Rabbi Denise Handlarski

Rabbi Denise Handlarski is the creator and spiritual leader of the online community Secular Synagogue and the author of the book The A-Z of Intermarriage. She was ordained by the Secular Humanistic Jewish movement. In addition, Denise is an Associate Professor at the School of Education, Trent University, Canada. She teaches courses in history and social justice education, particularly gender studies and anti-racist education, for the B.Ed. and M.Ed. programs, while also leading the School of Education well-being program, and Sex Education Alternative Settings Placement. Having served as the M.Ed. Director and B.Ed. Coordinator, Denise's research areas include: spirituality and community in education, sex education, well-being and education, Jewish studies, and birth/motherhood studies. In 2022 she led a project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada on Jewish Responses to the Loneliness Epidemic. Denise is also a certified labour/birth doula.