The Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (CHJ) is a welcoming and supportive Jewish community that has served Fairfield County, Connecticut since 1967. It is a congregation whose mission is to allow secular Jews to affirm, celebrate and enrich their Jewish identity and values through the practice of Humanistic Judaism.
Humanistic Judaism is a relatively new and modern way to be Jewish. It’s a fifth acknowledged branch of Judaism, just like the other four branches you are likely to be familiar with: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist. We believe that Judaism is not only a religion, but also encompasses the values, culture and history of the Jewish people. In CHJ, we celebrate and explore our rich Jewish culture and history without religious dogma or appeals for supernatural intervention. Rather, we believe that each person, regardless of whether they believe in God, is responsible for leading a moral and ethical life that will add to the greater good of humanity.
Humanistic Judaism is unique among other branches of Judaism in that it combines many Jewish traditions, practices and holidays with Humanist philosophy and non-theistic liturgy. Thus, we celebrate Shabbat, High Holidays and other Jewish holidays and festivals, but in a manner consistent with our Humanist vision. Rather than reciting prayers, which may have been learned by rote decades ago and spoken in a language in which one is not fluent, CHJ services include readings that are consistent with our philosophy and focus on our own human agency and human responsibility. In our services we do not pray to an external God. Belief in God is a matter of personal definition, personal conviction and personal practice.
Apart from these celebrations, we honor age-old Jewish values by engaging in social action and tzedakah. Humanistic Judaism believes in personal responsibility to fulfill Jewish ideals of loving kindness and social justice.
Another important aspect of CHJ life is its educational programs. The congregation regularly conducts adult education programs on myriad topics involving Jewish culture and history. There are also monthly book discussion group meetings. In addition, CHJ runs a Mitzvah Mentoring Program to allow students to study in order to complete a Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony.
It also should be noted that Humanistic Judaism recognizes as a Jew not only any person who is wholly or partly of Jewish descent, but also any person who declares himself or herself to be a Jew and who identifies with the history, ethical values, culture, community and experiences of the Jewish people. CHJ has a long history of welcoming into our congregation multi-faith and multicultural families.