About Us

Our Beginnings

The Jewish Secular Community of Asheville started with a few like-minded people who celebrated Jewish holidays together, had home based Shabbat services and dinner, and planned enjoyable, meaningful activities. By word of mouth, others expressed interest in learning more about us. The original members clarified their goals and developed a more formal organizational structure. A new Asheville Jewish community was born as an all-volunteer, non-profit organization.

What We Believe As Secular Humanistic Jews

• Human beings possess the power and responsibility to shape their own lives independent of supernatural authority.
• A Jew identifies with the history, culture, and future of the Jewish people.
• Jewish identity is best preserved in a free, pluralistic environment.
• The freedom and dignity of the Jewish people must go hand in hand with the freedom and dignity of every human being.

What do Secular Humanistic Jews Do?  

We build Community by addressing the need for cultural, social and emotional support  

• We provide members with social and educational experiences to share together
• We ensure that our families-in-need receive meaningful assistance 

We celebrate Holidays and Shabbat by bringing together our Jewish extended family and friends whose shared history and memories make holidays and Shabbat more meaningful.

We commit Ourselves to Social Justice with work toward “repairing the world” by

• providing hands on experiences, sometimes jointly with other organizations, with projects promoting peace, justice, environmental preservation, and ending poverty and homelessness
  
• demonstrating respect for freedom and the dignity of all human beings