Shtender Jcast Network

In his Friday evening message for Shabbat Nahamu (August, 2017), Rabbi Knopf discusses how we might alleviate some of our suffering by recognizing that almost all pain is temporary.      

In his Saturday message for Parashat Korach (June 24, 2017), Rabbi Knopf discusses some insights from the Torah about dealing with the “difficult people” in our lives.

In his sermon for Shavuot (May 31, 2017), Rabbi Knopf argues that the 2nd of the 10 Commandments ought to ban Confederate monuments like those that stand on Richmond’s Monument Ave.      

In his Saturday message for Parashat Bemidbar (May 27, 2017), Rabbi Knopf argues that the wilderness setting of the giving of the Torah is a powerful argument for the spiritual importance of taking moments for quiet in our lives.      

Elections across the West represent the apotheosis of a big trend – people are rejecting institutions and traditional authority in a big way. While understandable in some ways, it is also a destabilizing and even dangerous phenomenon. What wisdom does the Torah have to offer for this moment? In his Shabbat message for parashat Aharei […]

In his Shabbat message for Parashat Tazria-Metzora (April 28, 2017), Rabbi Knopf discusses the relationship between the biblical leper and the modern-day refugee, and how the Torah calls us to action in our time.

In his Yizkor message for Pesach (April 18, 2017), Rabbi Knopf explains how the Jewish holidays sensitize us to God’s time, which, in turn, sensitizes us to the eternality of all life.

In his sermon for Shabbat Ha-Gadol (April 8, 2017), Rabbi Knopf discusses how a relatively obscure section of the Passover haggadah is actually central to the whole celebration, and provides profound insight about human nature as well as immeasurable wisdom for our world today.  

Rabbi Knopf’s teaching for the second day of Passover (April 12, 2017), focusing on the questions “Why isn’t Moses in the haggadah” and, “If Moses isn’t important enough for the haggadah, why is he in the Torah?”

In his Saturday message for Parashat Mishpatim (February 25, 2017), Rabbi Knopf argues that, while the Torah may not always necessarily align with today’s conservative or liberal political views, it is a political document with teachings that apply to today’s political debates.      

In his Saturday message for Parashat Yitro (February 18, 2017), Rabbi Knopf discusses the Jewish obligation to care for refugees and immigrants.      

In his Saturday message for Parashat Be-Shallah (February 11, 2017), Rabbi Knopf explains the function of miracle stories in the Bible, and how to experience miracles even in our time.    

In his Saturday message for Parashat Bo (February 4, 2017), Rabbi Knopf argues that a central message of the Exodus narrative is obedience to God and no other master, a message with profound moral and political implications, especially for our time.    

In his Saturday message for Parashat Shemot (January 21, 2017), Rabbi Knopf explains his solidarity with the Women’s March on Washington and his support for the Jewish Resistance against Trumpism.

In his Saturday message for Parashat Va-Yeshev (December 24, 2016), Rabbi Knopf talks about some lessons he learned from a recent terrifying car accident.

In his Saturday message for Parashat Va-Yetzei (December 10, 2016), Rabbi Knopf discusses the role Jews must play in our “post-truth” era of American life.

In his message for Yizkor on Shemini Atzeret (October 24, 2016), Rabbi Knopf shows the wisdom in the apparent contradiction of Yizkor and Simhat Torah.      

In his Saturday message for Parashat Lekh Lekha (November 12, 2016), Rabbi Knopf shows how an obscure part of Abraham’s story can guide us after the 2016 presidential election.      

Rabbi Knopf’s Friday evening message for Parashat Lekh Lekha (November 11, 2016), discussing how we move forward as Jews in the wake of an unprecedented and disorienting election season.      

Rabbi Knopf’s sermon for Yom Kippur. How a strange, ancient ritual offers powerful insights on the state of our world, our presidential election, and us.