History of the Movement

As a formally constituted world movement, Secular Humanistic Judaism is the youngest of all the movements. However, secular Jewish groups have been around since the mid-nineteenth century and humanistic Jewish groups since the late 1960's.

The earlier secular Jewish communities most commonly mobilized around:

  • political ideas and actions to realize universal social and economic equality (e.g. socialism, trade unions, kibbutzim)
  • Jewish cultural nationalism (e.g. Yiddishists, Hebraists), and
  • Jewish territorial nationalism (i.e. Zionism).

Humanistic communities galvanized around the desire to express their Jewish heritage in a progressive, meaningful way that was consistent with reason and their human-centred worldview. Whatever differences in structure and content, existed between the secular and humanistic communities twenty-five to thirty years ago are rapidly vanishing. This has made it possible for the two types of communities to coalesce and organize today's Secular Humanistic Judaism Movement.

The IFSHJ

The International Federation of Secular Humanistic Jews ("IFSHJ") was established in 1986 by continental and national 'Sections'. Each section is autonomous and acts as the umbrella organization for all existing national and local groups in its region.

The aims and objectives of the IFSHJ are to:

  • promote Secular Humanistic Judaism worldwide and to help it grow
  • enable Secular Humanistic Jews throughout the world to exchange ideas and share their creative work,
  • support the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism, the educational arm of the Movement, and
  • foster the values of secularism, humanism and democracy.

North America

The North American section of the IFSHJ consists of two national organizations, each with its own set of local constituents.

A number of U.S. humanistic Jewish groups banded together in 1969 under the leadership of Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine to form the Society for Humanistic Judaism ("SHJ"). The SHJ has a well-defined organizational structure with full-time paid staff and an Executive Board.

Commencing in 1965, fueled by the leadership of Harold Gales and Gerry Revzin, Secular Jewish groups from Canada and the United States gathered to share ideas and educational and ceremonial materials. They founded what became known as the Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations ("CSJO"). The CSJO has an Executive Director and a Board of Directors.

Both organizations are actively involved in recruitment of existing local groups, establishment of new groups, and supporting such groups.

In 1986, the CSJO and the SHJ formed a partnership as the North American section of the IFSHJ. They have cooperated in some very successful programs, including conferences, publications, creation of curricula, and most notably, a Leadership Program.

Starting a new Secular Humanistic Jewish organization is a lot of work
Judith Seid, 2001