What is Humanistic Judaism?
Humanistic Jews Affirm That...
- A Jew is someone who identifies with the history, culture and future of the Jewish people.
- Jewish identity is best preserved in a free, pluralistic environment
- Jewish history is a human saga, a testament to the significance of human power and human responsibility.
- Judaism is the historic culture of the Jewish people.
- We possess the power and responsibility to shape our own lives independent of supernatural authority.
- Ethics and morality should serve human needs.
- The freedom and dignity of the Jewish people must go hand in hand with the freedom and dignity of every human being.
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Humanistic Jews believe:
- Each Jew has the right to create a meaningful Jewish lifestyle free from supernatural authority and imposed tradition.
- The goal of life is personal dignity and self-esteem.
- The secular roots of Jewish life are as important as the religious ones.
- The survival of the Jewish people needs a reconciliation between science, personal autonomy, and Jewish loyalty.
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Freedom from supernatural
authority
Theistic religions assert that the ultimate
source of wisdom and of the power of the solution to human
problems is found outside of people - in a supernatural realm.
Humanistic philosophy affirms that knowledge and power come from
people and from the nature in which they live.
Dignity and self-esteem
Life is worthwhile when each person sees
themself as worthwhile. Self-respect is distinct from
happiness.
Happiness is less the goal of life than the
consequence of having attained it. Self-respect is dependent upon
autonomy. The autonomous person feels that s/he is responsible for
the basic direction of his/her own life and that no one else has
the right to usurp that responsibility. Autonomy does not mean
that each person is individually self-sufficient. Healthy
dependence is horizontal rather than vertical.
Secular Jewish Roots
Judaism is an ethnic culture. It did not fall
from heaven. It was not invented by a divine spokesperson. It was
created by the Jewish people. It was molded by Jewish experience.
Holidays are responses to human events.
Ceremonies are celebrations of human
development.
Music and literature are the expressions of
human needs.
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Links to other organizations
Kol Haverim: the Finger Lakes Community for Humanistic Judaism is
part of a national and international movement for Secular Humanistic
Judaism.
Kol Haverim is one of over 30 congregations affiliated with the
Society for Humanistic
Judaism (SHJ)  . SHJ, in turn, works closely with the Congress of
Secular Jewish Organizations (CSJO), particularly in the operation of
the Leadership Conference of Secular and Humanistic Jews, which
trains and certifies leaders (madrikhim/madrikhot) for our
Congregations and our movement as well as Secular Humanistic
rabbis.
Click on one of the organizations mentioned below to explore the
websites of other communities affiliated with SHJ:
Local affiliates of the Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations
with web sites include:
There are groups affiliated with the Humanistic Judaism movement
in Latin America, Europe, Australia, and Israel. For information
about these groups, send E-Mail to SHJ at info@shj.org  .
Humanistic Judaism Mailing List
This is an independent, thought provoking mailing list where you
can read about and participate in on-going discussions concerning the
philosophy, activities and goals of Secular Humanistic Judaism. It is
operated by Walter Hellman of the Humanistic Jews of Greater
Portland. He also operates a Humanistic Judaism WebPage.
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