Scholar in residence welcomed

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Rabbi Binyamin Biber

Updated: December 4, 2011 10:26AM

Rabbi Binyamin Biber, rabbi of Machar, the Washington, D.C. congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism, will be “Scholar in Residence” Thursday through Nov. 6 at Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation.

In addition to his pulpit with Machar, Rabbi Biber operates the Humanist Chaplaincy Services of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., conducting public advocacy and education, social-change organizing, counseling, and Humanistic life-cycle ceremonies, including weddings for intercultural and same-sex couples. As a social worker and teacher experienced in working with all age groups, he serves as a veteran community organizer and educator on peace and justice issues, particularly focusing on the Middle East, on sexual minority equality and AIDS prevention, as well as on low-income housing and community economic development.

Biber is also president of the Association of Humanistic Rabbis and serves on the rabbinic cabinet of J Street, the largest U.S. Jewish group working for a two-state solution for Israeli-Palestinian peace and self-determination.

Rabbi Biber will speak on “Naturalistic Spirituality” at 8 p.m. Friday at the Heller Nature Center in Highland Park.

His approach to traditional Jewish liturgy will offers a creative model, and his deep engagement in “Naturalistic Spirituality” will create a discussion, drawing upon humanistic and transpersonal psychology, exploring living as Jews in “this world” here and now. 

Biber will address “Humanistic Jewish Parenting: Identity & Values Development in a Multicultural Society” at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Deerfield High School,

The public is invited to join him for a discussion surveying social science research on parenting and development, as well as the spectrum of different families’ approaches. Participants are invited to ask questions, as well as to share and discuss.

Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation has offices in Lincolnshire, holds Shabbat services at the Heller Nature Center in Highland Park, and Sunday School classes at Deerfield High School. The congregation offers a year-round calendar of services, Jewish holiday celebrations, community-service projects, social events and education for youth and adults.

For information on Kol Hadash or Humanistic Judaism, visit www.kolhadash.com or contact Jeremy Owens at info@kolhadash.com or (847) 347-3003.