Michael Knopf, at The Blogs

Oct 28, 2022, 6:56 PM

Saying that democracy itself is on the ballot has become a cliche for a reason. Experts widely agree that threats to democracy in the US and around the world are rising, including the specter of political violence and election...

Apr 20, 2022, 4:46 PM

Balancing the wise and the wicked child

Defining Conservative Judaism in the 21st century rests upon our ability to embrace Jewish tradition while also unapologetically interrogating and challenging it

Feb 13, 2022, 5:12 PM

Featured Post

A wake-up call for people of conscience

Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin speaks at an election night party in Chantilly, Virginia, November 3, 2021, after he defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe. (AP Photo/ Andrew Harnik)

Those who preach compassion and justice for every human being are rightly disappointed by the Virginia governor's race. We must use it to spur us to do better

Mar 6, 2020, 9:13 AM

From Purim to Passover, Seeing Ourselves in the Exodus

On Monday evening, March 9, Jews around the world will begin to celebrate the festival of Purim. This holiday, which commemorates the events described in the biblical book of Esther, is known mostly for its costume parties and hamentaschen....

Jan 29, 2020, 7:45 AM

Justice, Truth, and Peace: How to Keep a Republic

For approximately two thousand years of Diaspora, the Jewish people lived, effectively, as guests in every land, and under every government, in which we established communities. Sometimes, thanks to a particularly beneficent ruler or more tolerant social mores, we were...

Dec 23, 2019, 7:44 PM

Star Wars, Hanukkah, and the Banality of Evil

Warning: spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Two years ago, the release of Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi coincided with Hanukkah, and I wrote about the parallels between the Star Wars saga and the...

Oct 11, 2018, 9:11 PM

We’ve been here before: What Genesis teaches us about the Kavanaugh travesty

It may not be immediately apparent, but this piece is ultimately about Brett Kavanaugh, about the outrage and injustice of his confirmation and the process that culminated in his confirmation. It is about how we encounter and move forward...

Jan 15, 2018, 11:50 PM

A Rabbi’s Blessing at Virginia’s 2018 Inauguration Ceremony

I was honored to have been invited to deliver the benediction at the Inauguration Ceremonies for Virginia’s new Governor Ralph Northam, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, and Attorney General Mark Herring. This is the text of the blessing I offered...

About Me

Rabbi Michael Knopf is co-editor of 'No Time for Neutrality: American Rabbinic Voices from an Era of Upheaval', now available on Amazon, and spiritual leader of Temple Beth-El in Richmond, Virginia. The views expressed in this article are solely his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of his congregation.