Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County

04/03/2026

Leader Curt Collier comments about the fraying of communal bonds in Teaneck in this article from NorthJersey.com: https://www.nj.com/news/2026/03/paradise-lost.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ8s5BleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFhOXZlVnhLSkVrMDh6ekQyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpUc2XGvGw2bgRJB0PqiptBHmyGhLDQo4UD1R6RYEfIWlbk92l8dDgK0ieVG_aem_nO8-N-KeDsbnZrWCmmuGUA

A relentless campaign of antisemitism seized one North Jersey town for two years.

03/15/2026

Our Pi Day party, where all generations had fun with math, pi, and pie!
Photos by Elaine Fondiller

03/01/2026

250 Acts of Kindness, Compassion, and Democracy! To mark the 250th anniversary of our country's founding, we are tracking 250 acts of kindness, compassion, and democracy by our Society.

This bulletin board in the lobby, where we are keeping the tally, shows photos of recent events and several letters from nonprofits who received our Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service care packages. Look for updates monthly.

02/28/2026

Thank you for the Pi Day feature!
Community science + local journalism = a pretty good equation.

02/26/2026

We received love letters from the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County in New Jersey!!

They shared that they have been inspired by the work happening right here at Springfield Community Gardens and took the time to send letters, encouragement, and support to our team.

In a time when nonprofit work can feel heavy, this reminder matters: our impact reaches farther than we know. Across state lines. Across communities. Across differences.

To know that people we’ve never met are paying attention and standing with local food efforts in Springfield is incredibly meaningful. Thank you for reminding us that we are connected and that this work is bigger than any one garden!

02/22/2026

Because of the blizzard conditions forecast for this Sunday, the Gathering "Dead Plants: Why Do They Matter?" will be Zoom only. The meetinghouse will be closed.

Because of the blizzard conditions forecast for this Sunday, this Gathering will be on Zoom only. Megan R. King, Collections Manager at Rutgers Chrysler Herbarium, will provide an introduction to [...]

02/21/2026

Musicians and Poets sharing their talent at tonight's Open Mic. Many thanks to the organizers. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the next one (Friday, March 20. 6:30PM signup, 7:00PM start).

02/16/2026

Want people to feel free to speak out? Show them a sign, says Dana Glazer, a leader in the Visibility Brigade movement. During this morning's talk at our Society, he said signs are physical proof in the real world that resistance is possible.

Visibility Brigade began in 2020 on an overpass in Paramus "out of a frustration due to the lack of physical messaging in the real world about the existential crisis that we face as a nation," says the organization's website, www.VisibilityBrigade.com

02/15/2026

Our Family and Friends crew took a trek through history today with a field trip to the Tenement Museum and the Brooklyn Museum in New York. After lunch, they saw a dragon dance at the Brooklyn Museum and got to make some Lunar New Year crafts.
Photos by Samantha Stankiewicz

02/10/2026

More than 50 people braved the frigid weather on Saturday evening to get a preview of the second season of “50 States of Sustainability,” a documentary series about innovative climate-protecting initiatives. The screening of highlights from the series earned five stars from many audience members.

The event included a panel discussion, moderated by Leader Curt Collier, with this lineup of experts:

Larry Confino, producer and director of the documentary series

Dr. Jennifer Senick, senior executive director of the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University, specializing in energy policy, green building, and sustainable development

Dunbar Birnie, Rutgers professor whose focus includes renewable energy generation and storage

Stephanie Benedetto, CEO of Alogia, which uses artificial intelligence to help large corporations manage and monetize excess inventory

Also attending were representatives of environmental nonprofits, including Tenafly Nature Center, Hackensack Riverkeeper, Inc., Sierra Club North Jersey Group, DarkSky New Jersey, Geochron, and the Climate Friendly Lifestyle Substack. The Sierra Club North Jersey Group was our partner for this screening.

01/23/2026

This Sunday's Gathering is now online only. Because of the forecast snowstorm, our meetinghouse will be closed. This Sunday's Gathering, offered in conjunction with the New York Society for Ethical Culture, will be "Escape from Freedom 2.0."

This talk by Leader Curt Collier will examine Erich Fromm's significant work, “Escape from Freedom, “ which explores how modern individuals may retreat from freedom due to feelings of isolation and powerlessness.

We will analyze his key ideas in the light of modern neuroscience and how we may actualize his "positive freedom" in our lives today.

Please register to receive the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/5cIOQF81TLiQOBGxvGVAtw #/registration

The in-person Gathering originally scheduled for this Sunday, "Keeping Activism Alive," will now be held Feb. 1.