit mila and tevila (immersion in a ritual bath). Procedure is supervised by beit din (court) of three. | Requires instruction on Jewish life, an agreement to fulfill the commandments, brit mila and tevila. Procedure is supervised by a beit din of three. | Requires study, an oral and written declaration of acceptance of Judaism with intention to comply with tenets, before a rabbi and two lay leaders. Brit mila and tevila not required in U.S. | Requires brit mila and tevila. Process is supervised by a beit din of three. |
| Intermarriage | Prohibited. | Prohibited. | Generally opposed; there are some rabbis who perform ceremonies. Intermarrieds welcomed into congregations. | Rabbis participate in civil marriage if couple will stay connected to community; some only with condition that family maintains Jewish home and raises children only as Jews. Communities extend themselves to intermarrieds. |
| Who is a Jew? | Matrilineal descent or Orthodox conversion. | Matrilineal descent or conversion that includes brit mila and tevila. | One Jewish parent and formal, public identification with faith and people. | One Jewish parent and must be raised as a Jew. |