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Read Rabbi Knopf’s Recent Posts
- Shabbat for Shabbat’s Sake: Parashat Sh’lakh Lekha 5782 June 25, 2022
- Embrace the Wilderness: Parashat Beha’alotekha 5782 June 21, 2022
- Message to the Class of 2022 June 20, 2022
- Punk’s Not Dead, It’s Jewish: Shavuot 5782 June 7, 2022
- ‘Earn This’: Last Day of Passover 5782 April 24, 2022
Category Archives: Sermons
Shabbat for Shabbat’s Sake: Parashat Sh’lakh Lekha 5782
I didn’t grow up in a sabbath-observant home. The first time I encountered traditional Shabbat observance was during my first summer at Camp Ramah in New England, when I was about 11 years old. And if I’m being totally honest, … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Judaism, religion, sabbatical, Shabbat, spirituality, Torah, wisdom
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Embrace the Wilderness: Parashat Beha’alotekha 5782
One of the central tensions of the Book of Numbers is perfectly expressed by the two very different names by which it is known. In English, of course, we call it Numbers, a name derived from the book’s opening narrative … Continue reading
Message to the Class of 2022
Delivered at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Baccalaureate Ceremony, June 16, 2022 Let me begin by expressing my gratitude for having been invited here this evening. It is such an honor to be with you to celebrate this milestone with … Continue reading
Posted in Public Statements, Reflections, Sermons
Tagged justice, religion, social justice, society, wisdom
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Punk’s Not Dead, It’s Jewish: Shavuot 5782
I couldn’t be more excited for the new FX/Hulu miniseries Pistol, which promises to tell the true story of one of my favorite bands, The Sex Pistols. I first discovered The Pistols as a teen, when my natural disposition toward … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged holidays, Judaism, justice, music, politics, Punk rock, religion, resistance, social justice, society, Torah
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‘Earn This’: Last Day of Passover 5782
Over the course of the past year or so, I’ve committed to filling in what I call my “pop culture blindspots,” making a point to watch movies with a significant cultural footprint that I, for various reasons, haven’t seen. One … Continue reading
Judaism for the Wise and Wicked: Passover 5782
Questions are perhaps the defining feature of the Seder. The ceremony, with its unusual rites and symbols, appears to have been specifically designed to arouse questions, particularly from children. To all these questions, let me add one that I want … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Conservative Judaism, conservative rabbis, holidays, Judaism, Passover, Pesah, religion, Torah, wisdom
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When the Devil Comes for You: Parashat Tazria 5782
Sometimes, live television affords us moments that could never have been predicted in advance and yet, as you watch them happen, you know you are witnessing something that everyone is going to be talking about for years to come. Last … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged academy awards, Chris rock, Denzel washington, Oscars, parashah, pop culture, religion, sedra, society, spirituality, Torah, torah portion, will smith, wisdom
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Having a Heart: Parashat Teztaveh 5782
As far as I can tell, it was contemporary author Elizabeth Stone who first said that having a child is to forever “have your heart go walking around outside your body.” It’s since become something of a cliche, a quote … Continue reading
What Oneness Demands of Us
The following remarks were delivered at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, Virginia on Monday, January 31, 2022. Good morning, Trinity. It’s such an honor to be with you today, and I’m deeply grateful for the invitation and opportunity to speak … Continue reading
Posted in Public Statements, Sermons
Tagged interfaith, Judaism, justice, Martin Luther King, religion, social justice, society, Torah
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Up Close and Far Away: Parashat Bo 5782
Whenever I talk to or run into someone I haven’t spoken to or seen in a while, and they say something like, “I love seeing pictures of your family on social media; your kids always look so happy and well-behaved. … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged exodus, exodus story, God, Judaism, parashah, spirituality, Torah, torah portion, wisdom
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