Modern Orthodox

Pronunciations

Modern Orthodox (MOD-urn OR-thuh-dox) listen

Definitions

  • n. Observant, but open to the outside world, general culture and education; not Yeshivish or Haredi.

Example Sentences

  • "They're an MO family who go to the cinema a lot."

  • "He's an MO rabbi, so he always quotes the New York TImes in his sermons."

  • "She's MO, so she won't cover her hair"

Languages of Origin

  • English

Who Uses This

  • Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education
  • Younger: Jews in their 30s or younger

Regions

  • North America
  • South Africa
  • Australia / New Zealand

Dictionaries

  • The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).

Alternative Spellings

MO, Modox, M.O., M. O.

Notes

  • This used to be identified with theology associated with Yeshiva University, which is now more likely to be seen as RWMO (as opposed to LWMO).

    Often abbreviated (in writing) as MO, M.O., or Modox.

    MO is used as a faintly negative classification by Charedim, implying a liberal, not to say lax, attitude to Jewish observance.

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