Welcome all, to the magnificence
of
Judaism’s ageless nexus with humanism.
Having survived into its fourth millennia,
through legendary Egyptian bondage, Babylonian captivity, Persian, Greek, Roman and Crusader carnage, the Inquisition’s
pyres and Cossack pogroms, the bestiality of the Holocaust and today’s resurgence of virulent anti-Semitism, the Jewish
people have survived, a testament to humanistic ideals.
It was the power of human beings, their courage, their creativity, their ability to adapt to new
circumstances that has always been at the heart of Judaism’s continuity. Throughout eons of generations, the ethical
obligations among Jews and non-Jews and the practical wisdom of human self-reliance have been woven into many of the most
treasured Jewish stories and writings.
Regardless
of ‘then’ extent denominations and spanning metaphysical controversies, Jewish philosophers and educators, old
and new, espoused humanism’s tenets.
Those
of note included, in lifetime sequence, the following:
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Albert Einstein 1879-1955 |
Rabbi Sherwin Wine 1928-2007 |
We are a “people
of the books,” not because it was ordained by a supernatural being but because survival throughout the millennia required
a sharp mind and knowledge. As an enlightened Judaism evolved, adjusting itself to changing worldly wisdom through science,
reason and the decline of the metaphysical, the importance of sustaining Jewish heritage, culture and a personal, naturalistic
and humane code of ethics and morality fostered the reemergence of a “humanistic spirituality” that now in living
color and behavior surpasses religious dogma among most Jews seeking life’s gospel truths.
As national Jewish organizations or local communities and/or individuals in your countries, you are
invited to join the IFSHJ in this exciting venture. Help us expand the formidable chain of Secular and Humanistic Jewish
congregations, communities and/or groups throughout the world, so we can introduce our principles to Jews proud of their forebears
but generally unaffiliated, considering themselves atheists, agnostics and/or freethinkers. Enable us to bond with our
denominational peers but awaken them to the reality that survival as a civilization requires the mitigation of attrition within
our ranks, a goal we can achieve by spreading the word that self-determination is sparked not by mystical demands from an
unseeable, untouchable being, but rather from the light within us. If you concur, your participation in this Movement
is vital. Please review the web sites of some of our Affiliates for an in-depth philosophical and “religious”
understanding of Judaism’s Humanistic principles; the Society of Humanistic Judaism, www.shj.org, the International Institute for Secular Humanistic
Judaism, www.IISHJ.org and the rabbinical seminary in Jerusalem, T’mura,
http://www.tmuraisrael.org.il/.
Be well, all!
Marvin A. Rosenblum, President
International Federation for Secular & Humanistic Judaism
