1. Jewish Humanism
Most Jews derive their ethics through Humanism, not divine commandments.
If you don’t believe in the God of the Bible, you are not alone. You’re not even outside the Jewish mainstream. Three out of four Jews don’t. It’s humanism—the uniquely human ability to make decisions based on reason, knowledge, and empathy about what’s best for most people—that fosters the positive universalist values of tolerance and diversity held by most American Jews. Many newcomers to Humanistic Judaism find welcome relief to learn there is a word for what they already believe, and a community of likeminded, supportive fellow-travelers.
- Humanistic Judaism’s innovative liturgy for holiday celebrations and lifecycle events replaces God-worship with poetry and song that speaks to the human experience, allowing us to believe every word we say, and only say words we believe.
- Not all our members call themselves “atheist,” “agnostic,” or “spiritual not religious,” though many do. For over fifty years, our movement has provided a safe space for this “minority within a minority” to be in the majority, to speak openly about what we do and do not believe, and to educate the next generation of Jews without closeting our identities or compromising our integrity.
- The liturgy and rituals used in Humanistic Judaism are consistent with a wide range of beliefs because the focus is on our commonality as people. We therefore welcome family and allies who may hold more traditional religious views to participate. We thank them for understanding that while there are many other spaces and denominations for theistic Judaism, ours is the only one built by, for, and about secular, cultural, Humanistic Jews.
2. Meaning and Value
Combining Humanism with Judaism offers new meaning and value.
Most secular Jews are already proud of Jewish heritage, history, and culture. And Jewish food and humor! Humanistic Judaism adds Jewish community, education, and celebration to improve lives through interpersonal connection, centering and contemplation, and intellectual and emotional growth.
- Members of communities affiliated with Humanistic Judaism come together to celebrate in times of joy and to support one another in times of sorrow through flexible, innovative, modern approaches to life.
- Humanistic Jews seek the same emotional experience that some call “spirituality.” We feel uplifted by singing together, moved by beautiful words and music, and awed by the majesty of nature and mysteries of the universe. Our ritual practice is intended to foster such “secular spirituality.”
- Understanding our universalist and Humanistic Jewish values empowers us to advocate for social justice causes, including in partnership with the Secular Coalition for America and the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable. Our movement’s pluralistic initiative, Jews for a Secular Democracy, defends U.S. First Amendment religious freedom through a Jewish perspective.
- Humanistic Jews do have “faith”; we have faith in people to do the right thing, and we believe in humankind’s abilities to address human challenges. We seek the courage to understand the world as it really is and to maintain hope despite our challenges.
3. Continuity
Humanistic Judaism is a continuation of the Jewish people’s ever-evolving traditions.
Ours is not a break with tradition; it is an innovation in the constantly evolving story of Judaism and Jewish peoplehood. Any contemporary Jewish denomination would be unrecognizable to Jews who lived during Temple times. And there have always been threads of Humanism and skepticism in Jewish thought. We see Jewish history as testimony to the continuing struggle for human dignity and, like the history of other peoples, as a product of human decisions and actions.
- Our High Holiday and Shabbat services, Passover Seders, and programs of adult and youth education provide a meaningful and modernized liturgy and structure, often determined by members in our local communities. Our Cultural B Mitzvah studies and coming-of-age ceremonies are individualized for the students and their families.
- We’re empowered to improve upon the Judaism that many of us grew up with because we don’t maintain the myth that “this is how Judaism has always been,” or that there is a single “right way” to do Jewish. We welcome artistic, musical, academic, and other expressions of Jewish individuality within our larger caring community.
- For centuries, cultural and secular Jews have demonstrated how to be strongly Jewishly identified without believing in the God of the Bible. A widespread secular Jewish identity emerged with the European Enlightenment and included many of the greatest Jewish minds, including Freud, Einstein, and Herzl, along with disproportionate Jewish winners of Nobel Prizes, Oscars, Grammys, and Pulitzers. Secular Jewish movements in the 20th Century included Yiddishists, Bundists, Zionists, Socialists, Kibbutzniks, and more! As a branch of this larger secular trend, Humanistic Judaism uniquely incorporated congregationalism, rabbinic ordination, and American freethought traditions. Over the last half-century, tens of thousands have expressed their secular identity through Humanistic Judaism, working to merge Jewish tradition with a progressive philosophy of life.
4. Inclusion
Our cultural approach allows for the most inclusive Jewish community.
Because Humanistic Judaism offers a cultural rather than religious understanding of Judaism, it frees us from policing traditional boundaries. Everyone can participate in every aspect of our rituals and services equally, regardless of background.
Western theistic religions are ultimately exclusionary, but culture is not. A multicultural approach weaves together many sources into a beautiful tapestry, with no need for our family members of other backgrounds to minimize their own cultural heritages.
- Interfaith/intercultural households are celebrated, period, no strings attached. We celebrate love! All our rabbis officiate at intermarriages, and several are intermarried themselves. We welcome love among any consenting adults, in all household configurations.
- LGBTQ+ equality is a humanistic value. Trans rights are human rights. Our founding rabbi was gay as are many of our current leaders—it’s built into our movement DNA. We will always stand for equal rights and human dignity, and we celebrate our LGBTQ+ family with pride.
- Humanistic Jews include all races and ethnicities, and multiracial households. Our community is strengthened by diversity of experiences and backgrounds, and our movement is committed to racial justice. We believe that Black Lives Matter.
- We welcome all who want to adopt Humanistic Judaism, and our inclusive definition of who is a Jew is based on self-identification: “a person of Jewish descent or any person who declares himself or herself to be a Jew and who identifies with the history
5. Make a Difference
Your involvement in Humanistic Judaism can make a difference!
Many secular Jews remain unaware of the benefits of “doing Jewish” in larger community beyond just friends and family. Humanistic Judaism provides a non-religious alternative to bring Jewish meaning into people’s lives and join together to improve the world. We’re proud of our Jewish heritage, even as we are open about our beliefs in reason over dogma, universal equality over Jewish “chosenness,” the natural world over the supernatural, and culture over religiosity.
Humanistic Judaism is organized into communities and programs, yet it is so much more than a congregational denomination. It gives name to an identity and philosophy that many Jews already share. It advocates for a seat at the Jewish communal table that too often underrepresents the significant percentage of secular Jews. And it recognizes and promotes Humanistic values as the guiding principles for most modern Jews.
- An astounding amount of organizing in our movement is done through volunteerism, providing avenues into leadership and immediate opportunities to make positive differences in people’s lives—including launching new Humanistic Judaism congregations and communities! Contact us to get involved.
- We value learning and offer educational opportunities in Humanistic Judaism, including rabbinic ordination, leadership training, and officiant certification, as well as continuing adult-education courses and presentations. Contact the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism to learn more.
- Experience how Humanistic Judaism offers an authentic expression of Jewish ritual and ideas with integrity for modern thinkers by participating in one of our High Holiday services or Shabbat programs, communal Passover Seders or Hanukkah parties, or educational program for youth or adults. Sign up for our free email newsletter to stay posted on opportunities and join our Facebook discussion group.
