Rabbi Sivan Mas became the first Humanistic Rabbi in Israel after coming to the US to be ordained.

Guest Commentary by Caren Cooper

Where do people who do not believe in a supernatural being find what people of faith find through church – a moral framework, inspiration for political action, a network of like-minded individuals, and community-based ethical education for their children? 

There is a growing movement of secular Humanism that embraces reason and knowledge, compassion and justice, dignity and integrity.  For secular Humanists with Jewish roots or attachments, there is the international movement of Humanistic Judaism. Ithacans can take part in this movement at Kol Haverim.

Kol Haverim creates a warm, nurturing environment for families with children and empty nesters, pre-schoolers and teens, young adults and seniors, gays and lesbians, single parents and intercultural families, encouraging their involvement in Jewish life.

Since there are secular Jewish communities, is it possible to have Rabbis to lead these communities? Can there be non-theistic Rabbis?

Yes! The International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism ordained its first group of secular rabbis in Israel on December 22, 2006. These 7 rabbis (5 men and 2 women) join the ranks of the 8 secular rabbis already ordained in the US over the past few years as well as more than fifty leaders and educators who have graduated from the Institute.

While some ordained religious leaders proclaim themselves to be the bridge between humans and Higher Powers, secular Rabbis embrace Jewish culture and humanistic ethics in a purely and unambiguously non-theistic context. Humanistic Judaism embraces a human-centered philosophy that affirms the power and responsibility of individuals and communities to shape their own lives independent of supernatural authority. Humanistic Jews endorse ideals derived from the Jewish experience—democracy, justice, tolerance, pluralism, and equal treatment for all people.

In the US, our Humanistic Rabbis perform marriage ceremonies that are sometimes legally binding (between a man and a woman) and sometimes not (between same-sex couples). In Israel, the Humanistic Rabbis perform marriage ceremonies that are not legally recognized because the Rabbis refuse to require couples to prove that they are Jewish. Their lack of belief in God also sparks the ire of the Orthodox establishment in Israel. The Chief Rabbi, Yona Metzger, tried to stop their ordination and called them “impersonators.”

But secular Rabbis are more than just symbols. “We simply want to serve the majority of the Jewish people, which is not religious,” explained Professor Yaacov Malkin, a program leader at the Tmura Institute in Israel, who was quoted in JewishJournal.com. 

A Jewish Identity Survey conducted in 2001 by the City University of New York found that forty-nine percent of the 5.5 million Jews living in the United States define themselves as "secular."  The movement is quickly growing as more and more secular Jews realize that they can embrace their Jewish identity with philosophical consistency and relevance to modern reality.

Formed in 1969, the Society for Humanistic Judaism is the national umbrella organization for this humanistic movement. It includes more than thirty congregations, communities, and havurot in North America, each with rabbinic and/or lay leadership. Together, these groups serve more than 2,500 families. The local affiliate, Kol Haverim, is member-led, with individuals in the community sharing the responsibilities of leadership in all areas—from the Sunday School and Bar/Bat Mitzvah program, to the life-cycle ceremonies, holiday services, and community action. 

More info: http://www.kolhaverim.net