Matt Tonkinson
17 November 2015
H/R: See Works Cited
1527 Words
Keeping the Tribe Alive:
Humanistic Judaism and a Modern Perspective on an Ancient Religion.
Judaism is an incredibly small religion compared to other religious traditions. Today, there are roughly 14 million Jews in the world, according to Stephen Prothero (245). To put that number in perspective, there are a little over 8 million people in New York City alone. Yet the Jewish faith is incredibly far-reaching, both for its role in forming the so-called Judeo-Christian societies in the West, as well as being at the front of news given the state of Israel’s power and influence in the Middle Eastern region. Despite its influence, belief in God is declining, according to Pew Research, and this means that a small religion could become smaller, (Pew Research). This is where the concept of Humanistic Judaism comes into play. The reformed and modern twist to this ancient religion is unique in its perspective and significant given its potential to revitalize and attract more Jews to be active members of their faith. In this paper, I will clearly define Judaism and then define Humanistic Judaism and how it differs from traditional Jewish values. Finally, I will conclude by demonstrating some of its core beliefs to showcase significance in a modern era.
It is first useful to define what traditional Judaism is in order to more clearly understand various subtypes or sects of the religious tradition. Judaism is not and has never been a missionary religion like Islam or Christianity. “The purpose of this tradition was not to solve the human problem but to keep a people together,” (Prothero 252). The problem that Jews seek to understand is exile or “distance from God and from where we ought to be,” and further, “the solution is return-to go back to God and to our true home,” (Prothero, 253). We see this pattern of exile in the Jewish tradition throughout history, like after the death of Moses when Joshua continued to lead the Israelites, (Prothero, 254). In modern times, we might view this exile as a reason for the creation of the state of Israel, to attempt to give some semblance of a promised land to the Jewish community. Of importance to Jews is the notion of covenants, or agreements that God has made with his people over the course of Jewish history. In exchange for the blessings of God, one must follow rules and commandments, and those who do not will be punished (Prothero 258). The commandments guide the Jewish faith on to a path of faith and return.
With these rules, it would seem natural for some room for interpretation to come about and varying levels of adherence to this faith, and that has occurred within Judaism. Reform Jews continue to honor the Zionist tradition, but have a commitment to social justice (Prothero, 268). Orthodox Jews have a strict observance of rules and traditions and even varying levels of orthodoxy (Prothero, 268). Lastly, Conservative Jews are a sort of mid ground and between the first two, for example allowing women and homosexual ordination but still worshiping in Hebrew and a strict adherence to commandments, (Prothero, 269). Even with these three recognized branches of Judaism in the United States, Prothero writes that “many Jews in both the United States and Israel are secular in the sense of either not being affiliated with any synagogue or not believing in God,” (Prothero, 271). How then can any of the above traditions reach the Jews that fit into this category? Humanistic Judaism would argue that none of them truly can, and that is what makes it so significant: it is an incredibly progressive perspective on a religious tradition that precedes Christ.
Humanistic Judaism can be traced to 1963 and Rabbi Sherwin T. White’s attempts for rabbis to find homes for “freethinkers,” (Prothero, 271). In retrospect, White’s new Jewish tradition can be traced back to his time serving as a Jewish Army Chaplain in Korea. “The boys came not to pray but to talk — and for the chicken soup and salami.” In short, White said that his time in Korea was spent more on lectures on things that weren’t necessarily religious but that included Jewish participants, (SHJ). It was from this desire to reach people on a human level by embracing a culture of Judaism and blending it with modern progressivism.
Defined, Humanistic Jews “embrace a human-centered philosophy that combines rational thinking with a deep connection to the Jewish people and its culture. Humanistic Jews value their Jewish identity and the aspects of Judaism that offer a genuine expression of their contemporary way of life,” (Society for Humanistic Judaism). Perhaps most strikingly among the several affirmations of Humanistic Jews is the view that humans have the ability and even responsibility to take charge and shape their lives without the help of any God or deity, (Society for Humanistic Jews). In essence, Humanistic Jews seek to engage progressive thought with loyalty to Judaism but also a respect for things like science, for example.
Critical to understanding Humanistic Jews is viewing their emphasis on the person in greater context, especially given that humanism is a part of the very name of the religious tradition. The Congregation of Humanistic Judaism of Fairfield County offers a fairly robust definition of what humanism means to these Jews: “Humanistic Jews believe that each person, whether or not they believe in God, 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. Belief in God is a matter of personal definition, personal conviction and personal practice.” Note the words “personal conviction and personal practice”. This seems to be at the heart of Humanistic Judaism and what separates it from other sects to give it uniqueness: A belief is very personal, and faith can be interpreted differently can be different people without the constraints of traditional Judaism’s laws and regulations that have been a hallmark of the faith throughout its existence.
With all of this progressiveness, (or what an Orthodox Jew might even call agnosticism or atheism), what exactly do Humanist Jews do to still call themselves Jewish? First, holy holidays are still celebrated, as are Bar or Bat Mitzvah’s and traditional Jewish marriage and death ceremonies. This keeps in the mold of following and respecting Jewish traditions. Further, the Fairfield County Congregation also lists its desire to form a cohesive community of Humanistic Jews, which further keeps in the tradition of building a Jewish community, and they also reaffirm their support of Israel as an independent nation, (Fairfield). The education of children in the Jewish faith is a major part of Judaism in all sects, and this is still the same with Humanistic Jews, who seek to educate children and adults on the tradition by sharing the beliefs of Jewish ancestors but leave the interpretation and agreement of those beliefs up to the individual, (SHJ). In short, Humanistic Jews seek to allow individuals to find their personal belief structure through education.
Clearly, Humanistic Judaism is a break from old sects: it is lax in defining what a Jew is, it is progressive in its acceptance of all people, and it is incredibly non-judgmental of outsiders. It is here where it’s significance lies. Given that Pew Research has found an increasing number of individuals who don’t believe in God or participate with, it seems like a religious tradition that fits the needs of a growing group of people – one’s that identify with Judaism but are nowhere near as steadfast in their beliefs on certain topics like an Orthodox Jew might be. To the Orthodox, Humanistic Judaism likely isn’t even Judaism at all, but this is certainly appealing to some people.
Specifically of significance is the sort of moral philosophical approach that Humanistic Judaism takes to life and religious experience. An emphasis on increasing the well being of others, performing acts of kindness, seeking justice and seeking to use adversity as a challenge not a punishment make this a religious experience about being a good person and keeping the Jewish components of morality without having to abide by strict rules or lifestyles, (Fairfield). This has the potential to reach Americans or other individuals seeking a spiritual experience with a moral perspective that could be turned off by stricter versions of the Jewish tradition.
Judaism is a religion that predates most Western faiths and has been instrumental in the creation of Christianity and Islam. Yet with an increasingly high number of people who view Judaism and other religions as unnecessary in their lives, it seems that new perspectives need to be used to keep traditions alive. This is where Humanistic Judaism seeks to fill that gap. By being a progressive and individually moral tradition, Humanistic Judaism offers a unique perspective on an old tradition while providing those who seek spiritual peace an opportunity to be guided by a non-intrusive religious identity.
References:
Lipka, Michael. “Americans’ Faith in God May Be Eroding.” Pew Research Center RSS. 4 Nov. 2015. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
Prothero, Stephen R. God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World-and Why Their Differences Matter. New York: HarperOne, 2010. Print.
“Congregation Principles.” Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Fairfield County. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
“What Is Humanistic Judaism?” SHJ. Society for Humanistic Judaism. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.