Events
Penn Civics AND You—Understanding Local Government and Why It Matters for Jewish Women!
Watch the recording on YouTube here. Local and state government impacts nearly every aspect of daily life—from schools and housing to health care and civil rights. Yet many people are unaware of who is leading their government, what roles are on the ballot, and how these elections affect their community. Join Jews for a Secular Democracy’s Jewish Women and Religious Freedom in Pittsburgh project in partnership with LEAD PA Institute for an eye-opening session led... Read More
2025 Come Out With Pride
Jews for a Secular Democracy is proud to be tabling at Come Out With Pride this year! Come out and see us! Come Out With Pride Inc. is the proud 501(c)(3) non-profit organization behind Orlando’s beloved LGBTQIA+ Pride celebration. Every October, they light up the heart of Central Florida in honor of National Coming Out Day, creating a powerful and joyful space where everyone can live boldly, proudly, and authentically—even if it’s the only day... Read More
Candidate Forums in Pontiac
JFASD Michigan is proud to co-sponsor a candidate forum series in Pontiac. As we head toward the November 4th election, this forum series is your chance to hear directly from the candidates seeking to represent you. Learn about their vision for Pontiac. Come hear where they stand and how they’ll show up for the issues that matter most to you, your family, and community.
Discussion with Secular AZ and Secular Jewish Humanist Circle
Jews for a Secular Democracy is proud to co-sponsor the Secular Humanist Jewish Circle of Tucson’s conversation with Secular AZ’s Jeanne Casteen and Eddie Chavez Calderon on October 11 at 2 pm AZ time. The discussion will focus on Secular AZ’s work in education and church and state separation issues, as well as Eddie’s work in advocacy, human rights, and fundraising. Where: Woods Memorial Library, 3455 North 1st. Avenue, Tucson, 85719 When: 2-3:30p Secular AZ... Read More
JFASD co-sponsors Pontiac City Council Candidate Forum
JFASD was a proud co-sponsor of a Candidate Forum featuring candidates for the Pontiac City Council. City Council decisions directly shape our daily lives—from public safety and affordable housing to youth programs, infrastructure, and how public funds are invested in our neighborhoods. We were thrilled to contribute to a powerful evening of civic dialogue as we heard directly from the candidates running to represent Districts 3, 4, and 5 on Pontiac’s City Council.
“Call With Us!” September Action
You can watch the event on YouTube here. Looking for a way to take direct action? Want to make real change in just 30 minutes? Join Call With Us!—a monthly, action-focused series from Jews for a Secular Democracy that transforms your values into real-time advocacy. Each month on Zoom, we’ll guide you step by step as you contact your federal representatives and take a stand for the issues that matter most. Here’s how it works:... Read More
Confronting Religious Extremism in Medicine and Science: The First Amendment and the Fight for Facts
Watch the full event on YouTube here. Religious extremism is currently undermining public trust in science—and reshaping public policy in ways that are dangerous, unconstitutional, and deeply harmful to public health. From vaccine resistance and reproductive health bans to attacks on school curricula, gender-affirming care and medical research, anti-science policies driven by religious fundamentalism are on the rise. These efforts violate the First Amendment’s promise of church-state separation and disproportionately endanger the health, safety, and... Read More
Christian Nationalism in Florida: A Warning for the Nation
Watch the full event on YouTube here. What’s happening in Florida should be a warning to us all about a dangerous political ideology—Christian Nationalism— that threatens public education, reproductive freedom, the rights of LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and religious minorities and our very democracy. In this first session of a two-part series, we’ll examine how Christian Nationalism is taking root nationally and in Florida’s public policy—and why it matters far beyond the state’s borders. From book... Read More
Tennessee: The Testing Ground for Christian Nationalism in America?
What does it mean when a Jewish family is denied the chance to foster a child—because of their religion—by an agency funded by the state? In Tennessee, that isn’t just a theoretical question. It’s reality and it’s a reality that’s coming for all of us. Join Jews for a Secular Democracy for a powerful conversation with Gabe Rutan-Ram, Executive Director of Change TN, and Rebecca Markert, Vice President for Legal Affairs at Americans United for... Read More
Being Trans and Jewish: Fostering Understanding and Allyship
*This event was covered by the Detroit Jewish News here.* Trans people are under attack. Join us for this important conversation where we will hear personal stories from people who are trans and their close relatives. What resources are available? How can you be an ally? How can the Jewish community be supportive? The panel was be moderated by Nomi Joyrich, Michigan Director of Jews for a Secular Democracy. Rabbi Steven Rubenstein provided welcome remarks. Panelists were:... Read More
“Call With Us” July Action!
Looking for a way to take direct action? Want to make real change in just 30 minutes? Join Call With Us!—a monthly, action-focused series from Jews for a Secular Democracy that transforms your values into real-time advocacy. Each month on Zoom, we’ll guide you step by step as you contact your federal representatives and take a stand for the issues that matter most. Here’s how it works: In just 30 minutes, we’ll walk you through... Read More
“Call With Us” June Action
Call With Us! Take Action. Raise Your Voice. Defend Democracy. Join Jews for a Secular Democracy for the first session “Call With Us!,” a new MONTHLY action series that helps you speak directly to your federal representatives—live on Zoom, in just 30 minutes. GRAPHIC Our June session, generously sponsored by the Eula Mae & John Baugh Foundation as part of our Florida initiative, focuses on two urgent issues that are especially vital to Florida residents:... Read More
Religious Freedom, Gender Justice, and the Fight Against Discriminatory LGBTQ+ Policies
Across the U.S., laws and policies targeting LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedom, and gender expression are on the rise. But how do these policies relate to religious freedom? And why should the Jewish community be concerned? Join Jews for a Secular Democracy and Keshet for a critical discussion on the intersection of gender justice and religious freedom. This webinar will unpack the ways in which gender discrimination is embedded in our culture and public policy at... Read More
Gender Unpacked: Exploring Gender, Judaism, and Allyship with Rabbi Micah Buck of Keshet
What is gender, and how does it shape our identities, communities, and values? Jews for a Secular Democracy and Keshet invite you to explore the fundamental concepts of gender, how it differs from sex and sexual orientation, and what Jewish texts and traditions say about it. We’ll break down key gender terms, discuss how gender identity develops, and highlight why understanding these concepts is essential for fostering inclusive communities and being better allies. Rabbi Micah... Read More
JFASD Michigan co-sponsors candidate forums in Genessee County jail
People in jail who are awaiting their trial or sentencing have the right to vote. But it’s very difficult for them to overcome the obstacles to voting and to get information about the candidates. JFASD co-sponsored two candidate forums in the Genessee County jail. One forum featured candidates for the US Congress and US Senate. The other featured candidates for Flint City Council. This was an amazing opportunity to engage people who are usually forgotten in the election process.
Protecting Public Education: Combatting Christian Nationalism & Defending Religious Freedom
Christian nationalism is becoming an ever-growing force in America’s public education system, with real-world consequences that affect students, educators, and families. From book bans to curriculum changes, this rising influence threatens the fundamental principle of church-state separation and the civil rights of vulnerable students, including religious minorities and LGBTQ+ youth. This webinar explores these dangerous trends nationally, while drawing on the case study of Pine-Richland School District in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. Panelists include... Read More
Weaponizing Faith: Religious Nationalism Destroying Democracy: with Author Katherine Stewart
Award-winning author Katherine Stewart examines the dangerous rise of religious nationalism in America, exploring how politicized faith and financial interests are being weaponized to undermine democratic values. Drawing from her new book, “Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy,” Stewart discusses the powerful forces behind this movement and its threat to democracy and real religious freedom. This issue is of particular concern to the Jewish community, as religious nationalism targets the very... Read More
Christian Nationalism Ascending: Paul Golin at The City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism
The incoming U.S. administration includes authors of Project 2025, a blueprint for White Christian Nationalist control of the government and a rollback of the rights of many Americans including women and LGBTQ+ folks. Jews and other religious minorities will be discriminated against with mandates for prayer and bible study in public schools, for example. This program addresses concerns about the rise of Christian Nationalism and assess potential outcomes for the coming months and years. We... Read More
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