Our holiday observances are meaningful alternatives to religious rituals. Our secular humanistic adaptations of Jewish holidays are based on Jewish history and folk traditions. They are creative and imbued with a sense of relevance to the concerns of our modern times.

The Secular Humanistic Approach
 to Understanding Jewish Holidays

Origins

Most Jewish holidays pre-date religious observances. They are based on ancient customs, and are often tied to seasons or to agricultural practices. They are often rooted in early pantheistic human belief and practices - shared with many other cultures - related to seasonal changes and/or lunar phases. They sometimes involved magical rites aimed at human control of supernatural forces, such as pouring water to encourage rain or lighting fires to invigorate the sun. Early beliefs arose in the pre-agricultural period. Understanding these roots enhances an intercultural approach to holidays based on facts. It also places Jewish cultural development within an overall human context.

Ancient Historical Connections

The development of Judaism and rabbinic authority either through the Torah, the Talmud, or folklore, served to anchor primitive events and observances to the national consciousnesses of the Jewish people. Ancient holidays were adapted and molded to religious frameworks. Adopting ancient customs provided legitimacy. Co-opting them and imbuing them with religious meaning helped perpetuate them, while, at the same time, obscured their origins.

Folk Traditions

Over time, customs of observing or celebrating Jewish holidays, particularly including foods associated with the festivals, grew up independently and removed from the rites prescribed by Talmudic rabbis. They often reflected the customs of the surrounding majority peoples among whom Jews lived.

Secular Observances

Three holidays provide good examples of Sholem's approach: