Humanistic Judaism

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

"The High Holidays are a time to reflect on how I am doing as a human being. Although I tend to do this on a regular basis, the high holidays feel like a time to start fresh. It’s about being accountable to those in my life and cleaning up any unfinished business I may have put aside during the year. No supernatural interference required! The tradition of community celebration and sharing apples and honey and the sound of the shofar connect me to my Jewish culture."

Andrea Kranitz, Madrikha in Training

08/27/2026

- Today In Jewish History - 1832: birthdate of Margarethe Meyer Schurz (August 27, 1832–March 15, 1876), who created the first kindergarten in the U.S. Schurz, born in Hamburg, Germany, was the daughter of Heinrich Meyer, a prosperous, socially liberal Jewish merchant, who opened his home to artists and intellectuals. Margarethe grew up immersed in progressive ideas.

After settling in Watertown, Wisconsin, Schurz created a German-language kindergarten in 1856, which continued to run until German-language schools were closed during World War I. Schurz also taught her methods to Elizabeth Peabody, who set up the first English-language kindergarten in Boston in 1860.

08/25/2026

🍎🍯Celebrate the High Holidays with one of our affiliate communities!
Clink the link👇🏼in the comments for a list of in person and live-streamed Humanistic High Holiday services

08/25/2026

❤️ Read in comments 👇
SHJ asks a different board member to reflect on the mission statement at each of three annual SHJ Board Meetings. This meeting took place on August 22, 2026. Thank you Sylvia Rothman from Pacific Community of Cultural Jews in California for sharing your reflection with us!

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘮."

08/21/2026

"I don't know a more spiritual moment than a belly laugh."

Normal Lear
Humanistic Jewish Role Model
2025-2026

08/20/2026

- Today In Jewish History - Herbert Theodore Bergman, better known as Alan Reed (August 20, 1907 - June 14, 1977), was born in New York City. His father was a Lithuanian-Jewish immigrant and his mother was born in the United States to Ukrainian-Jewish parents from Galicia.

Alan Reed was an American actor, best known as the original voice of Fred Flintstone. He also appeared in many films, including Days of Glory, The Tarnished Angels, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Viva Zapata! and Nob Hill, as well as several television and radio series.

08/19/2026

"To me, the High Holidays provide a time for reflection over the past year and my relationships. They are all about the values that I most prize about Judaism: the emphasis is on personal responsibility and the fact that we don't rely on God to make the world a better place, but that we, ourselves, are the ones who shape this world and society."

Marcia Gumpertz
co-president, Kol Haskalah

Kol Haskalah: A Humanistic Jewish Congregation

08/17/2026

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