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Read Rabbi Knopf’s Recent Posts
- 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
- Saving Democracy is a Jewish Obligation November 1, 2022
Tag Archives: rosh hashanah
Why Are You Here? — Rosh Hashanah 5783
As a people that is well over three thousand years old, Jews have collectively lived through many eras of upheaval. We have endured revolutions and conquests; crusades, inquisitions and expulsions; the rise and fall of empires; civil wars and world … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged High Holidays, High Holy Days, holidays, Judaism, justice, politics, religion, rosh ha-shanah, rosh hashana, rosh hashanah, social justice, society, Torah
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Back to the Future: Rosh Hashanah Day 1 5782
The year was 1944. As the second World War raged overseas, my grandfather (of blessed memory) was a young army private, based at Camp Croft, South Carolina. To that point, he hadn’t been deployed overseas because he served as a … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged family, High Holidays, High Holy Days, holidays, Judaism, memory, religion, rosh hashanah, society, Torah, war, wisdom
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After Charlottesville, Be a Light – Rosh Hashanah 2017
JJ Grey, a contemporary rock and blues singer, once recalled a lesson his grandmother taught him: “you can’t fight darkness, so be a light.” Last month, darkness came to Virginia: An unholy alliance of white supremacists marched on Charlottesville. Just … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged current-events, history, holocaust, Jewish holidays, Jewish thought, justice, peace, philosophy, politics, religion, resistance, rosh hashanah, social justice, society, Trump
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From Great to Good: Rosh Hashanah Day 2, 5777
In the 19th Century, British philosopher Thomas Carlyle argued that history is mainly about the accomplishments of great people. Since then, many thinkers have pointed out the flaws in Carlyle’s “Great Men” theory, but, whether intentionally or not, history is … Continue reading
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Tagged culture, current-events, faith, health, High Holidays, High Holy Days, Jewish holidays, Jewish thought, personal, religion, rosh hashanah, spirituality
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One Community, One Campus: Rosh Hashanah Day 1, 5777
Of all the enemies our ancestors faced in antiquity, perhaps none were more fearsome than the Assyrians. Around 900 BCE, Assyria began to conquer much of what was at the time the known world. The empire Assyria built stretched from … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged American Judaism, Conservative Judaism, faith, High Holidays, High Holy Days, Jewish holidays, Judaism, religion, rosh hashanah, spirituality, synagogue, synagogues
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Where They Are – Rosh Hashanah Day 1 5776/2015
What would it look like for synagogues to truly meet people where they are? Lessons from God and Wall Drug. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged community, Conservative Judaism, Conversion, Jewish holidays, outreach, rosh hashanah, synagogues
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The Internal Israel War – Rosh Hashanah Day 2 5775
There is no way to sugarcoat it: this was an extremely long and brutal summer for the State of Israel. After three young Israeli boys were kidnapped by terrorists linked to Hamas and then … Continue reading
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Tagged holidays, Israel, Jewish People, Judaism, peace, politics, rabbis, religion, religious thinkers, rosh hashanah, sermon, social justice, synagogues, Torah, war, wisdom
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A House of Prayer for All People – Rosh Hashanah Day 1 5775
In the Jewish tradition, each new year provides an opportunity to pause, reflect, and refocus. We consider the events of the year that has passed, celebrate our triumphs, and confront our failures. Looking … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Conversion, Denominations, halakhah, High Holidays, holidays, intermarriage, Jewish law, Jewish People, pew report, religion, rosh hashanah, synagogues, Who is a Jew
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King, The High Holy Days, and the ‘Threat to Justice Everywhere’
Last Wednesday [August 28, 2013] was the fiftieth anniversary of the 1963 “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom” and Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech. In the lead up to this day, many spoke about … Continue reading
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Tagged ethics, freedom, High Holidays, High Holy Days, holidays, justice, Martin Luther King, responsibility, rosh hashanah, social justice, Torah
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The Power of Love – Rosh Ha-Shanah 2012
As most of you know, last month, Adira and I welcomed our first child into the world. In place of a sermon this morning, I wanted to invite you to listen in on a letter I wrote to my daughter. … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged God, growth, holidays, Judaism, love, nature of god, psychology, religion, rosh ha-shanah, rosh hashana, rosh hashanah, sedra, sermon, spirituality, theology, Torah
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Rabbi Michael Rose Knopf 