Many of our Humanistic communities, congregations, and havurot provide warm and supportive youth education environments, for students to engage and learn, culminating in bar/bat mitzvah ceremonies, and post mitzvah youth groups.
Check the list for a school community near you.
Youth Education at SHJ-Affiliated Communities
ARIZONA
- Or Adam Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, 14747 N Northsight Blvd, Suite 111-437, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, (480) 865-4710, oradaminfo@gmail.com. School Contact: Rabbi Jeffrey Schesnol.
Grades Offered: 1st – B’Nai Mitzvah
Meeting Schedule: Monthly | Sunday 9:30am – 10:30am
Lower grades learn about Jewish Holidays and Celebrations. Upper grades learn about American Jewish heroes and heroines. We are the only Humanistic Congregation in the Phoenix area.
CALIFORNIA
- Adat Chaverim, Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, PO Box 261204, Encino, CA 91426, (888) 552-4552, A School Contact: adatchaverimla@gmail.com, and Cantor Jonathan Friedmann
Joe Steinberg Cultural School
Grades offered: K-8
Meeting schedule: Sundays, 10:00am-noon via Zoom & at Los Encinos State Historic Park, 16756 Moorpark St, Encino, CA 91436.
Our Cultural School uses a multi-grade classroom model and includes Hebrew language study, Humanistic philosophy, and lessons on Jewish culture, history, and customs. Adult Education runs concurrently with the Cultural School. Sunday sessions alternate between classroom learning and cultural field trips & mitzvah days.
COLORADO
- Beth Ami, Colorado Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, 280 South 39th Street, Boulder, CO 80305, BethAmiInfo@gmail.com. School Contact: Sheila Malcolm for Family Holiday Celebrations and Cultural B Mitzvah info.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
- Machar, the Secular Humanistic Jewish Congregation of Greater Washington, PO Box 42014, Washington, D.C. 20015, (202) 686-1881, info@machar.org. School Contact: Rabbi Jeremy Kridel
Grades offered: K through 7th grade/B Mitzvah, plus a teen group
Meeting schedule: Three to four class sessions most months; Sundays 9:30 am to 12:00 pm, community music from 9:30 to 10:00, class time from 10:00 to 12:00.
Machar’s students participate in music both in community assembly and in their classrooms, classroom learning about Jewish history and culture, and occasional field trips. Students ponder their own beliefs about religion, without perspectives being imposed. Biblical stories are used as a form of literature, not history, and are questioned for the possible lessons authors may have intended to teach.
B mitzvah students prepare individual projects with subjects they choose. We expect that by the time of b mitzvah, students will have two years of formal Jewish or Humanistic education; depending on background, students who start later than the beginning of their 6th grade year may be required to do supplemental work (usually arranged separately with Machar’s rabbi) in preparation for their b mitzvah ceremonies.
Machar’s Sunday school is run in collaboration with two local partner congregations that share our approach to learning, and the school is co-directed by the rabbis of each of the three congregations. Machar’s holiday celebrations are Humanistic in nature, in keeping with our identity as a Humanistic Jewish congregation.
FLORIDA
- Congregation Beth Adam, P.O. Box 2579, Boca Raton, FL 33427, (561) 443-1769, info@bethadam.com. School Contact: BJ Saul
Grades offered: Private lessons are available via zoom or in person for grades 3 and above. B’Mitzvah training is available by individual arrangement.
Meeting schedule: By arrangement
CBA offers a B’Mitzvah training program, including reading Hebrew. The B’Mitzvah study program adheres to the philosophy of Humanistic Judaism and teaches students to become critical thinkers using science and reason to explain historical events.
ILLINOIS
- Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community, Deerfield, IL 60015, (847) 945-6512, info@bethchaverim.net. School Contact: Rabbi Jodi Kornfeld
Grades offered: K-8
Meeting schedule: Weekly | Sunday, 9:30am-11:30am; one-hour weekly Hebrew class for B Mitzvah prep, 11:30am-12:30pm
Age-appropriate curriculum of Jewish culture including Jewish identity, holidays, life cycle, literature, mitzvot, immigration and Holocaust, as well as many hands-on experiences with a focus on developing a positive Jewish identity through Jewish culture
- Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation, 2100 Half Day Road, Deerfield, IL 60069, (847) 383-5184, info@kolhadash.com. School Contact: Ilana Shaffer Our Sunday School meets at Deerfield High School, 1959 N. Waukegan Rd, Deerfield, 60015
Grades offered: Adult-Tot – 9th Grade Confirmation
Meeting schedule: 1st through 9th Grade Confirmation – weekly class on Sundays at 9:30-11:30am, 6th Grade B Mitzvah Prep Class is at 9:00-9:30am | Adult-Tot monthly program on Sundays at 9:30-10:30am for 3-6 yrs and 10:30-11:30am for 0-2 yrs (open to everyone, free for members, $10 per class for others) | Family Holiday Celebrations are monthly on Sundays at 10:30-11:30am (free and open to everyone)
Grade specific classes with well-defined curriculum, covering topics in Jewish history, literature and culture. We encourage children to value their Jewish identity and to think for themselves. Students explore what Being Jewish and Doing Jewish means to them.
MASSACHUSETTS
- Kahal B’raira, Boston Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, 765 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, (617) 431-3994, info@Kahalbraira.org. School Contact: Sophia Brion-Meisels
Grades offered: K-10th
Meeting schedule: 15 Sundays per year, 9:30-Noon
Kahal B’raira’s Sunday school teaches Jewish holidays, history, food, music, and respect for our humanistic Jewish values: rationality, decision-making, courage, creativity, generosity, trust, hope, and tikun olam. We provide a curriculum that emphasizes collaboration and critical thinking, and a space for our students to celebrate secular Jewish culture, and exploration of humanistic values, traditions, and actions.
MICHIGAN
- Spinoza Family Jewish Education Program – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit, 28611 W 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, (248) 477-1410, info@chj-detroit.org. School Contact: Rabbi Jeffrey Falick
Grades offered: K – 7
Meeting schedule: Twice per month, plus holiday celebrations | Sundays, 10am – Noon
Music and all-family learning on the topic of the day (with bagels!) followed by adult learning (most Sundays – on same topic) and children’s group times. The family education aspect allows parents and children to learn together with Rabbi Falick, and the program is tuition free and a benefit of membership with no minimum dues.
MINNESOTA
- Or Emet, Minnesota Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, 4316 Aries Ct, Eagan, MN 55123, (612) 787-7812, school@oremet.org. School Contact: Molly Phipps. Our school address is Or Emet Congregation, c/o Barry Family Campus, 4330 Cedar Lake Road S, St. Louis Park MN 55416.
Grades offered: Pre-school – 7th grade
Meeting schedule: Monthly during the school year | Sundays 10:00am – 12:30pm
Mixture of large group and grade specific activities and lessons. we allow students to register for their first year of school without families being members, and we focus on Jewish culture rather than Jewish dogma.
NEW YORK
- Beth Haskalah, Rochester Society for Humanistic Judaism, PO Box 18343, Rochester, NY 14618-0343, (585) 234-1644. School Contact: Barry Swan
Grades offered: Youth – B Mitzvah
Meeting schedule: By appointment. We customize learning for each student.
- The City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, PO Box 183, Mamaroneck, NY 10543, (212) 213-1002, info@citycongregation.org. School Contact: Rabbi Tzemah Yoreh and ks.admin@citycongregation.org
Grades offered: PreK – B’Mitzvah
Meeting schedule: Twice monthly Sept-June | Sundays 3:00-5:15pm
Grade-specific classes that foster appreciation and understanding of Jewish culture and identity. We explore Jewish holidays, literature, and history from a secular humanistic perspective, examining our own values and history as well. Our teachers encourage creativity and critical thinking in an atmosphere of joy, respect and open discussion.
NORTH CAROLINA
- Kol Haskalah, A Humanistic Jewish Congregation, PO Box 9223, Chapel Hill NC 27515, khaskalah@gmail.com. School Contact: Andrea Lutri
OREGON
- Cultural Synagogue, 9220 SW Barbur Blvd Ste 119-247, Portland OR 97219, (360) 513-4144. culturalsynagogue@gmail.com. Contact Rabbi Mary Raskin.
Shabbat School (Ages 6-11): Our Shabbat School program offers a fun and engaging way for young children to learn about Jewish holidays, traditions, and values. Music education is included. We hold twice-monthly classes for our youth who are ages six to eleven.
B’nai Mitzvah Preparation (Ages 11-13): This program prepares students for their B’nai Mitzvah (a gender-neutral, non-binary term for “Bar Mitzvah” and “Bat Mitzvah”) with a focus on Jewish history, ethics, and the significance of the ceremony. Students are encouraged to explore their Jewish identity and develop a personal project as part of their preparation. We offer both one-year and two-year B’nai Mitzvah programs.
- Kol Shalom, Community for Humanistic Judaism, 1509 SW Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1E, Portland, OR 97239, (503) 459-4210, info@kolshalom.org. School Contact: Walt Hellman. Our school meets at 2420 N.E. Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97232.
Grades offered: 1-4 (aleph class) and 7-8 (mitzvah class)
Meeting schedule: Aleph class meets two Sundays per month for 2 hours; Mitzvah class meets one Sunday per month for 2 hours | Aleph – Sunday, 1pm-3pm; Mitzvah – Sunday 11am – 1pm
Aleph: holidays, music, customs, dance (all year)
Mitzvah: history, ethics, comparative religion, traditions, culture, Bible and other texts
WASHINGTON
- Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound, 117 E Louisa St / PMB 367, Seattle, WA 98102, (206) 528-1944, info@secularjewishcircle.org. School Contact: Diedre O’Dwyer
Grades offered: Preschool – 8th, B-Mitzvah, Adult Discussion Group
Meeting schedule: Biweekly | Sundays 9:30 AM – 11:45 AM
Mitzvah Secular Sunday School: Openly Secular – Proudly Jewish
Classes are grouped by age, following a typical Sunday School curriculum with a secular focus. Our parents and children come from a wide range of backgrounds, including those who know nothing about Judaism and those who can share their love and knowledge of Jewish culture. In addition to families with two Jewish parents, our Shalom Sunday School families include interreligious, interracial, LGBTQ+, and those who have adopted Judaism. There is a place here for YOU!
Canada
ONTARIO
- Oraynu Congregation, 156 Duncan Mill Road, Suite 14, Toronto, Ontario, M3B 3N2, Canada, (416) 385-3910, info@oraynu.org.
School Website: click here; School Contact: Risa Morris. School takes place at the Glendon College campus of York University, 2275 Bayview Ave, Toronto
Grades offered: Tots preschool – Grade 7 plus Bnai Mitzvah program
Meeting schedule: Weekly classes for grades 1 – 7, Sunday mornings 10am – 12:30pm | monthly classes for Tots and K, Sunday mornings 10:45am – 12:15pm
Our teachers deliver creative lessons based around age-appropriate themes, focused on tikkun o’lam, as are our daily music classes and Festivals. The school is a unique and welcoming community where children can learn about their Jewish heritage and culture in a supportive and inclusive environment.