Shalom Rabbi Wine

Rabbi Sherwin Wine, 79, who in 1963 founded the Birmingham Temple -- the first congregation of Humanistic Judaism -- died in a car accident while in Morocco.
Services are pending. Arrangements are being handled by the Ira Kaufman Chapel in Southfield.
Wine, who was born in Detroit in 1928, graduated from the University of Michigan and the Hebrew Union College, according to a biography on the Web site of the temple in Farmington Hills. In 1963, he founded The Birmingham Temple, the first congregation of Humanistic Judaism.

In 1969, he helped establish the Society for Humanistic Judaism to serve as national outreach for the humanistic movement. In 1986, he helped to create the International Federation of Secular Humanistic Jews, a worldwide association of national organizations in North America, Israel, Belgium, England, France, Italy, Australia, Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, and the countries of the former Soviet Union. Detroit News

I was fortunate to hear Rabbi Wine speak at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Farmington (UUCF), Michigan. The Rev. Suzanne Paul, past president of the American Humanist Association and UUCF minister at that time, shared Rabbi Wine’s dedication to Humanistic philosophy. Rarely are we privileged with the opportunity to share in the experiences of so accomplished a mind as that of the late Rabbi Wine’s. The world has lost an outstanding teacher and humanist.

May there be peace and life for all of us and for all Israel. Let us say, Amen.

Let He who makes peace in the heavens, grant peace to all of us and to all Israel. Let us say, Amen.