FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Humanistic Judaism? How can you have Judaism without God?

Like other liberal Jewish Movements, including the Reconstructionist Movement, Humanistic Judaism teaches that Judaism is an ever evolving civilization. Judaism contains many different religious beliefs and practices, political ideologies, folk ways, culinary conventions, and artistic styles. Secularism, atheism, and humanism are also venerable traditions and worldviews within our shared Jewish civilization.

Humanistic Judaism is unique among the modern Jewish movements in combining Jewish traditions, holidays, and practices with Humanist philosophy and non-theistic liturgy.

What do you mean by spirituality? How can you be non-theistic and spiritual at the same time?

As Humanistic Jews, we are committed to skepticism, reason, and the scientific method as our epistemological foundations. When we talk about spirituality, we are not referring to communion with spirits, angels, or God; nor do we mean  astrology, crystal healing, or fortune telling.

For us, Humanistic spirituality is primarily a matter of feelings and emotions. Spirituality is the cultivation of positive feelings like awe, wonder, inner peace, compassion, love, empathy, connection, and self-transcendence. Belief in God and spirits is not necessary to feel these very natural human emotions.

Listen to Rabbi Miriam Jerris discuss spirituality here: 

Am I Welcome Here?

We welcome everyone! Jewish and non-Jewish; patrilineal and matrilineal Jews; converts to Judaism and people born into Judaism; people of all races, gender expressions, and sexual orientations. If you like what we’re doing, agree with our mission and values, and think it’s the right community for you, you’re absolutely welcome to join us. Radical inclusion is one of our most important values.

Can You Help with a Berit Shalom (Baby Naming Ceremony) or B’nei Mitzvah?

We would be honored to celebrate these major milestones with your family. However, our congregation is online-only. Please reach out to a member of our leadership team by emailing us at spinozahavurah@gmail.com for more information.

We currently offer B’nei Mitzvah classes from our IISHJ ordained celebrant and require membership of our community or SHJ.org or our UK partner HJUK.org

We have limited financial resources and so ask for a contribution wherever possible, private tutoring for a B’Mitzvah or Adoption to Judaism costs $30 or £20 per hour but we do not allow financial difficulties to be an obstacle to Jewish education so please contact our leadership team with any questions.

We currently have three community members pursuing a B’Mitzvah in this way.

We do not officiate or celebrate circumcision ceremonies and our baby naming ceremonies are based on the model of Berit Shalom.

Can I Convert to (Humanistic) Judaism? Can the Spinoza Havurah Help Facilitate My Conversion?

Yes! Humanistic Judaism welcomes individuals from other backgrounds  who wish to become part of the Humanistic Jewish family and identify as a member of the Jewish people.  Humanistic Judaism uses the term “adopt” rather than “convert” because the person wishing to be Jewish is adopting both Humanistic Judaism and our community, and the community is adopting those desiring to be part of the Jewish people.

The Spinoza Havurah is more than happy to help facilitate someone’s adoption of Humanistic Judaism. We welcome everyone to join and actively participate in our congregation. After someone completes a suitable period of study and expresses a desire to adopt Humanistic Judaism, we host an adoption ceremony to formally welcome adoptees into the Jewish people and announce their chosen Hebrew name. We can also offer resources for a DIY mikvah ceremony and a certificate of adoption if desired.

Why are you named after Baruch Spinoza?

Spinoza may have been the first secular Jew in history. He broke with the Jewish community of Amsterdam, but also maintained his independence from the majority Christian religion. He was a rigorous thinker and one of the most important philosophers of the modern world, but he was also a deeply spiritual man. Like him, we are a group of freethinkers who do not accept the theologies and arbitrary religious authorities of the past, but we are also spiritual seekers forging a new path forward.