Sects of Judaism
Sects exist in Judaism  as much as do the many sects of Christianity. In fact, Christianity began as a “sect” of Judaism. They were originally known as Messianists.  Josephus, a first century Jewish historian, said there were four major sects of Judaism at that time: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots. All these sects disappeared following the destruction of Jerusalem with the exception of the Zealots who may have merged into Messianism and then Christianity..
Essenes were a monastic group. They believed the end of the age was at hand, and separated from society to patiently await it. The Essenes wrote many documents which were uncovered millennia late - the Dead Sea Scrolls.       Zealots also believed the end of the age was at hand but they took actions to prepare for a better age.They believed that they had to purify Jerusalem by throwing out the Roman occupiers and to incite others to revolt also. Many believe that the many of Jesus' followers were of this persuasion. The Zealots were fanatical in their anti-Roman atacks. Their aggression caused the Romans  to invade Jersusalem,  which ended with the destruction of the Temple.      Sadducees made up most of the aristocracy and controlled the priesthood. In spite of this, they were not much interersted in spirituality. Their primary interest seemed to be politics. Of the four major sects of Judaism, the Sadducees were the most cooperative with the Romans. Annas and Caiaphas, mentioned in the New Testament, were Sadducees.      Pharisees were the only group to survive captivity on Persia They were deeply committed to  a rigid adherence to Mosaic Law. Because of the time they spent in Persia,  the Pharisees had developed a set of traditions that was greatly influenced by the Parsee religion of that country. This is why they were known as Pharisees (Parsees). Today's rabbinical  system arose from the Pharisee sect.  As rabbinical Judaism grew, Christianity was seen by them less as a heresy and more as a distinct religion. A small sect arising during this time was Karaite Judaism, which accepted only the canonical written books of the Old Testament and rejected the later Rabbinical writings and oral traditions. The Rabbinical period lasted until around the end of the 17th century.        In the early part of the 18th century, as modern approaches to scripture and society emerged, Judaism began to Judaism, Three major groups arose:  Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. As always, there are numerous smaller, less influential sects within Judaism, such as Torah Judaism,  Reconstructionist Judaism and the Kabbalists. The overwhelming majority of Jews in the world are Orthodox, though Conservative and Reform are more common in the United States and certain parts of Europe.        Reform Judaism, which emerged in Germany the early 1800s, is by far the most liberal sect. Reform Judaism is primarily  “ethical monotheism,” based on interpretation of traditional practices rather than on strict adherence to them. Concepts such as prayers in Hebrew, kosher dietary laws, and the separation of genders during worship are rejected as irrelevant, or even backwards. The Scriptures, according to Reform Judaism, are human developments, subject to  interpretation and fallibility.       Orthodox Judaism arose in reaction to the rise of Reform Judaism. These Jews emphasized traditional rituals, interpretations, and practices. Their core contention is that the Torah, handed down directly to Moses by God, is applicable in all ways and at all times. The term “Orthodox,” was originally used as a criticism by more liberally-minded Jews. Most practicing Jews in the world today, save for those  in the U.S. and parts of Europe, can be considered Orthodox.       Conservative Judaism,  the third major sect of Judaism,  arose from tension between liberal-leaning Reform and deeply conservative Orthodox. This group, the most common in the United States, keeps to the laws of the Torah and Talmud, with certain practical concessions made to life in the modern world. The key interest in Conservative Judaism is the centrality of religion and Jewish religious identity. Conservative Judaism maintains kosher dietary laws and the regular Sabbath but uses both local and Hebrew language for liturgy and does not separate the sexes during worship.