Recent Sermons
122 Conversations – A Weekly Letter from Rabbi Davis – February 21, 2020
Shalom Chaverim I was recently at the airport (Terminal 2) where I saw a wonderful piece of art. It is called 122 Conversations by St Paul artist, Anne Labovitz. Labovitz reached out to people all around the world from Duluth’s sister cities in Canada, Sweden, Russia, Kurdistan, and Japan. They discussed a variety of topics such as generosity, friendship, and community. Inspired by these encounters,...
read moreCovenant – A Weekly Letter by Rabbi Davis – February 14, 2020
Shalom Chaverim, We are familiar with a bris, a ceremony when a baby boy is circumcised. We probably have heard of the organization B’nai Brith that spawned Hillel, BBYO, and the ADL. And maybe we know the term Luchot Habrit, the Tablets of the Law that Moshe received on Sinai. Common to all of these phrases is brit, covenant. What really is a covenant? A...
read moreDeadly Disease – A Weekly Letter from Rabbi Davis – February 7, 2020
Shalom Chaverim, Over the past few weeks, we have watched with growing concern as the coronavirus spreads from China around the world. We hope that doctors and the health care system respond quickly and effectively to stem the spread of this deadly virus. As I look out, I fear there is another disease that is spreading and infecting our nation. It’s a disease that manifests...
read moreMoral Audacity – A Sermon by Rabbi Davis – January 18, 2020
Moral Audacity 21 Tevet | Shemot | January 18, 2020 Rabbi Alexander Davis Two Jews were walking through a neighborhood one evening when they noticed they were being followed by a pair of hoodlums. “Dovid,” said to Shmuel, “we better get out of here. There are two of them, and we’re alone!” Sometimes it feels like we are all alone and they’re all out to...
read moreSweet Words – A Weekly Letter From Rabbi Davis – January 17, 2020
Shalom Chaverim, A little over a week ago, there was a remarkable event in the Jewish world- Siyum Hashas. Hundreds of thousands of Jews gathered around the world in synagogues, yeshivot, social halls, even sports stadiums to celebrate concluding their study of Talmud. The tradition began about a hundred years ago to promote Talmud study by encouraging students to study one page of Talmud per...
read moreTribute To A Rabbi, A Friend – A Weekly Letter From Rabbi Davis – January 31, 2020
Shalom Chaverim I’d like to dedicate this letter in memory of two rabbis who died a few weeks ago. In Pirkei Avot 1:6 we are taught: “find yourself a rabbi, acquire a friend.” Find yourself a Rabbi Rabbi Joshua Stampher was the rabbi of Neveh Shalom, the large Conservative synagogue in Portland where I grew up. Rabbi Stampher died at age 98. Just a few...
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