What is Humanistic Judaism?
The Society for Humanistic Judaism states, "Humanistic Judaism celebrates Jewish life without religious prayer or appeals for divine intervention, instead putting faith in ourselves and our fellow humans as the best vehicles for improving the world."
“What Is Humanistic Judaism?” Society for Humanistic Judaism, https://shj.org/meaning-learning/what-is-humanistic-judaism/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Books
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Exodus to Humanism
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Publication Date: 1999-04-01"David Ibry's Exodus to Humanism captures the personal struggles of twenty-four individuals some famous, others courageous citizens who have moved away from traditional forms of Judaism to gain an understanding of themselves as Jews even as they ask if the religion itself has become obsolete." (Boswell Book Company) -
Judaism Beyond God
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Publication Date: 1995-10-01Judaism Beyond God presents a new secular and humanistic alternative to any of the forms of conventional Judaism. It provides new answers to old questions - questions about the essence of Jewish identity, about the real meaning of Jewish history, the significance of the Jewish personality, and, not least, it includes questions about the nature of Jewish ethics. -
Religion or Ethnicity?
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Publication Date: 2009-04-30Can someone be considered Jewish if he or she never goes to synagogue, doesn't keep kosher, and for whom the only connection to his or her ancestral past is attending an annual Passover seder? In Religion or Ethnicity? fifteen leading scholars trace the evolution of Jewish identity. The book examines Judaism from the Greco-Roman age, through medieval times, modern western and eastern Europe, to today.
Helpful Links
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American Humanist Association"We strive to bring about a progressive society where being good without a god is an accepted and respected way to live life. We are accomplishing this through our defense of civil liberties and secular governance, by our outreach to the growing number of people without traditional religious faith, and through a continued refinement and advancement of the humanist worldview."
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International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism"Judaism is the evolving civilization of the Jewish people. It has been created, lived and recreated in response to the needs and beliefs of each generation. In our days, we believe in the power of people to understand their world and to influence it for the better. We celebrate human freedom and responsibility for our choices and actions. And we know that if justice is to exist in our world, we must create it together. Secular Humanistic Judaism is a cultural Jewish identity lived through this human-focused non-theistic philosophy of life."
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Society for Humanistic Judaism"The Society for Humanistic Judaism 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."