Draft:Humanistic Judaism UK

{{Short description|UK organisation representing Secular Humanistic Judaism}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Humanistic Judaism UK
| native_name = HJUK
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| abbreviation = HJUK
| formation = October 2011
| type = Religious organisation
| purpose = Promoting Humanistic Judaism in the United Kingdom
| headquarters = London, United Kingdom
| region_served = United Kingdom and Europe
| leader_title = Founder and Leader
| leader_name = Martin Hasan Di Maggio
| affiliations = [[Society for Humanistic Judaism]]; [[Humanists UK]]; Spinoza Havurah
| website = {{URL|hjuk.org}}
}}

'''Humanistic Judaism UK''' (commonly abbreviated as '''HJUK''') is a British [[Humanistic Judaism|Humanistic Jewish]] in the [[United Kingdom]].{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/HumJewsUK/ |title=Humanistic Judaism UK |publisher=Facebook |access-date=2026-04-23}} The organisation is currently chaired by Dr. Joshua Bamford-Silberstein and its spiritual leader is Martin Hasan Di Maggio.

== Background ==

[[Humanistic Judaism]] is a non-theistic approach to Judaism — a way to celebrate Jewish identity and spirituality without recourse to divine authority, holding that human beings have the intelligence and wisdom to determine the course of their own lives.{{cite web |url=https://hjuk.org/ |title=HJUK – Nontheistic Judaism in the UK |publisher=HJUK |access-date=2026-04-23}} The movement has been described as "God-optional Judaism", with Di Maggio explaining: "It doesn't matter if someone believes in God or not, as the focus is on the humanistic elements of Judaism as a Jewish culture or as Jewish spirituality."{{cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/community/humanistic-judaism-uk-comes-of-age-as-it-celebrates-first-bar-mitzvah-endcx3ti |title=Humanistic Judaism UK comes of age as it celebrates first bar mitzvah |work=[[The Jewish Chronicle]] |date=2025-09-16 |access-date=2026-04-23}}

The movement celebrates Jewish identity through reason, ethics, and community rather than supernaturalism, and is particularly welcoming to those from mixed and interfaith backgrounds, members of the [[LGBT]] community, and individuals who have faced barriers to inclusion in mainstream Jewish institutional life.{{cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/judaism/the-alternative-siddur-for-god-optional-services-t09d36mn |title=The alternative siddur for 'God-optional' services |work=[[The Jewish Chronicle]] |date=2025-05-01 |access-date=2026-04-23}}

== History ==

HJUK held its inaugural meeting in October 2011, at which it was agreed the organisation needed to offer contact points across the UK so that small local groups could develop under its umbrella.{{cite web |url=https://humanisticjudaismuk.wordpress.com/blog-2/ |title=Blog – Humanistic Judaism UK |publisher=Humanistic Judaism UK |date=2011-11-26 |access-date=2026-04-23}} Previous attempts had been made to establish a branch of Humanistic Judaism in Britain, but these had not put down permanent roots.

The organisation grew gradually, and by 2025 its core UK community comprised over 480 members, with in-person services held on Jewish holidays in London. Its online community, Spinoza Havurah, attracted around 500 participants from around the world.

On 3 September 2025, HJUK conducted its first-ever [[Bar and Bat Mitzvah|B'Mitzvah]] ceremony — a milestone for the organisation — officiated by its founder Martin Di Maggio.{{cite web |url=https://shj.org/a-historic-first-hjuks-first-bmitzvah-ceremony/ |title=A Historic First: HJUK's First B'Mitzvah Ceremony |publisher=Society for Humanistic Judaism |date=2025-10-27 |access-date=2026-04-23}} Di Maggio described it as "a huge step" for the community and expressed hope it would raise wider awareness of the movement in the UK.

== Leadership ==

=== Martin Hasan Di Maggio ===

Martin Hasan Di Maggio is the founder and leader of HJUK. He grew up in Hereford and Worcester in a mixed British-Italian-Albanian family and is based in London.{{cite web |url=https://www.jewthink.org/author/martindimaggio/ |title=Martin Di Maggio – Author profile |publisher=JewThink |access-date=2026-04-23}} He is a sociolinguist with a master's degree in language documentation for endangered languages and a BA in Anthropology and Community Development. He is a researcher for [[Wikitongues]], which documents over 7,000 languages, and speaks [[Ladino language|Ladino]], on which he has led sessions at the annual [[Limmud]] Festival.

Di Maggio undertook a four-year study course with the USA-based [[International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism]] (IISHJ), qualifying as an officiant, and has continued to develop his credentials within the movement. He also co-leads '''Spinoza Havurah''', an international online Humanistic Jewish community. He sees his role not as that of a rabbi, but as a "facilitator".

Di Maggio has additionally worked as a community development worker providing training on [[LGBTI+]] rights, including intersex issues and neurodiversity, and has previously worked with the [[Crown Prosecution Service]] to improve police responses to hate crime reports from marginalised communities.

=== ''Tefilotenu'' ===

Di Maggio is the author of '''''Tefilotenu''''', a [[Siddur]] (Jewish prayer book) developed for use in Humanistic Jewish communities, composed largely during the [[COVID-19 pandemic|Covid-19 lockdown]] from 2020 onwards. The siddur has been noted as distinctive in the UK context, where new siddurim are rarely produced. Its humanistic liturgy does not simply remove divine names from existing prayers, but adapts text to convey a humanistic message while preserving the original cadence, and is designed to be sung to traditional melodies. The work was tested in community through HJUK's services in London and at [[Limmud]] UK.{{cite web |url=https://shj.org/new-siddur-for-humanistic-judaism/ |title=New Siddur for Humanistic Judaism |publisher=Society for Humanistic Judaism |access-date=2026-04-23}}

== Limmud ==

HJUK has had a presence at the annual [[Limmud]] Festival, the cross-communal Jewish educational and cultural gathering held each December at a UK conference centre. At the [[Limmud Festival 2024]], Di Maggio led a Kabbalat Shabbat service conducted without theistic language, described in the Limmud programme as being for those who enjoy Kabbalat Shabbat but do not believe in God.{{cite web |url=https://events.limmud.org/limmud-festival-2024/programme/timeslot/friday-1540/1335 |title=Humanistic/Nontheistic Kabbalat Shabbat – Limmud Festival 2024 |publisher=Limmud |access-date=2026-04-23}} He also presented a dedicated session on his nontheistic siddur and the beliefs underpinning Humanistic Judaism.{{cite web |url=https://events.limmud.org/limmud-festival-2024/programme/timeslot/sunday-0915/1365/ |title=Limmud Festival 2024 – Sunday 09:15 |publisher=Limmud |access-date=2026-04-23}} Di Maggio was also confirmed to present and run Humanistic Jewish prayer services at the [[Limmud Festival 2025]].

== Affiliations ==

HJUK is aligned with the following organisations:

* '''[[Society for Humanistic Judaism]]''' (SHJ) — the primary international body for Humanistic Judaism, based in the United States.
* '''[[Humanists UK]]''' — reflecting HJUK's view that its humanism is inseparable from its Judaism.
* '''Spinoza Havurah''' — an international online Humanistic Jewish community founded in 2021, of which HJUK is the UK partner.{{cite web |url=https://hjuk.org/affiliations/ |title=Affiliations |publisher=HJUK |access-date=2026-04-23}}

== Activities ==

=== Shabbat and Jewish Holidays ===

HJUK celebrates [[Shabbat]] and Jewish holidays through services and community gatherings focusing on their cultural, ethical, and historical significance. Holidays such as [[Rosh Hashanah]] and [[Yom Kippur]] are treated as occasions for personal growth and reflection, marked with music, storytelling, and readings from historical and contemporary sources.{{cite web |url=https://hjuk.org/what-we-offer/ |title=What We Offer |publisher=HJUK |access-date=2026-04-23}} Members recite prayers with rewordings that replace theistic language. One example is a humanistic rendering of the [[Shema]]: ''Shemá Yisraél Kulánu Eḥád Veyiudénu Eḥád'' — "Hear O Yisraél: We are all One, and our Purpose is One."

=== Educational Programmes ===

HJUK offers educational programmes for adults and children on Jewish history, culture, and ethics, with emphasis on values including [[Tikkun olam|''tikkun olam'']] (repairing the world) and ''gemilut chassadim'' (acts of loving-kindness), and encouraging social activism and interfaith dialogue.

=== Life-cycle Ceremonies ===

HJUK offers humanistic ceremonies for important life passages including weddings, baby namings, and B'Mitzvah milestones, drawing upon Jewish tradition while focusing on the human significance of each event.

=== Radical Inclusion ===

A central principle of HJUK is radical inclusion. The organisation is particularly welcoming to those from mixed and interfaith backgrounds, members of the LGBT community, and individuals who have faced barriers to inclusion in mainstream Jewish institutional life.

== See also ==

* [[Humanistic Judaism]]
* [[Society for Humanistic Judaism]]
* [[Humanists UK]]
* [[Secular Judaism]]
* [[Limmud]]
* [[Jewish Renewal]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{Official website|hjuk.org}}
* [https://shj.org Society for Humanistic Judaism]
* [https://humanists.uk Humanists UK]
* [https://spinozahavurah.org Spinoza Havurah]
* [https://limmud.org Limmud]

{{Judaism footer}}

[[Category:Judaism in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Humanistic Judaism]]
[[Category:Religious organisations established in 2011]]
[[Category:Non-theistic religions]]
[[Category:Jewish organisations in the United Kingdom]]