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Read Rabbi Knopf’s Recent Posts
- Shabbat for Shabbat’s Sake: Parashat Sh’lakh Lekha 5782 June 25, 2022
- Embrace the Wilderness: Parashat Beha’alotekha 5782 June 21, 2022
- Message to the Class of 2022 June 20, 2022
- Punk’s Not Dead, It’s Jewish: Shavuot 5782 June 7, 2022
- ‘Earn This’: Last Day of Passover 5782 April 24, 2022
Tag Archives: society
Message to the Class of 2022
Delivered at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Baccalaureate Ceremony, June 16, 2022 Let me begin by expressing my gratitude for having been invited here this evening. It is such an honor to be with you to celebrate this milestone with … Continue reading
Posted in Public Statements, Reflections, Sermons
Tagged justice, religion, social justice, society, wisdom
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Punk’s Not Dead, It’s Jewish: Shavuot 5782
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
Posted in Sermons
Tagged holidays, Judaism, justice, music, politics, Punk rock, religion, resistance, social justice, society, Torah
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‘Earn This’: Last Day of Passover 5782
Over the course of the past year or so, I’ve committed to filling in what I call my “pop culture blindspots,” making a point to watch movies with a significant cultural footprint that I, for various reasons, haven’t seen. One … Continue reading
When the Devil Comes for You: Parashat Tazria 5782
Sometimes, live television affords us moments that could never have been predicted in advance and yet, as you watch them happen, you know you are witnessing something that everyone is going to be talking about for years to come. Last … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged academy awards, Chris rock, Denzel washington, Oscars, parashah, pop culture, religion, sedra, society, spirituality, Torah, torah portion, will smith, wisdom
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Having a Heart: Parashat Teztaveh 5782
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
What Oneness Demands of Us
The following remarks were delivered at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, Virginia on Monday, January 31, 2022. Good morning, Trinity. It’s such an honor to be with you today, and I’m deeply grateful for the invitation and opportunity to speak … Continue reading
Posted in Public Statements, Sermons
Tagged interfaith, Judaism, justice, Martin Luther King, religion, social justice, society, Torah
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And Out Come the Wolves: Parashat Va-Yehi 5782
**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
Posted in Sermons
Tagged genesis, Judaism, judges, justice, parashah, politics, social justice, society, Torah, torah portion
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Blessings Are Not a Finite Resource: Parashat Toldot 5782
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
Introducing ‘No Time for Neutrality’
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
Posted in Public Statements
Tagged american jews, American Judaism, human dignity, human-rights, Judaism, justice, peace, politics, righteous indignation, social justice, society, Torah, Trump, truth, wisdom
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Let’s Talk About How We Talk: Yom Kippur 5782
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
Posted in Sermons
Tagged holidays, Judaism, politics, religion, social media, society, Talmud, Torah, wisdom, Yom Kippur
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