
Compiled by James M. Branum as a supplement to our Community News section in Humanistic Judaism Magazine. For additional online events, please check with individual congregations. All times listed are local to each event, so if attending remotely, please double-check the time zone.
Also, this issue has many High Holiday services listed, but others may be added after press time, so please check the SHJ High Holiday page for more information and/or congregational websites, especially as to any registration requirements.
JUMP TO: Congregational Events – Action Alerts – From the SHJ Blog – From our Broader Movement – What we are reading
Congregational Events:
AZ, Phoenix –Or Adam Congregation for Humanistic Judaism will hold an Erev Rosh Hashanah Zoom event on Sept. 25 from 5-7 pm. Also the book club will be meeting on Sept. 17 from 1:30-3 pm to discuss the book The Girl who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes.
AZ, Tucson – Secular Humanist Jewish Circle will have a combined High Holiday service on Saturday, Oct. 1. Details TBA.
CA, Berkeley – Kol Hadash, Northern California Congregation for Humanistic will discuss the book Kingdom of Olives and Ash: Writers confront the Occupation, edited by Bay Area writers Ayelet Wadman and Michael Chabon, on September 19th at 2:30 pm via zoom.
CA, Encino – Adat Chaverim, Congregation for Humanistic Judaism will celebrate Shabbat and watch a movie together (on zoom) on Friday, Sept. 23rd, from 9-11 pm.
CA, Orange County – Pacific Community of Cultural Jews will celebrate Rosh Hashanah at Newport Beach on Sunday, Sept. 25th from 11 am-12:30 pm, with a brunch to follow.
CO, Boulder – Beth Ami, Colorado Congregation for Humanistic Judaism will celebrate Rosh Hashanah (including a Tashlich experience) on Sunday, Sept. 25th at 4 pm at Harlow Platts Park Picnic shelter. More details and registration can be found here.
CT, Fairfield County – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Fairfield County will discuss the book Writers and Lovers by Lily King via zoom on Sept. 10th at 10:30 am. There will also be a Rosh Hashanah service via Youtube on Sept. 25th at 7:30 pm, and a Tashlich service on Sept. 26th at 1:30 pm.
DC, Washington – Machar, The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism will hold its Rosh Hashanah services on Monday, Sept. 26th from 9:30 am-12 pm at Cedar Lane Unitarian Church at 9601 Cedar Lane Bethesda, MD 20814. The children’s service will start at 9:30 am, with the main service starting at 10:30 a.m. A streaming option will be available. Visit the website to register and other details.
FL, Boca Raton – Congregation Beth Adam, South Florida Center for Humanistic Judaism will have a Rosh Hashanah evening service on Sun, Sept 25th at 7:30 pm, as well as a morning service on Monday, Sept. 26th at 10 am.
FL, Sarasota – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism will enjoy a Rosh Hashanah luncheon on Mon, Sept 26th from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
IL, Deerfield – Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community will have their Rosh Hashanah Service at 10:30 am on Monday, Sept. 26th at First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield, as well as on zoom.
IL, Deerfield – Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation‘s SciFi book club will be discussing the book The Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki on Sept. 12th at 7:30 pm. The congregation also has scheduled a full Rosh Hashanah weekend with an evening service on Sunday, Sept. 25th at 7:30 pm, a morning service on Sept. 26th at 10:30 am, and a family service on Sept. 26th at 2 pm.
MA, Boston – Kahal B’raira, Congregation for Humanistic Judaism will hold an Erev Rosh Hashanah service on Sunday, Sept. 25th from 7:30-9 pm, as well as a morning service on Monday, Sept. 26th from 10-11 am. Servies are both in-person and online.
MD, Baltimore – Baltimore Jewish Cultural Chavurah will be hosting the program “Ethics of the Father” by Bob Jacobson on Friday, Sept. 9th at 6:30 pm, online. There will also be a combined High Holiday service, next month, on Sun, Oct 2nd at 6:30 pm.
MI, Detroit – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit will have its Erev Rosh Hashanah service on Sun, Sept. 25th at 7 pm, as well as a morning service on Mon, Sept. 26th at 10:30 am.
MN, Minneapolis – Or Emet, Minnesota Congregation for Humanistic Judaism will have a Rosh Hashanah evening service on Sunday, Sept. 25 from 7-pm and a Tashlich service on Sept. 26th from 10:30 am-12:30 pm.
NC, Asheville – Jewish Secular Community of Asheville‘s book club will discuss the book The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray on Sept. 22nd at 3:30 pm. The JSCA Rosh Hashanah Service and Luncheon will be happening on Monday, Sept. 26th at 11 a.m. Please register no later than Sept. 10th.
NC, Chapel Hill – Kol Haskalah will be holding an Erev Rosh Hashanah service on Sunday, Sept. 25th from 7-9 pm at the fellowship hall of Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
NJ, Mt. Freedom – Kahal Chaverim will be having a Rosh Hashanah service at Fosterfields Living Farm in Morris Twp, NJ on Monday, Sept. 26th at 11:30 am. More info can be found here.
NY, New York – The City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism will host a Secular Rosh Hashanah service from 10:30 am-2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26th at the Riverside Church in Morningside Heights. Click here to register.
NY, Westchester – Westchester Community for Humanistic Judaism will celebrate an Erev Rosh Hashanah service on Sun, Sept. 25th at 7 pm at Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 468 Rosedale Ave, White Plains, NY 10605.
OR, Portland – Kol Shalom, Community for Humanistic Judaism will be have its Erev Rosh Hashanah service on Sunday, Sept. 25th from 5-6 pm.
WA, Seattle – Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound will have a short Humanistic service followed by apple and honey for a sweet new year on Sun, Sept. 25th from 5:30-7:30 pm.
Canada, Toronto – Oraynu Congregation will be holding its Rosh Hashanah service at The Avenue Banquet Hall starting at 10:30 am on Sept. 26th. The service will also be live-streamed. Register here.
Online (EST-based) The Spinoza Havurah * will be discussing the topic “Elul for Humanistic Jews” in its zoom Shabbat service on Sept. 10th from 10-11 a.m. EDT There will also be a Rosh Hashanah seder (via zoom) on Sun, Sept. 25th from 2-3 p.m., and a Rosh Hashanah service entitled “Sci-Fi as an exercise in hope” on Monday, Sept. 26th from 10-11 a.m.
Congregations in formation are marked with: *
Action Alerts
- American Humanist Association: Tell your representative to support the Health Share Transparency Act
- JFASD: Sign the statement- American Jews believe reproductive rights are human rights
From the SHJ Blog:
From our broader movement:
This includes blogs by SHJ rabbis, members, as well as others from the broader movement of Humanistic Judaism.
- Jews and the Labor Movement (Commentary) – by Rabbi Falick (from the congregational newsletter – scroll down to find the commentary)
- Rosh Hashanah and My Shulchan Aruch from JewishHumanism.wordpress.com
- Morality in Crisis – High Holidays 2022/5783 – by Rabbi Adam Chalom
What we are reading:
Here are some of the books being discussed in book discussion groups in Humanistic Jewish congregations in September:
The Girl who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes.
Discussed by: Or Adam, Phoenix
Kingdom of Olives and Ash: Writers confront the Occupation, edited by Bay Area writers Ayelet Wadman and Michael Chabon
Discussed by: Kol Hadash, Northern California
Writers and Lovers by Lily King
Discussed by Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, CT
“The Light from Uncommon stars” by Ryka Aoki
Discussed by: Kol Hadash, Deerfield
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Discussed by: Jewish Secular Community of Asheville
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