About IISHJ

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WHAT IS SECULAR HUMANISTIC JUDAISM?

Secular Humanistic Judaism is a human-centered philosophy of life combining rational thinking and Jewish culture with the best ethical insights of the Jewish and human tradition. It is a non-theistic celebration of Jewish identity that affirms the power and responsibility of individuals to shape their own lives.

Judaism is the culture, the continuing creation of the Jewish people. Therefore, we freely adapt our celebrations, whether holidays or life cycle events, to the needs of those celebrating. Secular Humanistic Jewish ceremonies take place in both community organizations and in family settings all over the world. Secular Humanistic Jewish communities offer communal celebration, adult and youth education, ethical action, and emotional support.

In North America, the Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations and the Society for Humanistic Judaism are the two community organizations that support the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism and are served by its graduates.

WHAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SECULAR HUMANISTIC JUDAISM?

Established in 1985 in Jerusalem to serve the needs of the growing Secular Humanistic movement, the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism (IISHJ) was envisioned as the intellectual and educational arm of the International Federation of Secular Humanistic Jews. Its two primary purposes are to commission and publish materials for the movement and to train rabbis, leaders, teachers, educators and spokespersons. The Institute office is located at the Ben and Lorraine Pivnick Center for Humanistic Judaism in Farmington Hills, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan.

The Institute offers seminars and training programs in North America and Israel. The Institute includes faculty members of major universities throughout the world who serve as part-time lecturers and instructors. Distinguished writers, intellectuals, and ordained Secular Humanistic Rabbis also serve as faculty.

The professional programs offered in North America are the Rabbinic Program, the Leadership Program, the Educators Program, the Musicians Program, and the Spokespersons Program. Seminars for these programs are taught at a variety of locations throughout North America. Click here for a current schedule of seminar dates and locations. Most seminars are also open to the general public for continuing and adult Jewish education.

The Israeli branch of the International Institute is Tmura: the Institute for Training Secular Humanistic Rabbis and Jewish Leadership in Israel. You can read more about their programs and activities here.

READ ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SECULAR HUMANISTIC JUDAISM IN THE NEWS!

Hear an interview on NPR's Tell Me More with IISHJ Dean for North America Rabbi Adam Chalom - click here.

A recent article in the Chicago Tribune about IISHJ Dean for North America Rabbi Adam Chalom - click here.

Hear an interview with Rabbi Adam Chalom, IISHJ Dean for North America, on Michigan Public Radio - click here.

Read about an IISHJ Rabbinic Ordination from October 2001 covered by The New York Times - click here.

Read about the first ordination of secular rabbis in Israel in 2006 in Haaretz - click here.

THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SECULAR HUMANISTIC JUDAISM

LYNNE MASTER - President
BRUCE LURIA - Vice-President
HELEN FORMAN - Secretary
ROBERT SANDLER - Treasurer
MICHAEL EGREN - Past President

BONNIE COUSENS ROBERTA FEINSTEIN ELAINE FIELDMAN EVA GOLDFINGER HERSHL HARTMAN JULIUS HARWOOD DANA HORWITZ PAUL KADISH ERAN KALI EDWARD J. KLEIN KAREN KNECHT

YAIR LIFSHITZ E. RONALD MILAN BEN PIVNICK ELYSE PIVNICK MICHAEL PRIVAL MARILYN ROWENS ROBERT SIMS JULIE SUNSTEIN YEDIDYA YIKHAKI EFRAIM ZADOFF