What we’re about
OUR GROUP HAS BEEN INACTIVE LATELY, BUT WE'RE PLANNING TO RE-ACTIVATE/ ORGANIZE IN THE NEAR FUTURE!! READ THE DESCRIPTION BELOW, AND IF YOU YOU'D LIKE TO HELP US TO MEET UP, PLEASE CONTACT CHARLES - Email: riverbaron@baronjustice.com, or call (305)606-2778.
Let’s together build a progressive, Secular/Humanistic (freethinking) community for those who identify with the Jewish People through culture, history, family, and community, rather than through traditional religion. We enjoy getting together for creative holiday celebrations, intellectual discussion, and expressing progressive social values. We find meaning and joy in our cultural heritage/expression, including food, literature, learning of history, musical/artistic expression, and Jewish languages. We are in tune with the thinking of the Cultural and Secular Jewish Organization (www.csjo.org).
Let’s look for people who share the following values:
PERSONAL LIFE PHILOSOPHY: Life should be directed to human growth, self-fulfillment, and helping others. We have a responsibility to work toward the achievement of freedom, dignity, and happiness for all people - to engage in Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). To us, that translates into having a strong PROGRESSIVE attitude and social action.
Human beings have the power and responsibility to shape their own lives without seeking imaginary divine intervention. We fully respect others who need to believe in and pray to a "higher power" to feel fulfilled - and we all know, and in many cases, love, relatives and friends who feel that way. We, on the other hand, have NO such need, and we wish to spend our community and cultural time in ways that are far more meaningful to us.
OUR VIEW OF JEWISH CULTURE/RELIGION: A Jew is: an individual who chooses to identify with the community, civilization, history, culture, struggles, triumphs, and future of the Jewish people. No genetics, race, or ancestry test!
Judaism or Jewishness is the continually evolving culture and civilization that the Jewish people have been creating throughout history.
No single Jewish ideology or lifestyle will be relevant and meaningful to all Jews.
Only Jewish pluralism will guarantee the continuity of the Jewish people.
Jewishness is an integral part of our lives and we strive to make our choices consistent with our Secular Humanistic Jewish beliefs.
We strongly affirm the right of all Jews to choose their own marriage partners. It is the responsibility of all Jews to welcome the non-Jewish partners of Jews, as well as people of ALL races and ethnicities, into the Jewish family circle and to offer them acceptance and respect.
OUR AIMS: Have a warm and supportive community where we can: Meet with fellow progressives to discuss the issues of our time; Celebrate the rhythms of life and the Jewish calendar in a meaningful, Secular/ Humanistic manner; Learn about Jewish culture and history; Socialize with friends and family; Belong to a world-wide movement of Secular Humanistic Jews.
SOCIAL ACTION/POLITICAL POSITIONS: For our progressive expression and networking, see our facebook page Progressive Jewish Action of South Florida (the social action arm of our community): https://www.facebook.com/Progressive-Jewish-Action-of-South-Florida-207280829285329/
The CSJO has expressed progressive positions on a variety of social action issues, including the environment, sexual orientation, Israel, Intermarriage, and women’s rights - see: http://www.csjo.org/social-action/ We fully agree with those positions and have further opinions.
ON ISRAEL: We support an ongoing dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian people so that each national group can live in mutual peace and cooperation. We would like to see a complete halt to Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, and Israel should work towards a goal of shrinking the settlement population. While we have strong disagreement within our local community on the issue of BDS (boycott/divestment/sanctions), we all agree that we should boycott any business that supports or aids West Bank settlement expansion and any business that operates out of any West Bank settlement.
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If you believe in...
● A secular home to express your/our rich cultural Jewish heritage
● Addressing issues of local, national and global concern from a progressive perspective
● Economic, social and environmental justice for all humanity
● An end to the Israeli occupation and a just peace for both peoples in Israel/Palestine
- then meet up with us!!
