What is the difference between a “Jew” and an “orthodox Jew”?

Answer 1

Generally, Orthodox Jews are those who have not accepted any of the changes made by the various streams of liberal Judaism. The most visible differences have to do with the roles of women. Orthodox Jews generally separate men and women in worship and do not allow women to lead prayers when men are present. All streams of liberal Judaism today allow ordination of women and generally allow mixed worship. There are different prayerbooks used in the Orthodox world, and some of the liberal prayerbooks differ in only small ways from one or the other Orthodox prayerbooks. Some liberal prayerbooks, notably in the Reform and Humanist movements, have differences big enough for non-Jews to notice. Finally Orthodox Jews have the most stringent standards for who is a Jew, rejecting most converts who converted under liberal auspices. Even the most Orthodox Jews, however, accept that most liberal Jews are Jewish, just not very observant.