One of the books I've recently read for my August class at the Humanist Institute is Judaism Beyond God, by Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine. I highly recommend reading it to gain a better understanding of both Judaism and humanism. Rabbi Wine is one of the founders of the Society for Humanistic Judaism.

To paraphrase the author's conclusions, humanists want to bring their beliefs and their behavior together and are eager to affirm the following:

• That they are the disciples of The Secular Revolution.
• That reason is the best method for the discovery of truth.
• That morality derives from human needs.
• That the universe is indifferent to the desires of human beings.
• That people must ultimately rely on people.
• That the humanist has a positive role to play in life.

Humanists want to translate these affirmations and commitments into an effective life-style. They need a community of believers to work with and to share with in this venture. They also need a cadre of trained leaders and spokespeople to provide scholarship and guidance.

-- Flo Wineriter