Colloquium 2013: Jewish Peoplehood
THE FUTURE OF JEWISH PEOPLEHOOD
November 17, 2013
Are we one people?
Is cultural Judaism enough?
How can we thrive in a multicultural world?
What must change for the next 50 years?
Twenty-five years ago, a revolutionary statement on “Who is a Jew?” was adopted by Secular Humanistic Judaism. Its ringing endorsement of Jewish self-identification still resonates for all of us.
“A Jew is a person of Jewish descent or any person who declares himself or herself to be a Jew and who identifies with the history, ethical values, culture, civilization, community, and fate of the Jewish people.”
On Sunday, November 17, the Global Day of Jewish Learning, the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism will host a morning of learning, debate and discussion on The Future of Jewish Peoplehood. Colloquium 2013 will be held in suburban Detroit at The Birmingham Temple, 28611 West Twelve Mile Road in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Colloquium 2013 is part of an exciting weekend celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Birmingham Temple, which was the world’s first Humanistic Jewish congregation. From the Fiftieth Anniversary Shabbat celebration on Friday, November 15, to the seventh IISHJ Rabbinic ordination/Havdallah ceremony on Saturday, November 16, to Colloquium 2013, we anticipate a fascinating, thought-provoking weekend.
Rabbi Adam Chalom -50 Years of the Birmingham Temple
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham Temple, Rabbi Adam Chalom, Dean for North America of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism and Rabbi of Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation in suburban Chicago, IL, reflects on the history and the significance of the world’s first Humanistic Jewish congregation.
Are We One People? Panel Discussion
The Colloquium 2013 panel responds to the question, “Are We One People?”, reacting to video messages from leaders and rabbis in Secular Humanistic Judaism who explored the same question.
Rabbi Denise Handlarski – A Cultural Judaism in a Multicultural World
At Colloquium 2013 of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism, Rabbi Denise Handlarski of Oraynu Congregation for Humanistic Judaism in Toronto describes “A Cultural Judaism for a Multicultural World.” To see the panel’s response to this presentation, click here.
Rabbi Adam Chalom – Jewish Futures
In the concluding session of Colloquium 2013, IISHJ Dean for North America Adam Chalom explores what the present of Jewish Peoplehood can tell us about the Jewish future, or perhaps Jewish futures. Rabbi Chalom also serves Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation in north suburban Chicago, IL and blogs at hjrabbi.wordpress.com. To see the panel’s response to this presentation, click here.
COLLOQUIUM 2013 PRESENTERS
Adam Chalom
Rabbi of Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation in Highland Park, Ill., and dean for North America of IISHJ. Ordained by the IISHJ in 2001, Rabbi Chalom also holds a doctorate in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan. He is the author of a three-volume, 50-session adult education curriculum, Introduction to Secular Humanistic Judaism. Rabbi Chalom can be reached at dean@iishj.org or (847) 602-4500.
Denise Handlarski
Rabbi Denise Handlarski is the founder and rabbi of the online congregation SecularSynagogue.com. Ordained by the IISHJ in 2013, Rabbi Handlarski also holds a master’s degree in Jewish Studies and a doctorate in English Literature from York University. She writes a weekly blog commentary on the weekly Torah readings. Rabbi Handlarski can be reached at rabbidenise@oraynu.org or (416) 854-0133.
Sivan Mass
Dean for Israel of the IISHJ. Ordained by the IISHJ in 2003, Rabbi Maas directs Tmura-IISHJ, a program training secular rabbis in Israel. She is a graduate of the Kerem Teacher Training Institute for Humanist Jewish Education and holds a master’s degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Schechter College of Jerusalem. Rabbi Maas is also the director of The Secular Library. Rabbi Maas can be reached at rsivanmaas@gmail.com or in Israel at (052) 336-6541.
Members of the Association of Humanistic Rabbis and Merchav (Israel), as well as IISHJ-Certified Leaders/Vegvayzers/Madrikhim-ot, will also participate.