TBE Richmond Podcast - Season Two: Recent Episodes
Rabbi Michael Knopf
Follow Rabbi Michael Knopf’s sermons, lectures, and conversations with special guests, Cantor Dara Sage Rosenblatt’s music and teachings, and so much more from virtual gatherings of Temple Beth-El in Richmond, Virginia. 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-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 Dvar Torah for Parshat Korah (June 25, 2023), TBE member Josh Jeffreys observes that questions about leadership are rarely just about the leaders and suggests that Korah’s rebellion is actually about suffering. In response to our own suffering, will we choose bitterness or compassion?
In her Dvar Torah for Parashat Shlah-Lekha (June 17, 2023), TBE member LeAnne Whitlow argues that perspective is everything.
In her Dvar Torah for Parashat Beha’alotekha (June 10, 2023), TBE member Alane Cameron Ford discusses how the preparations for life beyond the wilderness can guide us in the work of building community today.
In his Shabbat message for Parashat Naso (June 3, 2023), Rabbi Knopf argues that, from the Torah's perspective, laws that target transgender and nonbinary people are crimes against humanity. Pride Month was originally established as a movement to protest bigotry against LGBTQIA+ people. The need to continue protesting and fighting for equality continues.
Description: On the festival of Shavuot, we read the Ten Commandments. The first of those commandments is a little baffling, considering it doesn’t appear to command anything at all. Drawing from the haftarah portion for the 1st day of Shavuot (May 26, 2023), Rabbi Knopf explains that the 1st commandment is actually the essence of what was commanded at Sinai, and continues to call upon us today.
In his Dvar Torah for parashat Bamidbar (May 20, 2024), TBE member Brandon Methey explains that Jewish people have often had a fraught relationship with the countries we live in, and asks what can the Torah teach us about how to interact with where we live and our own community?
Description: After a startling experience, TBE member Emily Jasper reflects in this Dvar Torah on how Parashat Emor (May 6, 2023) describes the laws for purity required of the priests. But instead of clean or unclean, she discusses the liminal space of being vulnerable, as shared by the Gamliel Institute’s Nina Rubin.
In his Dvar Torah for Parashat Tazria-Metzora/Rosh Hodesh Iyar (April 22, 2023), TBE member Laurance Wieder explains that Leviticus says nothing about actual pregnancy, while Solomon declares “there is no new thing under the sun.” But Isaiah sings of birth without labor, of new heavens and new earth, and proclaims the new moon.
Parashat Terumah focuses on the construction of the elaborate Tabernacle so that ‘G-d can dwell among them.’ But why does G-d require a physical, earthly dwelling at all? TBE member Brandon Mittman discusses the essential purpose of earthly creation.
In his Passover message for this year, Rabbi Knopf explains how the customary conclusion of the Seder, "Next Year in the Built Jerusalem!” is actually a commandment, calling upon us to make heaven on earth.
In her Dvar Torah for the 2nd day of Passover (April 7, 2023), TBE member Alane Ford explains that the biblical book of Leviticus can be a toolbox or instruction manual for drawing meaning from ancient stories of freedom.
In his Dvar Torah for the 1st day of Passover (April 6, 2023), TBE Executive Director Damien Timms looks at the events of the 10th plague from the point of view of the moral quandary God was placed in.
In his Shabbat message for Parashat Ki Tissa (March 11, 2023), Rabbi Knopf celebrates the completion of Temple Beth-El’s sanctuary renovation with a call to honor its purpose through perpetual participation.
In her Dvar Torah for Parshat Zachor (March 4, 2023), TBE member Brittany Usiak teaches us what our tradition has to say about how we remember or push away challenging experiences and the legacies and responsibilities we inherit as Jewish people.
TBE member and past-president Bob Siegel explains that Parashat Yitro (February 11, 2023) helps us understand that spirituality is not limited to quiet moments of introspective reflection; rather, it often includes concrete physical action and engagement with others. When we tirelessly work to pursue justice, we may find that it leads us to even greater moments of spiritual fulfillment.
Inspired by the Autistic Rebbetzin’s idea of Moses being Autistic, TBE member Jamie Weinstein tells the story of Parashat Beshallah (February 4, 2023) with an autistic hero through the eyes of an autistic mom. The hero here isn’t just Moses but his inner tribe who supports him, teaching us about unity and community support around disabled folks.
In his Dvar Torah for Refugee Shabbat (January 28. 2023), TBE member Sam Revenson shares how the war in Ukraine relates to the Exodus story, and what our community is doing for Ukrainians, including those we have helped resettle in Richmond. How can you help? Listen and learn!
In one of the most famous stories in the Torah, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened during the plagues and his choice is taken away. In his Dvar Torah for Parashat Va-era (January 21, 2023), TBE member Brandon Metheny explores how we can uphold the importance of free will while also accepting the lack of it in that moment.
In this Dvar Torah for Parashat Va-Yehi (January 7, 2023), TBE member Alane Ford discusses the patriarch Jacob's preparations for his own death and asks, what does it mean to face one's own death? And how can we do this well?
Inspired by Parshat Miketz, Hanukkah, and Rosh Chodesh (December 24, 2022), TBE member Josh Jeffreys shares a d’var torah on the blessing of darkness, power of dreams, and importance of (re)dedicating ourselves to spreading light amidst dark times.
The Rabbis explicitly call Joseph “righteous,” but his early life seems to be anything but. What can we learn from Joseph’s experiences and growth to find righteousness in our own lives?
Inessa Nosenko, Director of JCC "Mazel Tov" in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine (Richmond's sister city), joins us in person to share stories from the ever- changing war zone in Ukraine.
In his Dvar Torah for Parashat Va-yeitzei (Saturday, December 3, 2022), TBE conversion student Stan Jett explains that the portion beings and ends with piles of stones that endorse a newfound mindfulness of the Divine. We can enshrine the stones of difficult growth with the words of our prayers and blessings.
The harder one looks for the patriarch Isaac in the Torah, the harder he is to see. In his Dvar Torah for Parashat Toldot (November 26, 2022), TBE member Larry Wieder, explains that Isaac is an invisible man, who shows himself only through the agency of others, as the means to an end.
In this Dvar Torah for Parashat Valera (November 12, 2022), in honor of our "Climate on the Bimah” Shabbat (in partnership with Virginia Interfaith Power & Light), TBE member Dr. Gary Goldberg asks, “what is the dream for what Jews can do together to address the climate crisis?”
Families are complex with many competing needs. In this Dvar Torah for Parashat Lekh-Lekha (November 5, 2022), TBE Executive Director Damien Timms examines how we can look at the goings on in Abrahams’ family and see how it eludes to our community.
In this Dvar Torah for Parshat Bereishit (Saturday, October 22, 2022), TBE member Tiffany Washington shares how we were created to be creative beings and how honoring our need and desire for creativity brings us closer to ourselves, each other, and the Infinite.
In his message for Shemini Atzeret (Monday, October 17, 2022), Rabbi Knopf explores the meaning of the Shemini Atzeret holiday, and what it teaches us about life and death.
The Torah tells us that the descendants of those who do wrong will be punished “to the third and fourth generation.” In a Dvar Torah for Shabbat hol ha-mo’ed Sukkot (October 15, 2022), TBE member Brandon Metheny asks: how do we square this seemingly unfair outcome with the season of mercy and forgiveness, and what lessons can we take from this statement?
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 Psychologist specializing in child psychology), join Rabbi Michael Knopf for this important conversation about navigating and learning from our “inbetweens."
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.bethelrichmond.org.
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-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.
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 congregation, affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, at www.bethelrichmond.org.
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 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 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 peaceful world. 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.
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 was also featured on Truah's (M)oral Torah page.
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-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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
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 spiritually and that inspire them to build a more compassionate, just, and peaceful world. 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 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, just, and peaceful world. 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 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-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 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 community’s future as it relates to disabilities? Feel free to send your thoughts to rabbi.knopf@bethelrichmond.org. 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-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.
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 in the midst of the still-ongoing pandemic. 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-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 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 compassionate, just, and peaceful world. 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.
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 reproductive rights in the US and why it should matter to the Jewish community and other conscientious Americans. 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-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 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 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-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.
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 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-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.
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 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-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 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 embrace in 2022.Title: Water is Life (featuring Tiffany Washington)
Description: 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 embrace in 2022.
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 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 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-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.