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Read Rabbi Knopf’s Recent Posts
- Crimes Against Humanity — Parashat Nasso 5783 June 4, 2023
- A Temple For All – Parashat Ki Tissa 5783 March 12, 2023
- Don’t Hate One Another More Than Necessary March 10, 2023
- Antisemitism bills shouldn’t stifle free speech February 13, 2023
- With Israel’s Democracy In Danger, We Must Not Silence Critics January 23, 2023
Tag Archives: history
A New Prayer for the United States of America
Our God and God of our ancestors, bless and protect the United States of America and secure, strengthen, and advance the ideals and institutions that are its pride and its glory. Guide our leaders and officials to see Your image … Continue reading
Posted in Prayers, Uncategorized
Tagged community, culture, current-events, faith, God, history, human-rights, inclusion, justice, Liberation, liberty, morality, peace, philosophy, politics, prayer, religion, social justice, society, spirituality
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Message to the Class of 2020
I was asked to record a message for the seniors graduating from Maggie Walker Governor’s School, but I think it is applicable to students everywhere — and, indeed, all of us. Hope you find it meaningful. Feel free to share … Continue reading
Posted in Public Statements, Reflections, Sermons
Tagged current-events, faith, history, personal, politics, religion, responsibility, social justice, society
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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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A Eulogy for Helen Zimm (z”l)
Today, I had the painful honor of burying my dear friend and teacher, Helen Zimm. The experience was made even more painful by the fact that most of Helen’s family and virtually all of her community were not able to … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged coronavirus, covid-19, current-events, faith, history, holocaust, hope, Jewish holidays, Jewish People, jewish state, love, Passover, personal, religion, society, spirituality, women
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Justice, Truth, and Peace: How to Keep Our Republic
The following was a keynote address at the Religious Freedom Day celebration at Richmond, Virginia’s “First Freedom Center,” January 16, 2020. Good morning. It is an honor to be with you today for this celebration of our most cherished freedoms. I … Continue reading
Posted in Public Statements, Reflections, Sermons
Tagged culture, current-events, faith, freedom, history, inclusion, Pluralism, politics, religion, society
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Celebrating Jewish Culture in Troubled Times
Keynote address at University of Mary Washington’s Jewish Cultural Celebration (November 6, 2019) Good evening. It is such an honor and a joy to be with you this evening for this celebration of Jewish Culture. It is especially meaningful to … Continue reading
Posted in Public Statements, Reflections, Sermons
Tagged anti-semitism, culture, current-events, faith, history, immigration, justice, peace, personal, politics, race, racism, religion, social justice, society
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The Promises of Israel
Sermon from Kol Nidrei — October 8, 2019 It is striking that we initiate Yom Kippur with Kol Nidrei, a liturgical poem that both highlights the promises we make and alludes to the fact that we have an unfortunate … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged American Judaism, community, culture, current-events, faith, history, human-rights, Israel, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, justice, middle-east, peace, personal, philosophy, politics, religion, social justice, society, spirituality, terrorism
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Bad Faith Broke Us. Only Good Faith Can Fix Us.
Sermon for Rosh Hashanah Day 25780 — October 1, 2019 Just over 400 years ago, in August 1619, a ship called The White Lion landed at Point Comfort, now Fort Monroe, in Hampton, about 60 miles downriver from us here … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged american jews, American Judaism, culture, current-events, faith, history, politics, race, racism, religion, society
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Everyone Has a Right to Sanctuary – Parashat Matot-Mas’ei 2019
Parashat Mas’ei, the last portion of Ba-Midbar, is both backward and forward looking in nature: It is backward looking, because it begins with a recapitulation of all the places the Israelites sojourned in the wilderness; and it is forward looking … Continue reading
Posted in Reflections, Sermons
Tagged asylum, cities of refuge, current-events, faith, history, immigration, numbers, parashah, personal, politics, religion, society, Torah, torah portion
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Rabbi Michael Rose Knopf 