Why Does Judaism Have Denominations? With Zev Eleff
From Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam by Unpacked
April 7, 2026 · 38 min · Season 4 · Episode 35
About this episode
Zev Eleff discusses the origins and meanings of various Jewish denominations and their connections to Protestantism and American culture.
Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist... where do these religious practices come from? What do they even mean? Zev Eleff, the president of Gratz College, is here to lay out the fascinating origins of denominations, and how they intersect with Protestantism and American culture. Plus: Zev, Mijal, and Noam reflect on the rich tapestry of Orthodox Judaism, and what its future might be. Get in touch at WonderingJews@unpacked.media. Follow @wonderingjews on Instagram, and watch and subscribe on YouTube. This episode is sponsored in memory of Leo M. Bernstein. ------------ This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. Subscribe to the Unpacked newsletter: https://unpacked.bio/22f7b4 For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Unpacking Israeli…
People in this episode
Hosts: Mijal, Noam
Guest: Zev Eleff
Topics covered
- Judaism
- Denominations
- Orthodox Judaism
- Protestantism
- American culture
- Religious practices
Keywords
- Judaism
- denominations
- Orthodox
- Conservative
- Reform
- Reconstructionist
- Protestantism
- American culture
Sponsors
Unpacked
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Gratz College, Unpacked, OpenDor Media
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