Who We Are
Beth Ami – CCHJ began in 1992 when it became affiliated with the Society for Humanistic Judaism. We have members throughout the Boulder-Denver metropolitan area. Beth Ami means “house of my people” in Hebrew. The name reflects not only our Jewish heritage and identity but our sense of community and our welcoming spirit.
We provide a place where secular Jews can find a comfortable home. We appeal to those who respect and love our Jewish heritage and want to affiliate with others with similar viewpoints. We are Jews who want Jewish studies for our children and ourselves, who want to observe Jewish holidays, appreciate Jewish culture, and express a connection with the Jewish people and Israel in a non-theistic setting.
Beth Ami welcomes as a Jew anyone who identifies with the history, culture, struggles, triumphs, and future of the Jewish people. Our membership includes those from diverse backgrounds, ages, and interests.
Beliefs and Values
Humanistic Jews believe Judaism is the historical and cultural experience of the Jewish people. We place strong faith in humanity’s ability to solve its own problems and improve the world. Truth is found through reason, empirical evidence and critical thinking.
Society for Humanistic Judaism
Rabbi Adam Chalom, Dean Of International Institute of SHJ, speaking about Jewish history
Primary Humanistic Jewish values
Truth: Rely on what we know about human experience and needs. Discover new powerful truths about our history and present. Advance ethical and moral goals.
Integrity: Say what we mean and mean what we say. Welcome all who seek connections with Jewish culture and history.
Dignity: Embrace the joy, power, and responsibility to shape our own lives. Our dignity goes hand in hand with the dignity of all peoples.
Reality: Employ reason, observation, experimentation and creativity to address questions and understand experiences in this world.
Judaism: Recognize that the Jewish people created Jewish culture. To be a Jew is to identify with the Jewish people.
— Rabbi Adam Chalom, Dean of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism
Sheila Malcolm, Madrikha
M.A. Education, Madrikha/Professional Leader and Life Cycle Officiant
Sheila immigrated from NY to CO many years ago, where she raised a family and completed a 40-year career as a teacher, mentor, and substitute in Boulder Valley Schools. She explored many ways to be and "do" Jewish and committed to leadership training through the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism. She also sits on the Executive Committee of the Board of the Society for Humanistic Judaism.
Along with other members of Beth Ami, Sheila facilitates holiday services and adult ed, creates and updates liturgy, and plans community events. Sheila offers individualized weddings, baby-namings, Cultural B Mitzvahs, and memorial services. Contact BethAmiInfo@gmail.com.
History
The first Humanistic Judaism community was established in 1963 when Rabbi Sherwin Wine and several others founded the Birmingham Temple in a suburb of Detroit. In 1969, a North American central organization, the Society for Humanistic Judaism (www.shj.org) was founded to establish and support local affiliates and to provide leadership to the growing movement (which now has 33 communities in the US and Canada). In 1985 the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism was created, to coordinate the various national organizations and to train rabbi and lay leaders for the local communities.
Originally, there were two Humanistic Judaism communities in Colorado: the Colorado Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (CCHJ) was established in Denver in 1991 and Beth Ami was established in Boulder a couple of years later. In the year 2002, with the urging of Rabbi Wine, these two communities were merged into a single community, Beth Ami-CCHJ.
Contact and Sign Up
Congregation email: BethAmiInfo@gmail.com
We organize and post our events on Meetup. Join our group to see what’s happening and RSVP.
Beth Ami "Friends" email list: Please enter your email to receive our monthly newsletter and several messages per month. We do not share your email.
