Josh Jeffreys shares a d’var torah for the Second Day of Sukkot on the mitzvah of building a sukkah, finding the Divine in moments of insecurity, and pursuing peace together after the High Holidays.
Cantor Rosenblatt shares a D'var Tefillah highlighting the meaning of Hallel, how much joy it brings to her, and to those around her during the holiday of Sukkot. May we all learn to shout from the rooftops as we praise the Infinite.
In his Shabbat message for Parashat Ha-Azinu (recorded October 8, 2022), Rabbi Knopf explores the real meaning of idolatry, and the connection between the Jewish people and the existence of the world.
In his message for Yom Kippur 5783, Rabbi Knopf identifies the real hero of the biblical book of Jonah, and explains how you, too, can be a hero.
In his message for Kol Nidrei/Erev Yom Kippur 5783, Rabbi Knopf explores the importance and difficulty of discovering and honoring our true selves.
Many of us -- as individuals, as a congregation, as a nation -- feel we are living in "the inbetween", a moment of transition, a season of change, an era of uncertainty and instability. In many ways, Rosh Hashanah is about navigating such moments; "Today the world stands as at birth," no longer what it was, not yet what it will be. Rachel Douglas (Executive Director of The Innerwork Center), Jason Kamras (Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools), and Dr. Mitchell C. Reid, PhD, LCP (Clinical Ps...
Rabbi Knopf's message for Rosh Hashanah 5783, on the purpose of religion, especially during eras of upheaval.
In his final sermon before beginning a two month sabbatical (June 25, 2022), Rabbi Michael Knopf explains the true meaning of Shabbat. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Benjamin DaCosta-Kaufman. Our theme music is composed and produced by Stephen Frost. Learn more about our dynamic, warm, and passionate congregation, affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, at www.bethelrichmond.org .
In his Shabbat message for Parashat Beha’alotekha (June 18, 2022), the last Shabbat before TBE’s sanctuary is closed for renovation, Rabbi Knopf explains the importance of embracing the journey, however uncertain and uncomfortable it might be. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Benjamin DaCosta-Kaufman. Our theme music is composed and produced by Stephen Frost. Learn more about our dynamic, warm, and passionate congregation, affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, at www.b...
In this D'var Torah, Cantor Rosenblatt shares her first hand account of visiting the Jewish community in Morocco. As a Sisisky Fellow, she traveled to various cities in Morocco, learned about the Jewish community, visited many Jewish sites, and learned about the work of the JDC (Joint Distribution Committee). In connection with Parashat Naso, she describes the many gifts and blessings she received on this transformative travel experience. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Benjamin DaCosta-Kauf...
On Shabbat parashat Bamidbar (June 4, 2022), Sara Rosenbaum, TBE member and Chief Impact Officer of Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, shares thoughts and observations from her recent trip to the Poland Ukrainian border to witness first hand the humanitarian efforts to support the victims of the war in Ukraine. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Benjamin DaCosta-Kaufman. Our theme music is composed and produced by Stephen Frost. Learn more about our dynamic, warm, and passionate congregat...
What do punk rock and Judaism have in common? In his Shavuot message (June 5, 2022), Rabbi Knopf explains that the outsider spirit embodied by punk rock is also an essential feature of Judaism. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Benjamin DaCosta-Kaufman. Our theme music is composed and produced by Stephen Frost. Learn more about our dynamic, warm, and passionate congregation, affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, at www.bethelrichmond.org ....
We celebrate Shavuot this year in the shadow of the war in Ukraine, with its seemingly staggering human cost. Understanding and navigating the ethics of war is never as straightforward as it may seem. TBE member and VCU political science professor Jessica Trisko Darden, an expert in political violence, human rights, gender issues, and genocide will join Rabbi Michael Knopf to compare Jewish and Western war ethics, with a focus on current events. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Benjamin DaCos...
In his message for the last day of Passover (April 23, 2022), Rabbi Knopf suggests that we study the story of the miracle at the Red Sea each year to remind us of the high cost of our redemption and of our ongoing debt to those who have come before us. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually and that inspire them to build a more compassionate, just, and ...
Shir HaShirim, Song of Songs, the Megillah we chant on the Shabbat of Passover, exemplifies the themes of awakening and opening one’s eyes to the beauty of love. The melody sung at the beginning of this D'var Torah, tells the loved one to get up, arise, open your eyes to what is around you! This is a call to focus, pay attention to our surroundings, to get moving and act. Cantor Rosenblatt hopes that the song and the words she has written inspires and moves you to do just that. This D'var Torah ...
In his Passover message (April 16, 2022), Rabbi Knopf explains how the "Four Children" of the Haggadah offer a meaningful frame for thinking about what Conservative Judaism stands for as a movement. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually and that inspire them to build a more compassionate, just, and peaceful world. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Be...
In his Shabbat message for Parashat Tazria (April 2, 2022), Rabbi Michael Knopf explains what Will Smith, Vladimir Putin, and old Pharaoh have to do with a mysterious biblical skin disease. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually and that inspire them to build a more compassionate, just, and peaceful world. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Benjamin Da...
In his Dvar Torah for Parashat Shemini (March 26, 2022), TBE member Brandon Metheny explains how, in a dark moment for Aaron, Moses chose to show his brother compassion instead of judgment, and gave a lesson we can all learn from. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually and that inspire them to build a more compassionate, just, and peaceful world. TBE Ri...
There is more than a physicality to sacrifices. In her Dvar Torah for Parashat Vayikra (March 12, 2022), TBE member LeAnne Whitlow explains that Queen Esther, in the spirit of Purim, sacrificed her given name, Hadassah, which connected her to her People, culture, and family to become a unlikely hero for the Jewish people. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive intellectually, emotionally, and spir...
In honor of Refugee Shabbat, and in the shadow of the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine, Rabbi Michael Knopf chats with Kate Ayers, CEO of ReEstablish Richmond, an extraordinary agency that supports refugees who have been resettled in the Richmond area. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually and that inspire them to build a more compassionate,...
In honor of Black History Month, TBE member Sherrina Gibson chats with Gabriel Glissmeyer, a health equity and LGBTQ+ health expert, and a proud, black Ashkenazi Jew living in Utah. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually and that inspire them to build a more compassionate, just, and peaceful world. TBE Richmond Podcast is produced by Benjamin DaCosta-Ka...
In this special Dvar Torah and dialogue (recorded at Temple Beth-El’s Shabbat service on February 19, 2022), two TBE members discuss the theory and the practice of creating a Jewish community where everyone is included and has equal access. As you listen to the conversation, we invite you to reflect on the following questions: (1) What is one thing you wish our community understood about people with disabilities and special health care needs? (2) What is your wish for your children’s/the Jewish ...
Why does the Torah devote precious scriptural real estate to detailing the priestly garments, the special outfits the ancient priests had to wear when officiating in the Tabernacle, and how are these passages relevant today? In his Shabbat message for Parashat Tetzaveh (February 12, 2022), Rabbi Knopf explains that these obscure passage offer a profound message about how we care for one another, a teaching that is particularly important as states like Virginia move to end COVID-19 restrictions i...
In Parashat Terumah, God commands the Jewish people to donate items for building the Tabernacle. In a Dvar Torah (recorded at Temple Beth-El on February 5, 2022), TBE past-president Ben Lewis explores how this commandment is relevant for Temple Beth-El's 90th Year renovations. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually and that inspire them to build a more ...
Jewish law has long affirmed a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy, and as a result, the Jewish community has long been at the forefront of the fight for reproductive freedom in the U.S. In this episode (recorded for Temple Beth-El’s Shabbat morning service on January 29, 2022), Rabbi Michael Knopf and special guest and TBE member Dr. Gillian Frank, an expert in the history of abortion in the United States and the intersection of religion and reproductive freedom, discuss the current state of...
In Parashat Yitro, the Jewish people receive the Torah at Mount Sinai, an experience that inspires “yir’ah,” a word that can be translated as as “awe” or “fear.” In a powerful Dvar Torah (recorded at Temple Beth-El on January 22, 2022), TBE member Jenna Hopp explores the options of choosing awe or fear within the lens of climate change in honor of Tu B’Shvat. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive...
Shirat HaYam, the Song of the Sea, is a moving text, paired with melody that engages the congregation in this pivotal and dramatic moment. In her Shabbat message for Parashat Beshallah (recorded at Temple Beth-El on January 15, 2022), Cantor Dara Rosenblatt discusses how song brings attention to the moment the Israelites transition from slavery to freedom. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Jewish community, wisdom, and practice that help them thrive in...
There is more than one way to behold ourselves and each other; not just close up, which is our default vantage point, but also far away, from God’s perspective.. In his Shabbat message for Parashat Bo, recorded at Temple Beth-El on January 8, 2022, Rabbi Michael Knopf explains that the Exodus story teaches us how to see ourselves and each other in the best possible light, and simultaneously embrace our imperfections and messiness. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relati...
In Parashat Va'era, Moses and Aaron plead with Pharoah to let the Israelites leave Egypt, but not even blood in the Nile can persuade him to let the Israelites go. What can Pharoah's indifference to the water teach us about how our society views clean water and water conservation? Using her New Year's resolution as a framework, TBE member Tiffany Washington argues that using water responsibly and ensuring marginalized populations have access to clean water are actions that all Jews should embrac...
In his Shabbat message for Parashat Va-Yehi, recorded at Temple Beth-El on December 18, 2021, Rabbi Michael Knopf connects an enigmatic blessing in the book of Genesis to a horrifying story in the book of Judges to the upcoming anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, explaining that while some may be guilty of destroying our democracy, we are all responsible for preserving and protecting it in the year to come. Temple Beth-El is committed to leading people into growing relationships with Je...
