| SHJ Philosophy
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.
 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.
What is the Society of Humanistic Judaism?
What are the principles of the Society for
Humanistic Judaism?
What Do Humanistic Jews Do?
Are you a Humanistic Jew?
Membership and Support
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