Blog — Secular Synagogue

Shabbat - rest when life keeps life-ing

Denise HandlarskiJune 16, 2024

During this time of heartbreak...

Denise HandlarskiOctober 18, 2023

Yom Kippur Commentary: Being Soft on Ourselves

Denise HandlarskiSeptember 25, 2023

Rosh Hashanah Commentary: AI and the Human

Denise HandlarskiSeptember 25, 2023

Purim Anti-Patriarchy Poem

Denise HandlarskiMarch 6, 2023Jewish holidays, Purim, International Women's Week, Poetry, Esther, Vashti

Yom Kippur Commentary 5783/2022

Denise HandlarskiOctober 7, 2022

Rosh Hashanah Commentary 5783/2022

Denise HandlarskiSeptember 28, 2022Rosh Hashanah, Judaism, Rabbi, Rest, Days of Awe

We built this place for someone like you

Denise HandlarskiSeptember 5, 2022

Mourning and Joy, Hatred and Love

Denise HandlarskiJuly 28, 2022mourning, joy, hatred, love, Tisha B'Av, Tu B'Av, Shmita, rabbi, Secular synagogue

Jewish responses to the loneliness epidemic

Denise HandlarskiApril 29, 2022

Be by yourself and get quiet; Be in community and get loud

Denise HandlarskiMarch 6, 2022Judaism, Ukraine, Covid-19, well-being, health, community, self-care, community-care

Repro Shabbat

Denise HandlarskiJanuary 25, 2022Repro Shabbat, Roe v Wade, abortion rights, reproductive justice, Shabbat, secular blessings

Tisha B’Av and Tu B’Av: Destruction to creation; Hatred to Love

Denise HandlarskiJuly 18, 2021

A time to mourn/ grieve

Denise HandlarskiJune 9, 2021shmita, sabbatical year, rest, pandemic, languishing, grief, mourning, secular Judaism, Secular Synagogue

Jewish ways to mark Earth Day

Denise HandlarskiApril 22, 2021Earth Day, Jewish environmentalism, Jewish community, Eco-justiceComment

Hug a Tree!

Denise HandlarskiJanuary 28, 2021Jewish holidays, Jewish Community, Tu B'shvat, Environmentalism, Tikkun Olam

Halloween, Shabbat, Election, Oh MY!

Denise HandlarskiOctober 30, 2020Shabbat Shalom, Shabbat, Rest, Election, Halloween, Shabbat Project

Reflection on High Holidays during Covid

Denise HandlarskiOctober 5, 2020High Holidays, Jewish holidays, Judaism, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, What we believe, Community, Jewish community

Rosh Hashanah Commentary - The Power of Presence (plus a poem!)

Denise HandlarskiSeptember 25, 2020Rosh Hashanah, High Holidays, Akedah, Binding of Isaac, Torah, Climate change, Parenting, Unplugging, Mindfulness, Hope

Gearing up for the High Holidays -- freebies for kids and adults!

Denise HandlarskiSeptember 2, 2020High Holidays, Judaism, Secular Judaism, Secular SynagogueComment