Tag Archives: Religion and Politics

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 →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Public Statements | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Prayer for Election Day Eve: November 2, 2020

Posted on November 2, 2020 by mjknopf

Adon olam, sovereign of space and time, look with favor upon all who serve our country, along with all who pursue justice and peace in Your world.We go to the polls in a time of unprecedented upheaval, with a plague … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayers, Public Statements, Reflections | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Judges Are People, Too.

Posted on October 14, 2020 by mjknopf

Judges are not legal decision-making machines, nor do we want them to be. Former Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes taught that the fact that the language of legal decision-making is the language of logic only creates the illusion that … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Jewish Urgency of this Moment

Posted on October 1, 2020 by mjknopf

Pictured: Rabbi Michael Knopf giving the introduction at Jewish Americans for Biden Event in Richmond on October 1, 2020, featuring Mr. Doug Emhoff, former Governor Terry McAuliffe, and Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn (photo credit: Kristin Gorin) Good morning. It is good … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mad World: Kol Nidrei/Yom Kippur 5781

Posted on September 29, 2020 by mjknopf

Once upon a time, there was a king who possessed the unique ability to read the stars and discern the future. One night, while gazing at the stars, the king learned a shocking piece of news: all of the produce … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Statement of Moral Outrage at Police Violence and Systemic Racism

Posted on July 9, 2020 by mjknopf

On June 30, 2020, a group of about 60 Richmond-area clergy representing many faiths, now known as Clergy Action RVA, gathered at Marcus David Peters Circle (formerly known as the Robert E. Lee Monument) to demand an end to police … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Statements | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Inner and Outer Work

Posted on May 15, 2019 by mjknopf

This speech was originally given at the Spring Keynote event for the Chrysalis Institute (now The Innerwork Center) on May 2, 2019. Within a six week span in late 2016, two things happened that changed my life: The first was … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Haspel nomination reignites torture debate

Posted on May 29, 2018 by mjknopf

On 9/11, I was a brand-new college student living in New York City for the first time. In the aftermath of that day’s tragic events, I, like other Americans, was consumed with fear and anger. But then, as the War … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles and Op-Eds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Idolatry of Gun Rights and Gun Control

Posted on February 10, 2013 by mjknopf

When the Children of Israel safely crossed the Sea of Reeds and witnessed Pharaoh’s armies washed up dead on the shore, they burst out singing, “This is my God, whom I will exalt!” These words reflect the propensity many of … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles and Op-Eds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment