About Us
The International Federation for Secular and Humanistic Judaism†(‬IFSHJâ€) ‬was the successor organization to the International Federation of Secular Humanistic Jews†(‬founded 1986â€). ‬Leading figures in the IFSHJ have included Rabbi Sherwin Tâ€. ‬Wineâ€, ‬founder of Humanistic Judaism in North Americaâ€; ‬Yair Tsabanâ€, ‬former Minister of Immigration and Absorption in Israelâ€; ‬Albert Memmiâ€, ‬well-known French writer and professor of sociology at the University of Parisâ€; ‬and Yehuda Bauerâ€, ‬noted historian and Holocaust scholar†‬at Yad Vashem in Jerusalemâ€. ‬And its activities and affiliates included communities in Europeâ€, ‬the former Soviet Unionâ€, ‬Latin Americaâ€, ‬Israel and North Americaâ€.
‬The International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaismâ€, ‬as well as its sister program Tmuraâ€-‬IISHJâ€, ‬were affiliates of the IFSHJâ€. ‬IFSHJ held its last international conference in 2004â€, ‬and despite an effort to revive its†‬operations after the death of Rabbi Sherwin Wine in 2007†‬by Marvin Rosenblum†(‬decâ€. ‬2011â€), ‬the IFSHJ by ceased active operations†‬by 2014â€.
‬The legacy achievements of the International Federation are manyâ€: ‬its biennial international conferences created powerful experiences and fellowship across borders and languagesâ€. ‬Its position statements provided a strong voice on crucial issues for vast numbers of secular and Humanistic Jews around the worldâ€. ‬In 2010â€, ‬the IFSHJ published the English edition of Judaism for†‬Everyone‮…‬Without Dogma by Drâ€. ‬Bernardo Sorjâ€. ‬And it maintained an online directory of secular and Humanistic Jewish organizations and websitesâ€.
The International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism has preserved the best of these achievementsâ€. ‬The message of Secular Humanistic Judaism is not confined to one nation or continent or language†‬‮–‬†‬it appeals to modern Jews anywhere in the worldâ€. ‬And that was the mission of the International Federation of Secular and Humanistic Judaismâ€.‬
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