Celebrate with Us!
Find your local Humanistic Jewish congregation or group at this link: Local Congregations & Groups
Holidays
Humanistic Jews celebrate the natural and historic origins of holidays. They view holidays as a time to reflect on themselves, their actions and relationships, and their place within the world instead of on a deity’s role within their lives. Shabbat, for instance, is a time to celebrate a connection to the Jewish people and affirm Jewish identity. It is a time for self-discovery; Humanistic Jews honor the Jewish past, present and future by incorporating Jewish texts, meditations, poetry, and music into their celebrations. Passover is a celebration of human freedom, of Jewish history and food; Yom Kippur becomes a time of internal meditation and self-improvement. With these interpretations, Humanistic Judaism seeks to adapt Jewish tradition to meet the needs and beliefs of a changing audience of secular Jews.
Shabbat
The most frequently celebrated holiday on the Jewish calendar, Shabbat gives Jews an opportunity to gather and reflect. For Humanistic Jews, Shabbat offers the opportunity to celebrate a connection to the Jewish people, to affirm a Jewish identity and provides a time both for self-reflection and an affirmation of human responsibility. A typical Shabbat service reflects upon the Jewish past, present and future and incorporates meditations, ancient and modern poetry, Jewish texts and music. Humanistic Shabbat celebrations recognize the individual’s connections to humanity: family, friends, community, nation, and the world.
Havdala
Meaning distinction or separation, Havdala marks the end of Shabbat and presents the opportunity to reflect on the past week, examine the meaningfulness of past experiences and prepare for the coming week.
High Holidays: Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur
Consisting of the ten-day Jewish New Year Festivals, beginning with the marking of the new year at Rosh Hashanah and concluding ten days later with Yom Kippur, the Jewish High Holidays are filled both with merriment and serious reflection. Many Humanistic Jews use this time to reflect on their actions over the past year and formulate resolutions for the year to come. They take the time to ask forgiveness from those they may have harmed in the past year. Rosh Hashana is observed as a time for renewal, reflection and new beginnings, and Yom Kippur as a time for self-judgment. The High Holidays are a time to connect to Jewish identity, to celebrate the changes and development of Jewish life throughout history and in our lives today.
Sukkot
A harvest holiday, Sukkot is often celebrated inside a sukka, a hut with a roof open to the sky, constructed especially for the event. Here families and communities are able to gather and eat a meal, share stories and enjoy the outdoors. For Humanistic Jews, Sukkot is a time to appreciate nature and the outdoors, and to celebrate Jewish identity with family and friends.
Chanukah
Celebrated over eight days by lighting candles, eating fried foods like latkes (fried potato pancakes, usually served with sour cream and applesauce) and sufganyot (jelly donuts), and exchanging the occasional gift, Chanukah has become one of the most well known Jewish holidays though it is in actuality a very minor holiday. For Humanistic Jews, Chanukah is a time to celebrate Jewish history, to remember Jewish heroes and the tenacity of their spirit. In the Macabbees’ fight for political, religious and economic freedom, we are reminded of the human courage, integrity and hope it took for them to stand up against their Syrian foes. It reminds us that we must choose to live and act on our choices courageously.
Tu Bi-Shevat
A holiday that celebrates trees, fruit and generally anything that grows. Some Humanistic Jews celebrate this holiday with a Tu Bi-Shevat seder, a tradition begun by the Kabbalists (Jewish Mystics) that consist of a festive meal which blends ethical lessons and symbolic food. This seder becomes a time to recognize the ethical obligation that humans have to care for the planet and its inhabitants; a moment to celebrate our connection to the earth and the interconnected web of life.
Purim
A celebration of ‘girl power’ and feminine tenacity enacted before these qualities were admired. Purim tells the story of Esther and her heroic deeds, which saved the Jewish people. Humanistic Jews celebrate Purim quite similarly to traditional festivities in large part because the story commemorates human actions rather than involving a deity.
Passover
The great spring celebration of freedom, Passover involves the retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Humanistic Jews view the historic accuracy of this story with skepticism. Using a Humanistic haggada for our seder Humanistic Jews celebrate freedom, the power of humans to change their own destiny and the power of hope. Passover is also a time to remember the common past, the perseverance of immigrants to travel to America, the fight for freedom during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising against the Nazis, and the modern exodus of Soviet Jews to Israel and America. A Humanistic Passover is a celebration of human power, freedom and courage.
Shavuot
This holiday traditionally remembers the anniversary of receiving the torah at Sinai. Viewing the Torah as a human creation, the beginning of Jewish literature, Humanistic Jews spend Shavuot honoring Jewish literature, learning and achievements. It has become a time for all-night study and reflection. Within communities, it is often the time for celebrating the graduation from Sunday school.