Rabbi Knopf's Blog

Dear friends,

Tonight begins Yom Ha-Atzma’ut, Israel’s 71st Indepence Day. On this day, we celebrate the great miracle and blessing of Israel's birth, and rejoice in the extraordinary, thriving, and dynamic country it has become. While there are of course many ways to commemorate this special day, I wanted to highlight a few opportunities at Temple Beth-El:

1. Two Days with Rabbi Arie Hasit
Join us for two special days of programming with Rabbi Arie Hasit, the founding rabbi of the Masorti/Conservative community in Mazkeret Batya, Israel, and a member of the Law Committee of the Israeli branch of the Rabbinical Assembly. Rabbi Hasit will be one of my guests for Encounter RVA on Wednesday, May 15 at 7pm. On Thursday, May 16, Rabbi Hasit will give a brief D’var Torah at morning minyan: “Holiness: A Call for Separation or Inclusion?”, and will be the guest-teacher at my 1pm Midrash class. He will also give a brief Dvar Torah at evening minyan: “There is no Torah without Flour — The Meaning of Counting the Omer.” Finally, on the evening of May 16, I will host a dessert and drinks reception at my home. Rabbi Hasit will give a talk and lead a conversation on the following topic: “Issues of State and Religion in Israel Today: Reasons for Caution, Reasons for Optimism.” This event is open to the entire congregation, but space is limited, and RSVPs are required. Two learn more about Rabbi Hasit and these programs,please click here.


2. SHALOM Israel RVA
Cantor Rosenblatt and I are thrilled to announce a new program at Temple Beth-El, called SHALOM Israel RVA. SHALOM Israel RVA is our new adult education initiative aimed at making TBE Richmond’s center for serious, honest, and accessible learning on the Mideast and Israel.

Housed at Temple Beth-El, SHALOM Israel RVA will nurture a space for sensitive and subtle Israel engagement and respectful, productive disagreement; striving to hold and expand the vast middle ground between unflinching advocacy and reflexive criticism, exploring Israel in all of its exciting complexity. We will create a community in RVA that is more fully educated about the Jewish historical and textual connection to the land of Israel, the relationship between the Jewish tradition and Zionist philosophies, the many past and present approaches to Zionism, the history of the Jewish State and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and contemporary realities in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. We will guide people of all backgrounds in RVA be better informed about the geopolitics of the region, internal Israeli politics, and the complexity and dynamism of modern Israeli culture.

Our mission will be to lead members of the Richmond Jewish community and allies of all backgrounds into mature relationships with the land, people, and State of Israel. Through nuanced educational and cultural programming, facilitated conversations, guest speaker programs, panel discussions, cultural engagement opportunities, and travel experiences, SHALOM Israel RVA will aim to engage people intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually about Israel, inspiring them to contribute to a more compassionate, just, and peaceful future for Israel and its neighbors.

If you would are interested in taking a leadership role in developing SHALOM Israel RVA, please email me at rabbi.knopf@bethelrichmond.org.

3.  Shavuot Services, Dinner, & Program - June 8
Speaking of SHALOM Israel RVA, our very first SHALOM Israel RVA program will be our Shavuot Services, Dinner & Program on Saturday, June 8, 2019. Our member Shoshanna Schechter will be speaking on the topic, “Femininity, Purity, and the Sacred: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Women in Modern Israel/Palestine.”  Please click here for more information.

​​​​​​​4. Go to Israel with TBE in December!
Nothing compares to celebrating Israel in Israel. Join me and Adira for a luxurious and sumptuous once-in-a-lifetime journey to Israel, focusing on Israeli Food, Wine and Art. Trip dates are December 15 – 26, 2019. You can learn more about the trip at our informational session on Wednesday, June 12. RSVP for the information session here.  You can also find more details about the trip, including pricing and a full itinerary, here. If you are interested or have any questions, email me at rabbi.knopf@bethelrichmond.org.

​​​​​​​However you celebrate this special day, I wish you a hag ha-atzma’ut same’ah, a happy Yom Ha-Atzma’ut. May the Jewish State continue to go from strength to strength!

L’shalom,
Rabbi Knopf