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Read Rabbi Knopf’s Recent Posts
- Saving Democracy is a Jewish Obligation November 1, 2022
- When the Party’s Over — Shemini Atzeret 5783 October 20, 2022
- The World Was Created for You — Parashat Ha-Azinu 5783 October 8, 2022
- Are You a Hero? — Yom Kippur 5783 October 6, 2022
- Who Are You? — Kol Nidrei 5783 October 6, 2022
Category Archives: Articles and Op-Eds
Saving Democracy is a Jewish Obligation
Saying that democracy itself is on the ballot has become a cliche for a reason. Experts widely agree that threats to democracy in the U.S. and around the world are rising, including the specter of political violence and election subversion … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds
Tagged Democracy, Judaism, justice, politics, religion, social justice, Torah, wisdom
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A call for justice and peace in Israel and Palestine from an imam and a rabbi
As our respective communities celebrate the Islamic Holy Day of Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) and the Jewish festival of Shavuot (which commemorates the receiving of the Torah), we call upon Muslims, Jews and people of conscience everywhere to denounce … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds
Tagged holidays, Israel, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, justice, palestine, peace, politics, religion, social justice, society
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How to topple tyranny? Simple. Just never give up.
If it’s been good for anything at all, 2020 has been a year for seeing things more clearly. Living in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy, I’ve seen how a lie can normalize oppression. A lie can even … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds, Reflections
Tagged Democracy, Judaism, justice, politics, race, racism, religion, social justice, society, Torah
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Richmond’s Wailing Wall
The recent wave of anti-racism protests have produced at least one tangible outcome: Sometime soon, Richmond’s Confederate monuments will be removed. As I have argued before, this move is both welcome and long overdue. However, as plans are drawn for … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds, Reflections
Tagged confederate monuments, culture, current-events, faith, history, justice, politics, race, racism, religion, social justice, society
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A History Lesson
During the first weekend of demonstrations, Richmonders joined in the nationwide protests over police brutality towards African Americans, launched in response to the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer. The mostly peaceful … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds
Tagged current-events, faith, history, Jewish People, justice, politics, race, racism, religion, social justice, society
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Shavuot and Collective Responsibility
It is telling that when Jewish faith is born, it is born in community. The revelation at Sinai, which we commemorate on the festival Shavuot (which begins this Thursday evening), is a national encounter with the Divine, a collective experience. … Continue reading
‘We can be so much more when we live in love’: Two area faith leaders share thoughts of hope, help during COVID pandemic
The following are thoughts that David Dwight, Lead Pastor of Hope Church in Richmond, and I shared with the Richmond Times-Dispatch on helping people through the difficulties of life in COVID-19. (The questions and responses have been edited for length … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds, Public Statements, Reflections
Tagged coronavirus, covid-19, culture, current-events, faith, health, healthcare, interfaith, personal, religion, society, spirituality
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Wearing a face mask? You’re doing a mitzvah. Make a brachah!
Among the Jewish tradition’s most cherished values is the sanctity of human life. With a few notable exceptions, one must not endanger their life in order to fulfill a religious obligation. And one must violate even the most significant commandments … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds, Public Statements, Reflections
Tagged blessing, coronavirus, covid-19, current-events, faith, health, healthcare, politics, prayer, religion
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Coronavirus is our Amalek. The Torah’s lesson is clear: Protect the vulnerable.
As Jewish communities gather to celebrate the Purim holiday under the shadow of a global pandemic, it is worth heeding a piece of wisdom embedded in one of the scriptures most closely associated with the holiday. On the Sabbath before … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds, Reflections, Sermons
Tagged coronavirus, covid-19, current-events, environment, faith, health, healthcare, justice, politics, purim, religion, science, social justice, society
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Renewing our Vows: A New Approach to Intermarriage
Recently, my congregation’s lay leadership voted to permit its clergy to officiate at marriages between a Jewish individual and a partner from another background (with some important conditions), if and when the Conservative movement’s Rabbinical Assembly and the Cantorial Assembly … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds
Tagged Conservative Judaism, conservative rabbis, Conversion, interdating, interfaith, intermarriage, religion, society
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Rabbi Michael Rose Knopf 