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Adopting Humanistic Judaism – Ronald’s Story

Adopting Humanistic Judaism

We are excited to welcome Ronald Silva Marçal to the SHJ family! Ronald has chosen the Hebrew Name Shmuel Lev. Read below to learn more about why he chose his Hebrew name and how he came to feel connected to Humanistic Judaism!

“The name Shmuel holds very special meaning for me because it is important to my mother — a way of honoring that deep emotional and familial bond. The Lev part came from a desire to express a heartfelt connection with Jewish tradition, highlighting the heart (lev) as a symbol ofthat bond. In addition to maintaining this emotional and symbolic dimension, it also resonates with my background as a teacher and my admiration for the socioconstructivist approach, especially the influence of the thinker Lev Vygotsky. I feel that this beautifully brings together my emotional and cultural roots with the path I’ve been following in education.”

From a very young age, my grandmother had a profound influence on my life. She never explicitly identified as Jewish, but she always carried a proud sense of being “different,” something that was reflected in her way of seeing the world and passing on values. Because of her, my childhood and adolescence were marked by a natural detachment from the predominant Catholicism around me in Brazil. While my peers and neighbors lived intensely within Catholic traditions and life cycles, I was guided by a distinct spirituality—one that seemed to whisper echoes of a deeper identity, though not yet fully understood.
My prayers were not directed to saints but shaped by the Book of Psalms, through which I sought strength and guidance. From an early age, I learned that the challenges of the human condition did not come from external forces but from our own inner inclination toward good or evil. Social justice was a non-negotiable principle, something my grandmother taught me not only through words but through actions and examples. I grew up believing that dignity and compassion were the foundations upon which we should build our lives.
As the years passed, and I came into contact with Jewish literature and ethics, I was struck by a mixture of surprise and recognition. It felt as if I were rediscovering something that had always been a part of me. The ideas, principles, and worldview I had absorbed since childhood were there, articulated within Jewish tradition. That was when I began to reflect on what had always distinguished my grandmother and her way of life. Could her sense of separation from the Catholicism around her have been an expression of Crypto-Judaism? This question resonated deeply within me, as I realized that Judaism was not something external to my identity but rather an invisible thread that had always woven my understanding of the world.
By consciously embracing my Jewish identity, I felt as if I were finally giving name and form to something that had always been inside me. However, I understood that being Jewish is not just a matter of intellectual affinity or identification with ethical principles. Judaism is also a collective destiny, a heritage that spans generations, upheld by the commitment of each individual to keep it alive. It is a path that is not walked alone but within a community that shares history, values, and responsibilities.
My decision to officially adopt Humanistic Judaism comes from the recognition that embracing this identity means more than simply absorbing its teachings; it is also about establishing a connection with this great Jewish collective. It means belonging, preserving, and strengthening this legacy—both in its ethical aspect and in its historical continuity. I want to be part of this people not just as someone who admires its values but as someone committed to living them fully, contributing to ensuring that Judaism continues to illuminate the present and shape the future.
SHJ

Society for Humanistic Judaism is the North American umbrella organization for a movement that inspires, organizes, and advocates for secular individuals and congregations to celebrate Jewish identity and culture independent of supernatural authority and aligned with the values of Humanistic Judaism.

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5 Comments
  1. Reply
    Milton Strauss June 11, 2025

    Mazel Tov, Ronald! Welcome and thank you very much for your very from-the-heart story of your journey to Humanistic Judaism. May your life be more and more enriched by our brand of Judaism.

    • Reply
      Ronald Silva Marçal June 15, 2025

      Thank you so much for your kind and generous words! I’m truly honored to be welcomed into this community with such warmth. Humanistic Judaism resonates deeply with the values that have guided me throughout my life, and I look forward to growing within this tradition and contributing to it in meaningful ways. Todah rabah!

  2. Reply
    Vicki Wallshein June 11, 2025

    Ronald,

    That was one of the most articulate descriptions of one’s journey to discover secular, humanistic Judaism that I have ever read! I felt such joy at discovering that this “denomination” of Judaism existed as it filled a need in me to find a community of like minded Jews; something that was missing in my life for a long time.

    Mazel tov and welcome to the mishpucha!

    • Reply
      Ronald Silva Marçal June 15, 2025

      Your message truly touched me — thank you! It’s amazing how shared stories can create an immediate sense of kinship. Like you, I felt a powerful sense of recognition when I found Humanistic Judaism: it gave language, structure, and community to something I had long felt in my heart. I’m grateful to be part of this mishpucha and excited to continue learning and building together. Mazel tov to both of us for finding this path!

  3. Reply
    Ronald Silva Marçal June 15, 2025

    Thank you so much for the warm welcome!
    It is both humbling and uplifting to be received with such kindness and openness into the SHJ family. This moment marks more than a personal milestone — it symbolizes the culmination of a journey filled with quiet intuitions, deep emotional ties, and the gradual unveiling of a heritage that I have always carried within me.
    To be part of Humanistic Judaism is, for me, not only a step toward affirming identity but a profound act of joining hands with a people, a history, and a set of values that have long resonated in my life. I feel honored to walk this path alongside others who see dignity, reason, compassion, and justice as central pillars of Jewish life and continuity.
    Toda raba — thank you again for embracing my story and making me feel at home.

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