Philosophy
WHAT HUMANISTIC JEWS BELIEVE
n A Jew is someone who identifies with the history, culture and future of the Jewish people.
n Our Jewish identity should be preserved.
n A pluralistic Jewish community will ensure the survival of the Jewish people.
n Judaism is the historic culture of the Jewish people.
n Jewish culture is the creation of the Jewish people.
n We have the power and responsibility to shape our own lives independent of supernatural authority.
n Ethics and morality should serve human needs.
n The freedom and dignity of the Jewish people must go hand in hand with the freedom and dignity of every human being.
__________________
HUMANISTIC JUDAISM AS A PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
n A Jew is a person of Jewish descent or any person who declares himself or herself to be a Jew and who identifies with the history, ethical values, culture, civilization, community and experiences of the Jewish people (Adopted by the International Federation of Secular Humanistic Jews, October, 1988).
n A humanist believes that each person is responsible for leading a moral, ethical life that will add to the greater good of humanity, without reliance on supernatural forces or theological authority.
n Humanistic Judaism combines the Jewish values of loving-kindness (gemilut chassidim), charity (tzedakah), and making the world a better place (tikkun olam), with the recognition that the responsibility for putting them in practice lies in our own hands.
n Judaism is an ethnic culture. It was not handed down to us 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 DO HUMANISTIC JEWS DO?
n Communities
Humanistic Jewish communities are an expression of the need for cultural solidarity and mutual support. A Humanistic Jewish congregation provides group identity, adult education, youth education, a setting for public celebrations of holidays and life-cycle ceremonies, and a community voice for the Humanistic Jewish point of view.
n Holidays and Ceremonies
The Jewish people is an extended family whose shared history, memories, and destiny are commemorated in beautiful holiday celebrations. Humanistic Jews find meaning in the celebration of life through the historic Hebrew calendar.
The birth of a child, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, marriage and even death allow the family and community to reinforce their unity and to articulate the values that make life worthwhile.
n Education
Humanistic Jews want to understand the beliefs and behaviour of their ancestors without feeling compelled to agree with the beliefs of the past. They want their children to develop their own convictions honestly - on the basis of knowledge, not indoctrination. They seek to explore the entire range of Jewish experience, past and present, and to choose what is reasonable and useful.
n Ethical Training
Skills for survival and happiness are not instinctive. They are acquired. Self-reliance, cooperation, generosity and rationality are daily exercises. They are just as important as academic skills.
n Commitment to Social Justice
Oraynu Congregation is a group of people who believe that Judaism is more than Jewish holiday celebrations, education and culture. One of the main purposes of Judaism is to bring aid and comfort to those less fortunate than oneself. We also have an obligation to speak up on issues that affect our well-being as humans in society. Position statements on Israel, intermarriage, same-sex marriage, reproductive rights and stem-cell research have been developed by The Society for Humanistic Judaism and/or the Leadership Conference of Secular and Humanistic Jews. In Sept. 2007, Oraynu issued a press release stating its firm opposition to government funding of all faith-based schools.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT US:
or call 416-385-3910
