BELIEVING
 

Though we are sometimes accused of being non-believers, even of not being Jewish, we are indeed believers. 
Here are some of our beliefs:

 1. We believe in the power of human effort and in taking personal responsibility for our actions, as individuals and as members of a society.

2. We believe Jewish culture and history is the creation of the Jewish people, rather than of divine origin.

3. We believe in the natural origin of events and experiences, rather than the supernatural.

4. We believe in biological evolution.

5. We believe that the Bible and other ancient Jewish books are worth reading and studying because they give us insight into our history and the way our ancestors thought.

6. We believe in scientific inquiry and a commitment to reason.

7. We believe each person should follow paths of dignity, self-esteem, and responsibility in the present, to enhance life on earth rather than to prepare for an afterlife.

8. We believe in respecting the beliefs and opinions of all, though we may disagree.

9. We believe in forging meaningful community traditions based on current conditions and needs, rather than simply adopting wholesale those forged in the past.

10. We believe we have a right to participate in all Jewish community activities.  We believe that inclusion rather than exclusion is the key to building strong community relations, and that acceptance of the right of all peoples to believe as they wish is both Jewish and empowering.

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Last Update: September 12, 2008