Adam Chalom

Chalom was born and raised in suburban Detroit, Michigan. His mother came from a Jewish leftist and Yiddish-focused family (both Sholem Aleichem Institute and Workmen’s Circle) in Detroit, while his father was raised in the Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn, NY. He was raised attending The Birmingham Temple (now Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit) in Farmington Hills, Michigan, the founding congregation of Humanistic Judaism led by Rabbi Sherwin Wine.

Chalom earned a B.A. cum laude in Judaic Studies from Yale University in 1997; a master's degree in Hebrew and Jewish Cultural Studies at the University of Michigan in 1999; rabbinic ordination from the IISHJ in 2001, and his PhD at the University of Michigan in Near Eastern Studies in 2005. His dissertation was titled “Modern Midrash: Jewish Identity and Literary Creativity.”Chalom, Adam N. [https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/124993 "Modern midrash: Jewish identity and literary creativity" (dissertation) (2005)] (accessed Feb. 28, 2025) He lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and two children.

Chalom worked as Rabbinic Intern at The Birmingham Temple from 1996 to 1999,Cohn, Lynne Meredith [https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/djnews/djn.1997.09.12.001/9 "New Leaders bring different perspectives on Judaism without God" Detroit Jewish News (Sept. 12, 1997)] (accessed Feb. 28, 2025) then as Assistant Rabbi until his ordination in 2001.Dorfman, Shelli Liebman [https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/djnews/djn.2001.11.09.001/61 "Hearing the call: Secular Humanists hold second rabbinic ordination and begin rabbinic outreach to other temples" Detroit Jewish News (Nov. 9, 2001)] (accessed Feb. 28, 2025) He served one year as co-Rabbi with Tamara Kolton after Sherwin Wine’s retirement before becoming the rabbi of KHHC in suburban Chicago in 2004. Having served as Assistant Dean at the IISHJ since 2004, he succeeded Sherwin Wine as IISHJ’s Dean for North America after Wine’s death in 2007.Brachear, Maynya [https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/01/13/rabbi-adam-chalom-for-rabbi-god-isnt-in-the-details/ "Rabbi Adam Chalom: For rabbi, God isn't in the details" Chicago Tribune (June 18, 2018)] (accessed Feb. 28, 2025) In addition to these roles, he has also served on the executive committee of the Association of Humanistic Rabbis and the editorial board of the quarterly magazine Humanistic Judaism. He is a prominent spokesperson for the movement in North America.[https://www.judaismunbound.com/podcast/2016/12/2/episode-44-a-secular-humanistic-hanukkah "A Secular Humanistic Hanukkah - Adam Chalom" Judaism Unbound Podcast Episode 44 (Dec. 2, 2016)] (accessed Feb. 28, 2025)

Chalom has written or edited several works related to Humanistic Judaism and also created an extensive library of educational and inspirational videos through the YouTube channels of KHHC and the IISHJ. Most recently, he co-edited Contemporary Humanistic Judaism: Beliefs, Values Practices (Jewish Publication Society/University of Nebraska Press, 2025, part of the Jewish Publication Society “Anthologies of Jewish Thought” series.Kronish, Ron [https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-836634 "'Contemporary Humanistic Judaism': The contemporary movement of the Jewish world - review" The Jerusalem Post (Jan. 12, 2025)] (accessed Feb. 28, 2025)Newfield, Zalman [https://newbooksnetwork.com/contemporary-humanistic-judaism "Review: Contemporary Humanistic Judaism, Beliefs, Values, Practices" New Books Network (Jan. 27, 2025)] (accessed Feb. 28, 2025)

• Introduction to Secular Humanistic Judaism: Part III – Philosophy of Secular Humanistic Judaism (IISHJ, 2009).
• Introduction to Secular Humanistic Judaism: Part II – Jewish Culture (IISHJ, 2007)
• Introduction to Secular Humanistic Judaism: Part I – Jewish History (IISHJ, 2002)

• Co-Editor (with Rabbi Jodi Kornfeld) and contributor, Contemporary Humanistic Judaism: Beliefs, Values, Practices (Jewish Publication Society/University of Nebraska Press, 2025).
• Editor, Introduction and contributor, Jews and the Muslim World: Solving the Puzzle – Selected Proceedings from Colloquium 2007 (IISHJ, 2010).

• “Who Am I, That I Should Confront Pharaoh?” in Who by Plague: High Holiday Sermons from COVID-19 Times (ed. Rabbi Oren Steinitz, HaMotzi Press, 2021).
• “Massechet BB – Beyond Binaries” in Nondenominational Judaism: Perspectives on Pluralism and Inclusion in 21st Century Jewish Professional Education (Ben Yehuda Press, 2020).
• Introduction and Afterword, Judaism Beyond God by Sherwin T. Wine (IISHJ, 2017).
• “Humanistic Judaism” in The Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception (De Gruyter), 2016.
• “Humanistic Judaism and Secular Spirituality” in Phil Zuckerman, ed. Religion: Beyond Religion. (Macmillan Reference USA, 2016).
• “Understanding a ‘Religious’ Western Democracy: Israel and Its Complexities” in Theism and Public Policy: Humanist Perspectives and Responses (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).
• Introduction and Afterword, A Provocative People: A Secular History of the Jews by Sherwin T. Wine (IISHJ, 2012).
• “Beyond Apikorsut: A Judaism for Secular Jews” in Zvi Gitelman, ed. Religion or Ethnicity? Jewish Identities in Evolution (Rutgers University Press, 2009).
• “Foreword” in Muraskin, Bennett. Humanist Readings in Jewish Folklore (Farmington Hills, MI: Milan Press and IISHJ, new paperback edition 2008). Also reprinted in Canadian Jewish Outlook.
• “To Destroy and to Build: The Balance of Creativity and Continuity” in Cohn-Sherbok, Cook, Rowens eds. A Life of Courage: Sherwin Wine and Humanistic Judaism (IIISHJ, 2003).

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• [http://www.iishj.org IISHJ.org - International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism]
• [https://www.kolhadash.com KolHadash.org -Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation]
• [https://hjrabbi.wordpress.com HJRabbi.wordpress.com - “Shalom from Rabbi Chalom” blog]

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Category:1975 births

Category:American Humanistic Jews

Category:Humanistic rabbis

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