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If any death leaves an absence, the death of Rabbi Sherwin Wine has left an abyss. Nowhere was this more in evidence than with the international federation Rabbi Wine spawned. The International Federation for Secular & Humanistic Judaism ("IFSHJ") has been reincorporated in Washington DC.
Its non-profit, pluralistic Charter is open to contemporary organizations whose membership espouses humankind’s responsibility for its own dignity, reason, equalitarian justice, need for education with celebrations entwined with Judaism’s heritage and culture, the beauty of its self-transcendence, its openness and, most important, its social and scientific creativity, all deminimus a deity.
An Israeli team, Prof. Drs. Efraim Zadoff and Yair Lifshitz and Marvin A. Rosenblum from the US have been appointed as co-chairs.
With affiliates in Israel, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia, France, Belgium, Italy and the countries of the former Soviet Union. Serving over 100 congregations, schools and other Jewish communal organizations, Humanistic Judaism’s schools teach Hebrew, the contributions its forebears have made to the world’s culture and mores, tradition, history and instills pride for its Nobel laureates and others, Jews who have contributed to mankind’s literature, science, politics, entertainment and the arts. Inculcating a sense of love and responsibility for Israel is foremost in most school curricula.
Asked about his appointment, Mr. Rosenblum stated that, “Rabbi Sherwin Wine’s unexpected and tragic death last July left the federation with an intellectual leadership abyss that no minion of capable Jews could fill. His philosophical writings and teachings will endure as have those of Maimonedies, Spinoza and Buber. I am humbled by the assignment.”
The IFSHJ is organizing a mini-university and tour, coincident with Tmura’s, the Movement’s Israel seminary’s biennial rabbinic ordination, December 17 through 20, 2008. Events, in combination with Tel Aviv’s 100th anniversary will be held in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
For information about membership qualifications or attendance at the Israel conference, contact Marvin Rosenblum at 6 Drake Lane, Chester, NJ 07930, 908-879-1006, X 201, mrosen110@AOL.com, Efraim Zadoff in Jerusalem, 02-586-0829, zadoff@zahav.net.il or Yair Lifschitz, in Haifa, 052-683-6000, lyair@tx.technion.ac.il.
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