We have exciting news to share!

We are delighted to announce that Rabbi Michael Knopf has accepted our offer to become our synagogue’s next senior rabbi, effective July 2024. Temple Beth El’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously and enthusiastically to extend the offer at its January meeting. Rabbi Knopf will succeed Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, who will transition to the position of Rabbi Emeritus after an illustrious and distinguished career at TBE.

Scott Krowitz, president of the congregation, said of the appointment: “During his interviews with the search committee and throughout his weekend visit to TBE, Rabbi Knopf demonstrated his warmth, scholarship, love of Jewish tradition, and his eagerness to meet and relate with people of all ages from widely diverse Jewish backgrounds – all attributes you told us we should look for in our next rabbi.

“His visionary leadership, engagement with contemporary social issues, and his commitment to sharing a Judaism that is rich and meaningful to all are evident by his accomplishments in his 10 years as senior rabbi of Temple Beth-El in Richmond, VA. Rabbi Knopf will serve us exceedingly well in a growingly complex and challenging Jewish world as he works to strengthen the ties that bind us together as a congregation and to the outside community as a whole.

“I want to offer my deepest appreciation to our Rabbinic Search Committee, led by Lisa Manheim and Devra Jaffe-Berkowitz, which was given the monumental task of finding an inspiring individual who could serve as our spiritual leader and propel us forward into an exciting future.

“I also want to thank Rabbi Hammerman and Cantor Kaplan for their support and guidance throughout the process.”

Expressing his joy about his appointment, Rabbi Knopf said, “My family and I are so thrilled to move to Stamford and officially join the TBE community this summer. You made me and Adira feel so at home during our visit, and we are excited to deepen the relationships we have begun to build, and, along with our children, to forge many wonderful new friendships. I am profoundly grateful to the members of the Search Committee for all their hard work throughout this process, which evidenced great passion and big dreams for this holy community. I am humbled by their support and the Board’s confidence in me. I look forward to continuing to partner with them, TBE’s incredible team of clergy and staff, and you all, in writing TBE’s exciting next chapter. Finally, I am honored by the opportunity to build on Rabbi Hammerman’s extraordinary four decades of dedicated leadership to TBE. I pray we will all go from strength to strength.”

If you have any questions about our process and decision making, please email Scott at president@tbe.org.