Both humanist and Jewish thought date back thousands of years.  It is easier to identify early Jewish writings. As with all thinkers, there have been strains of humanist thought going back many centuries among Jewish thinkers.  Although humanism emphasizes the importance of the freedom of thought, the 20th century has taught us that this is really an emphasis on the quality of thought, not simply on its freedom.  Humanistic Judaism has been a leader in humanist thought in showing the compatibility of current humanist thinking with the best thoughts of our ancestors.