Religious Life

Keep Far From a Bad Neighbor

“Keep Far From a Bad Neighbor” 18 Cheshvan 5777 • Vayeira • November 19, 2016 Rabbi Alexander Davis I haven’t been to a Vikings game to know if they do the wave. But I imagine it would be pretty cool looking in the new stadium. The wave is not only fun, it is contagious. It first appeared in 1986 at a World Cup soccer tournament...

A Woman Reciting Kaddish?! Praying For Peace

“A Woman Reciting Kaddish?! Praying For Peace” 20 Tishrei 5777 • Chol Hamoed Sukkot • October 22, 2016 Rabbi Alexander Davis Shabbat Shalom, I want to take you back for a moment to the funeral of Shimon Peres. I spoke a bit about him at Yizkor on Yom Kippur. But there was something noteworthy at his funeral that may have gone under your radar screen....

Locker Room Talk

“Locker Room Talk” 13 Tishrei 5777 • Haazinu • October 15, 2016 Rabbi Alexander Davis Shabbat Shalom, “They are just words. I am not proud of them. Locker room talk. Just words. This is guy’s talk. Locker room banter.” First of all, I just have to say that when I am in the locker room at the JCC (and I haven’t been for a while),...

Who By Fire?

October 12, 2016

It is Neilah and again I stand before you to speak carrying on a tradition begun by Rabbi Aronson...

Introducing Beth El’s New Institute

October 3, 2016

In 1970, at an archeological dig in Ein Gedi near the Dead Sea, a lump of charcoal was discovered in the ark of ancient synagogue. Scientists knew it was a parchment but...

Fear Part 2

Rabbi Alexander Davis October 2, 2016 / Rosh Hashanah 5777 Kol haolam kulo, gesher tzar meod. V’haikar lo lifached. Kol haolam kulu. We love the song. At camp they teach us to sing it with hand motions. They teach us to sing it loud. But let’s consider the words: “The whole world is a narrow bridge. The most important thing is not to fear.” In 1973,...