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Read Rabbi Knopf’s Recent Posts
- ‘Earn This’: Last Day of Passover 5782 April 24, 2022
- Judaism for the Wise and Wicked: Passover 5782 April 20, 2022
- When the Devil Comes for You: Parashat Tazria 5782 April 2, 2022
- Having a Heart: Parashat Teztaveh 5782 February 13, 2022
- What Oneness Demands of Us January 31, 2022
Tag Archives: spirituality
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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Up Close and Far Away: Parashat Bo 5782
Whenever I talk to or run into someone I haven’t spoken to or seen in a while, and they say something like, “I love seeing pictures of your family on social media; your kids always look so happy and well-behaved. … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged exodus, exodus story, God, Judaism, parashah, spirituality, Torah, torah portion, wisdom
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Time to Live: Parashat Va-Yeshev 5782
In the grand scheme of things, our lives are extremely short. On average, most of us will only live to 75 or 80. If we’re lucky, maybe we will live 120 joyful years. Perhaps modern medicine will help us to … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Judaism, meaning of life, religion, spirituality, Torah, wisdom
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To Be, or Not To Be: Sukkot 5782
When I first became a father, I felt the predictable mix of joy, excitement, and fear. Other fathers had told me to expect all of those feelings, particularly the fear. Babies are fragile and needy and apparently don’t come with … Continue reading
Posted in Reflections, Sermons
Tagged arba minim, holidays, Judaism, religion, spirituality, Sukkot, Torah, wisdom
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Our Masks: Kol Nidrei 5782
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
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged holidays, Judaism, positive psychology, psychology, religion, spirituality, Torah, wisdom, Yom Kippur
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Socially Distant, Spiritually Close: Rosh Hashanah Day 1 5781
About six months ago, we began a journey into an uncharted wilderness. I wish I could say today that we made it through to the Promised Land. But here we are. Or, perhaps more accurately — here we’re not. That’s … Continue reading
A New Prayer for the United States of America
Our God and God of our ancestors, bless and protect the United States of America and secure, strengthen, and advance the ideals and institutions that are its pride and its glory. Guide our leaders and officials to see Your image … Continue reading
Posted in Prayers, Uncategorized
Tagged community, culture, current-events, faith, God, history, human-rights, inclusion, justice, Liberation, liberty, morality, peace, philosophy, politics, prayer, religion, social justice, society, spirituality
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‘We can be so much more when we live in love’: Two area faith leaders share thoughts of hope, help during COVID pandemic
The following are thoughts that David Dwight, Lead Pastor of Hope Church in Richmond, and I shared with the Richmond Times-Dispatch on helping people through the difficulties of life in COVID-19. (The questions and responses have been edited for length … Continue reading
Posted in Articles and Op-Eds, Public Statements, Reflections
Tagged coronavirus, covid-19, culture, current-events, faith, health, healthcare, interfaith, personal, religion, society, spirituality
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Leaning Into Love: A Jewish Message for Lent/Easter 2020
I was honored to be invited to offer remarks at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (Richmond, VA) during the Lenten season. Unfortunately, those plans were…altered…by the pandemic. But my message has been posted on YouTube. You can check it out here:
Posted in Reflections, Sermons
Tagged coronavirus, covid-19, current-events, ethics, health, healthcare, justice, love, politics, religion, social justice, society, spirituality
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What God Needs Now: A Brief Pandemic Passover Reflection
“Once, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai was traveling out of Jerusalem. Rabbi Yehoshua was walking behind him and saw the Temple in ruins. He said, ‘Alas for us, for this place which lies in ruins was where the people Israel atoned … Continue reading
Posted in Reflections, Sermons
Tagged coronavirus, covid-19, current-events, faith, health, healthcare, Jewish holidays, love, Passover, personal, religion, society, spirituality
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