Society for Humanistic Judaism
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.png) The Humanorah, the SHJ's primary symbol | |
| Founded | 1969 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Rabbi Sherwin Wine |
| Type | 501(c)(3) |
| 38-2221910[1] | |
| Headquarters | Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| Paul Golin (2014)[1] | |
| Mary Raskin | |
| Revenue | $333,193[1] (2014) |
| Expenses | $364,025[1] (2014) |
| Endowment | $681,129[1] |
| Staff | 4[1] (2013) |
| Volunteers | 35[1] (2013) |
| Website | shj |
The Society for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ), founded by Rabbi Sherwin Wine in 1969,[2] is an American 501(c)(3) organization[1] and the central body of Humanistic Judaism in North America, a philosophy that combines a non-theistic and humanistic outlook with the celebration of Jewish culture and identity while adhering to secular values and ideas.
The SHJ assists in organizing new communities, supporting its members, and providing a voice for Humanistic Jews.[1] It gathers and creates educational and programmatic materials for topics including holidays and rites of passage, and sponsors training programs and conferences for its members. The Humanistic Youth Group ("HuJews") subdivision offers programs for teens and young adults, including an annual conclave. The SHJ publishes a monthly online newsletter and a biannual topical journal and member newsletter.
The Society participates in both the Jewish and non-religious worlds as a Hillel International partner, a participant in the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, and a member of the Secular Coalition for America. Miriam Jerris is the current rabbi of the SHJ.[3]
The Humanorah is the primary symbol of Humanistic Judaism used by the SHJ, intended as a non-theistic alternative to other Jewish symbols such as the Star of David or the tablets of the Ten Commandments. It was developed and trademarked by the SHJ and has been its logo since the early 1980s.[4] Its name is a portmanteau of "human" and "menorah", representing the convergence of humanism with Jewish identity. The symbol itself is a combination of these two elements; a human figure stands with its arms raised, while two other branches cross over its torso to form a total of six arms, with stylized flames emerging from all six arms.
Congregations
In 1994, the SHJ had 10,000 members across 30 congregations in the United States and Canada. Current notable congregations include Or Emet in Minneapolis, the City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism in New York City, Kahal B'raira in Boston, Oraynu Congregation for Humanistic Judaism in Toronto, Kol Shalom in Portland, and Machar in Washington, D.C. There are also numerous congregations around the world, such as in the UK and Australia,[5][6] though not all Humanistic Judaism congregations are affiliated with the SHJ.
