A movement of alternative minyanim, or prayer groups, ?has emerged among young American Jews who want a middle ground between Conservative and Orthodox Judaism.
Touchstone magazine (January/February) reports that young Orthodox Jews unhappy with the male-only leadership of their synagogues, and young Conservative Jews believing that their denomination is not traditional enough, have joined forces to create their own minyanim. These prayer groups, traditionally constituted by ten men now include women, who often lead the prayers.
Though all of the groups are lay-led, often in apartments or borrowed spaces, some are sponsored by Conservative congregations to serve as alternatives for their young people, slightly over half of whom are leaving the denomination, most for no other religion.
