Events
School Vouchers—The Assault on Public Schools
On December 11, Jews for a Secular Democracy hosted an insightful webinar examining the impact of school vouchers on public education and their implications for the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. Together with moderator Paul Golin, Executive Director of the Society for Humanistic Judaism, our panelists explored: How school vouchers may infringe upon First Amendment protections concerning the separation of church and state; The damage of voucher programs to the integrity and funding... Read More
Conference in Pittsburgh
On December 15, Jews for a Secular Democracy hosted a half-day summit titled “Jewish Women and Religious Freedom in Pittsburgh: What Comes Next?” which explored the future of religious freedom in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and across the country after the 2024 elections. View more details, including the conference schedule and speaker bios here.
Judaism, LGBTQ+ Rights & Religious Freedom
This insightful webinar explored the vital intersection of religious freedom and LGBTQ+ rights in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and across the United States. As governmental policies and legislation increasingly target LGBTQ+ individuals and communities, it becomes crucial to understand how these actions violate the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom. Our distinguished panelists—Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, a prominent human rights advocate and Senior Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the world’s largest LGBTQ synagogue and John Hellman,... Read More
Project 2025, Christian Nationalism and American Jews—What’s at Stake?
Join us for a critical discussion with Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson, moderated by Paul Golin, Executive Director of the Society for Humanistic Judaism, as they unpack the alarming implications of Project 2025. This far-right, Christian Nationalist agenda threatens to reshape America, potentially undermining religious freedom, civil rights, and the safety of Jewish communities. Learn what’s at stake in the upcoming election and what this could mean for the future of American democracy.
Christian Nationalism, Antisemitism and Religious Freedom
The threat of Christian Nationalism to religious freedom—the intersection of Christian nationalism with antisemitism and the violation of the principles of religious freedom AND the impact on Jewish women and Jews of other marginalized genders in Pittsburgh.
State Legislators on Combating White Christian Nationalism in State Policy
Many of our critical civil rights—from abortion and discrimination protections, to access to public education and voting rights, fall to state governments. In this webinar, you’ll hear directly from Jewish legislators who are on the frontlines battling white Christian nationalists in their respective legislatures, and how they are fighting for secular democracy. In this timely webinar, join state legislators Louisiana State Representative Mandie Landry and Pennsylvania State Representative Dan Frankel as they share their experiences and insights into the... Read More
Florida’s Fight 4 Repro Rights!
Our “Fighting 4 Religious Freedom: Florida’s Fight 4 Repro Rights!” webinar focused on the intersection of religious freedom, reproductive rights and Amendment 4 in Florida. Moderated by Denise Lettau JD, of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Broward County, this important event features panelists Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani, Laura Rodriguez from NCJW/Greater Miami, and Lauren Brenzel, Campaign Director of Floridians Protecting Freedom. As part of our “Jewish Women and Religious Freedom In Florida” project,... Read More
Religious Freedom, Repro Rights, and Public Policy: Connecting the Dots in Pittsburgh
In this inaugural webinar of our “Jewish Women and Religious Freedom in Pittsburgh” project, our esteemed panelists illuminate the intricate relationship between religious freedom and reproductive freedom, with a particular focus on how this impacts Jewish women and those of other marginalized genders. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to understand the complexities and interconnectivity of these issues. Through the gripping personal story of Alliyson Feldmann and in-depth knowledge of our Professor Greer Donley,... Read More
Election Integrity: Ensuring Trust at the Local Level
This informative webinar helped us better understand how election officials in key battleground states are working tirelessly to uphold the integrity of our democracy. We heard from three local election officials: Oakland County (MI) Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Brown, Pima County (AZ) Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, and Broward County (FL) Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott. They provided an in-depth exploration of the measures in place to ensure that elections are safe, secure, and well-managed. From debunking... Read More
Religious Freedom Isn’t Free – Michigan Event Recap
Our first annual Michigan Jews for a Secular Democracy fundraiser on Sunday, May 9, was amazing—see photos below! We had a full house at Krishna, a vegetarian Indian restaurant. The food was delicious and the conversations even better. Our sponsors and attendees included volunteer leaders and elected officials at nearly every level of government: School Board members, city clerks and treasurers, mayors, county commissioners, a county clerk, a county treasurer, several state Representatives and state... Read More
“But You Don’t Look Jewish”: Unpacking and Addressing Unconscious Bias
How can we become better advocates and allies for Jewish diversity and LGBTQ+ equality? As we fight against religious fundamentalists trying to weaponize our government to remove rights from those we love, we must first explore and address our own unconscious biases. Please join us on April 10th to learn more. As part of JFASD’s “Religious Freedom and Jewish Women in Florida” project, this enlightening workshop will delve into the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ Jews of Color,... Read More
Fighting for Religious Freedom: How to Speak to and Actually be HEARD by Your Legislators
Want to talk to your state legislators and make an impact, but don’t know where to start? Brace yourself for a whirlwind of empowerment! In this condensed and dynamic webinar, founder of Secular Strategies and Director of Strategy for JFASD, Sarah Levin, will unleash a burst of expertise on effective communication and engagement with elected state legislators. Register here to join us on March 14 at 7 pm ET. Get ready to absorb game-changing insights... Read More
Christian Nationalism and the 2024 Elections
In this thought-provoking and insightful one-hour webinar, Dr. Bradley Onishi, co-host of the Straight White American Jesus podcast and author of the acclaimed book “Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism – And What Comes Next,” brings a wealth of knowledge, subject expertise and personal experience to the discussion. In this timely webinar, Dr. Onishi will explore the historical roots and contemporary manifestations of White Christian Nationalism, shedding light on its impact... Read More
Jewish Legislators Defending Religious Freedom
On Tuesday, December 19, we were joined by State Senator Dafna Michaelson-Jenet and State Representative Daniel Grossberg to discuss their experiences serving as Jewish legislators in Colorado and Kentucky, respectively. Paul Golin of JFASD interviewed them about their work combatting white Christian Nationalism and fighting for separation of church and state through a Jewish lens.
Religion & State: America & Its Jews
Rabbi Denker weaves together ancient Jewish texts and US historical documents to tell the story of the separation of religion and government from a Judaic perspective. Rabbi Steve Denker retired after over 40 years of service to Reform congregations in the Chicago and Cleveland areas and served Temple Kol Ami, West Bloomfield as Interim Rabbi in 2022-23. He taught at several universities including Loyola and DePaul. Rabbi Denker teaches adult learning with an emphasis on... Read More
Jewish Women and Religious Freedom: Knowing & Fighting for Our Rights!
We were honored to host a transformative day of empowerment and enlightenment at the “Jewish Women and Religious Freedom: Knowing & Fighting for Our Rights!” conference, on December 3, 2023, at the Temple Beth Emet in Cooper City, Florida. This in-person gathering brought together passionate advocates, thought leaders, and inspiring voices to explore the intersection of religious freedom, personal power and public policy. Our esteemed lineup of speakers included retired Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente,... Read More
Trampling Our Rights: Jewish Women and Religious Freedom in Florida
On Tuesday, October 17th, our esteemed panel of speakers—Florida State Senator Lauren Book, Dr. Cori Baill, and Rabbi Rachael Jackson, along with our moderator, Vice Mayor Broward County and former State Senator Nan Rich— delved deep into critical issues at the intersection of religious freedom and public policy, including reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Step into the heart of Florida’s religious freedom battleground.
Repro Revolution Through The Ballot: How You Can Help No Matter Where You Live
What happens when We The People get to decide, democratically, whether abortion should be legal? Voting to keep abortion legal is happening in several states in the coming months. In this webinar, three panelists from three battleground states with upcoming ballot initiatives shared updates and helped us understand how to make a difference no matter where we live. Speakers were Dr. Laura Beene, Executive Director, Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights; Cathy Nichols, Executive Director, Arizona... Read More
Reclaiming Real Religious Freedom: The 1st Amendment’s Significance for Jewish Women
We believe “religious freedom” as defined by the U.S. Constitution means the right for all to live free from discrimination based on religious belief or identity. Unfortunately, the term has been dangerously flipped on its head by those using it to strip freedoms from other people. Women and LGBTQ+ folks are being disproportionately targeted and, as a minority religion, Jews have a unique voice in defending the separation of religion and government. Please join us... Read More
Religious Privilege and the Freedom to Oppress: A Conversation with Author Kate Cohen
Kate Cohen is a Washington Post contributing columnist and author of “We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too),” forthcoming from Godine. She joined Paul Golin, executive director of the Society for Humanistic Judaism and lead staff of its pluralistic social justice initiative, Jews for a Secular Democracy, to discuss her journey “from pretending Jew to admitting atheist” and how it relates to her understanding of religious privilege... Read More