Tag Archives: psychology

Who Are You? — Kol Nidrei 5783

Posted on October 6, 2022 by mjknopf

During my sabbatical this summer, I began finally putting pen to paper on a project that I’d been dreaming about for some time – a series of comic books based on the weekly Torah portion, with at least one volume … Continue reading →

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Our Masks: Kol Nidrei 5782

Posted on September 20, 2021 by mjknopf

We’ve each come up with our own tricks to make the past year and a half a little more bearable. One of mine is that, sometimes, when I’m wearing a mask, I like to pretend I’m a ninja, or a … Continue reading →

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You Don’t Need Likes to Be Loved

Posted on September 20, 2018 by mjknopf

With your permission, I want to share something personal tonight. My hope is that, by baring a little of my soul, I might offer us all a new framework to embrace this holiday. Too often, we encounter Yom Kippur as … Continue reading →

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Illumin8 2016

Posted on December 27, 2016 by mjknopf

1st Night – Playing with Fire During the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Holy Temple had been used for the worship of Greek gods. When the Maccabees captured it, they set about rededicating it for the service of the God … Continue reading →

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Illumin8: 6th Night – Missing the Miracle

Posted on December 22, 2014 by mjknopf

One of my favorite midrashim (rabbinic interpretations of Scripture) centers on the story of the Red Sea splitting. God dramatically splits the sea, allowing the Children of Israel to narrowly escape Pharaoh’s charging army. The Children of Israel “marched through the sea on … Continue reading →

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Illumin8: 4th Night – The Audacity of Hope

Posted on December 19, 2014 by mjknopf

Rabbi Hugo Gryn, a Holocaust survivor who grew to become a prominent British rabbi, once told a story about the time he shared a barrack in Auschwitz with his father: In spite of the unspeakable horror, oppression and hardship, many Jews held onto what … Continue reading →

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Illumin8: 2nd Night – The Dignity of Difference

Posted on December 17, 2014 by mjknopf

The Hanukkah story begins with the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes’ campaign to ensure all his subjects – including the Jews in the Land of Israel – shared the same culture and religion. Antiochus wanted to build a great Greek empire of … Continue reading →

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The Quantified Life – Yom Kippur 5775

Posted on October 6, 2014 by mjknopf

Little Emily waits at the bus stop for her first day of 3rd Grade. She’s excited – to reunite with her friends, share some summer stories, and get to know her new teachers – but there is little unfamiliar about … Continue reading →

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30 Days of Liberation: Day 28 – Rejoice

Posted on April 13, 2014 by mjknopf

“This is the day the Eternal One has made. Rejoice and celebrate it!” We recite this line in Hallel at Seder’s end. Contextually, the “day” refers to the holiday. But if God is the source of all creation, then every … Continue reading →

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30 Days of Liberation: Day 27 – Praise the Lord!

Posted on April 11, 2014 by mjknopf

Reciting Hallel, a collection of psalms praising God, is one of the Seder’s last acts. Such liturgy begs the question: why does God need our praise? We extol God not for God, but for us. Many of us habitually concentrate … Continue reading →

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