Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound

Come join the Circle!

Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound (SJC) is the Washington chapter of the Society for Humanistic Judaism, the headquarters for the Secular Humanistic denomination of Judaism. Nationwide polling in the United States reports that nearly a quarter of all American Jews identify as atheist or agnostic; does that sound like you? While many non-theistic Jews are comfortable continuing to attend theistic shul services to maintain connection with their culture and community, we offer an alternative for secular Jews looking to remain connected to their culture and heritage without sacrificing their values and principles.

What is Secular Humanistic Judaism? Put simply, it's a denomination of Judaism that does not believe in a higher power, but instead, in the power of people. It seeks to understand and preserve Jewish history and mythology factually, and in-context. And it aims to adapt our culture's liturgy and rituals with the times, to ensure they remain as open, honest and accessible as possible to Jews from all walks of life. If that adaptation of Judaism sounds meaningful to you and your life, come join us in the Circle!

So what do we do?

• Host secular alternatives to traditional Jewish holiday services.
• Connect community members with an ordained Secular Humanistic Jewish leader in their area to officiate their lifecycle events, both Jewish and non-Jewish. (Because your Jewishness is not something you set aside when it's "not relevant"!)
• Offer Secular Humanistic Jewish education programs and opportunities for all ages, including our long-standing Sunday School, which operates in tandem with the local K-12 school year. Mitzvah Secular Sunday School welcomes children from ages 4-12, grades Pre-K through 7th, culminating in an optional Cultural B Mitzvah.
• Host general community-led programming inline with our values, to promote community-building, such as knitting circles and book clubs.
• Host community service and social action events in our area to be the change we want to see in the world!

Whether you were born a patrilineal Jew, live openly (or closeted) as LGBT+, are part of a multiracial or multicultural family, live in a multigenerational household, married into or converted to Judaism, live with a disability that makes traditional shul engagement challenging, or are just a curious ally looking to learn more and share in Jewish joy, you're welcome in the Circle!