February 3, 2026 -

What is Humanistic Judaism?

Machar is affiliated with the Society for Humanistic Judaism (“SHJ”), which describes Humanistic Judaism this way:

Humanistic Judaism celebrates Jewish life without religious prayer or appeals for divine intervention, instead putting faith in ourselves and our fellow humans as the best vehicles for improving the world.
It is an approach to ritual that empowers people to “say what they believe and believe what they say” during key lifecycle events and Jewish holidays.
For more than fifty years, Humanistic Judaism has been inclusive of multicultural households, LGBTQ+, partial Jewish ancestry, those who have adopted Humanistic Judaism as their own, and all those who identify with the history, ethical values, culture, civilization, community, and fate of the Jewish people.
We offer a connection to Jewish identity and community for people who are atheist and/or agnostic, “just Jewish,” culturally Jewish, “Jew-ish,” multicultural, “not religious,” secular, humanistic, freethinker — and friends, family, and allies.

There are forebears to Humanistic Judaism throughout Jewish history. The International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism, which trains and ordains rabbis and other leaders for the Humanistic Jewish movement, has identified many such forebears:

The Jewish wisdom literature tradition, exemplified by Proverbs and Job
The encounter of Jewish culture with Hellenistic philosophy in Late Antiquity
The emphasis on human action and mutual support in rabbinic Judaism
The Jewish experience of an urban and literate people who used their talents and intellect to survive
The rational philosophies of Baruch Spinoza and Enlightenment philosophers
Nineteenth-century Jewish ethnic and national identities, such as Yiddishism and Zionism
Secular Jewish schools, labor unions, political parties and social welfare organizations
Modern Humanist philosophies of human power and responsibility

Like other American Jewish movements, the Humanistic Jewish movement has national and international institutions that support the needs of communities, individual members, and those interested in the Humanistic Judaism, including:

The Society for Humanistic Judaism, which mobilizes people to celebrate Jewish identity and culture consistent with a humanistic philosophy of life independent of a supernatural authority. As the central body for the Humanistic Jewish Movement in North America, the Society assists in organizing and supporting congregations and in providing a worldwide voice for its members. SHJ was organized in 1969 and is headquartered on the premises of the founding congregation for the movement, the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit.
The International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism (“IISHJ”). The Institute was established in 1985 in Jerusalem to serve the needs of the growing movement of Secular Humanistic Judaism. Its three primary purposes are: to train rabbis, leaders, educators, and spokespersons; to commission and publish materials for the movement; and to offer public seminars and Colloquia for education and inspiration. Since the North American Section was incorporated in 1985, it has ordained over forty leaders (madrikhim/ot or vegvayzer) and rabbis. The Israeli Section trains Humanistic rabbis to serve Israeli secular and Humanistic Jews.