Tag Archives: politics

Punk’s Not Dead, It’s Jewish: Shavuot 5782

Posted on June 7, 2022 by mjknopf

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 →

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Having a Heart: Parashat Teztaveh 5782

Posted on February 13, 2022 by mjknopf

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 →

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And Out Come the Wolves: Parashat Va-Yehi 5782

Posted on December 18, 2021 by mjknopf

**Trigger warning: sexual assault and violence** It’s altogether fitting that we read Parashat Va-Yehi, the last portion in the Book of Genesis, this Shabbat, as we approach the end of the secular year. Endings are always meaningful opportunities to reflect … Continue reading →

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Blessings Are Not a Finite Resource: Parashat Toldot 5782

Posted on November 6, 2021 by mjknopf

The first half of the 20th century heralded a building boom of public swimming pools in the US. These were not dinky little DIY neighborhood projects. Rather, communities all over the country were building grand, resort-style, pools, the kind that … Continue reading →

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Introducing ‘No Time for Neutrality’

Posted on October 8, 2021 by mjknopf

I am excited to announce the publication of my latest book, No Time for Neutrality: American Rabbinic Voices from an Era of Upheaval! It is available for purchase on Amazon. The book is a compilation of the best rabbinic writings from the … Continue reading →

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Let’s Talk About How We Talk: Yom Kippur 5782

Posted on September 20, 2021 by mjknopf

One of the noteworthy features of our Yom Kippur liturgy is that the viddui, the list of transgressions we confess ten times over the course of this holy day, is dominated by sins of communication. Al het sh’hatanu b’vitu’i s’fatayim, … Continue reading →

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A call for justice and peace in Israel and Palestine from an imam and a rabbi

Posted on May 23, 2021 by mjknopf

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 →

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How to topple tyranny? Simple. Just never give up.

Posted on December 27, 2020 by mjknopf

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 →

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Star Wars, Hanukkah, and the ‘Banality of Evil’

Posted on December 15, 2020 by mjknopf

As I celebrate Hanukkah while watching the second season of The Mandalorian on Disney+ and anxiously following the news of the president’s and his allies’ attempts to subvert democracy, I find myself once again reflecting on the many connections to … Continue reading →

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Help Elect me to J Street Board!

Posted on November 22, 2020 by mjknopf

The past four years have been extremely difficult for those of us who cherish democracy and human rights: injustice has spread and authoritarianism has risen at home and abroad. This dark period also saw too many in the American Jewish … Continue reading →

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