Rabbi Michael Knopf is the rabbi of Temple Beth-El in Richmond, Virginia, and a member of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.
Michael Knopf
By Michael Knopf
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Opinion Wearing a face mask? You’re doing a mitzvah. Make a brachah!
Among the Jewish tradition’s most cherished values is the sanctity of human life. With a few notable exceptions, one must not endanger their life in order to fulfill a religious obligation. And one must violate even the most significant commandments in order to save another person’s life. Saving one life is regarded as the equivalent…
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Opinion Coronavirus is our Amalek. The Torah’s lesson is clear: Protect the vulnerable.
As Jewish communities gather to celebrate the Purim holiday under the shadow of a global pandemic, it is worth heeding a piece of wisdom embedded in one of the scriptures most closely associated with the holiday. On the Sabbath before Purim, observant Jews traditionally study a biblical passage known as Parashat Zakhor (Deuteronomy 25:17-19). This…
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Community 6 Jewish Voting Issues — According To A Progressive Rabbi
The 2018 Midterm elections are arguably the most significant off-year elections in our nation’s history, and they come as Jews are still reeling from the shooting of 11 worshippers at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue. While there’s been no shortage of discussion about what’s at stake this year, here are six issues to consider from…
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Community Would Judaism Want Us To Repeal And Replace Obamacare?
As the battle for the future of American health care rages in Washington, I find myself eager to understand what the Jewish tradition has to say on the subject. Does our ancient tradition offer any wisdom that might shed some light on this complicated subject? Do Jewish values point us in one direction or the…
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Community In The Age of Trump, Should Jews Resist or Persist?
Earlier this month, I was privileged to attend a three-day conference convened by T’ruah, an organization of rabbis fighting for human rights in the U.S. and beyond. I joined with fellow rabbis from all over the country and across the denominational spectrum for learning, prayer, fellowship and training in Jewish social activism. T’ruah organized the…
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Community Is Gerrymandering Against Jewish Law?
The other day, I took a coffee meeting with a woman who has decided recently to become involved in social activism. She had previously been unengaged politically, but the recent election has galvanized her into action. Specifically, she was deeply concerned about President-elect Trump’s appointment of Steven K. Bannon as Chief White House Strategist, and…
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News Brutal Winter Drives Jewish Congregations Together in Bigger Tent
(Haaretz) — This has been an especially brutal winter for the Middle Atlantic region of the United States. At least a dozen winter storms have hit since November, each more punishing than the last. A few weeks ago, one of these storms caused prolonged power outages across my county. Outages even impacted several congregations here,…
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