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
- Australia / New Zealand
- South Africa
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.
Edit Something missing from this entry? Inaccurate? Feel free to suggest an edit.