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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]NP here. Can non-Jewish people attend services? [/quote]

Yes. You are welcome to do so, in general.

I do remind you that we have denominations, and they are very different. [/quote]

I don't like the term "denominations" It sounds so, pardon, Protestant, and seems to imply not only differences in theology, but differences in liturgy going back 500 years, and even formal distinctions on who can participate, intermarry etc (depending on whether denominations are in communion with each other).  I like the idea that there are no hard and set boundaries along the continuum of Judaism - Reform and Conservative accept each other for most if not all purposes, and there are independent shuls happily in between. Same for Conservative and at least the most liberal Orthodox shuls.  Denominationalism has set in  more strongly in recent years, esp as CJ has moved left halachically, O has moved right and groups like  Open Orthodoxy and the Union for Traditional Judaism have remained small.  Though the liturgy is less denominational, as even Reform has become more traditional.  (Note there are also smaller groups, Reconstructionist and Renewal notably).  But I prefer to call them movements, or, as the Israelis do, "trends".  Reform and Conservative each have a grouping of institutions (synagogue associations, seminaries, youth movements, etc)  but many of the most exciting things are happening with independent institutions and prayer groups.  [/quote]

There are a lot of words in this answer.  Call them flavors, trends, denominations... whatever.   For the PP who asked,  you will find services extremely different among the "groups".  I just reread the first sentence PP wrote, and other than the fact that our differences don't go back quite as far as Luther, I think we meet the standard she set.

[/quote]

[i]Well other than that a Reform Jew can walk into an Orthodox Synagogue and be called to the Torah - not questions about who is in communion with whom[/i].   A Reform Jew (heck a pair of Reform Jews) can be married under the supervision of an Orthodox rabbi, no asking for them to "convert" to Orthodoxy, as when a Protestant marries a Roman Catholic.

For more on the growing tendency to ignore denominations, see the independent day schools movement, independent rabbinical seminaries, the indepedent minyan movement (and its lead educational institution, Yeshiva Hadar), etc, etc. [/quote]

That is true for less than 50 percent of Reform Jews, since women are not called to the Torah at all.  Then take away all those who were converted by a non-Orthodox rabbi...

I think, for the purposes of the OP (who asked a perfectly reasonable question), you might be arguing for to-MAH-toes when the rest of us are fine with tomatoes.

[/quote]

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