Religious Life

The Smell of Deceit

“The Smell of Deceit” 3 Kislev 5777 • Toldot • December 3, 2016 Rabbi Alexander Davis Are you ready for a pop quiz? What does “Minneapolis” mean? It’s not that we are the Mini Apple west of the Mississippi to New York’s Big Apple. Mini means water; polis means city. So, city of water. What does “Minnesota” mean? Mini means water. Sota means sky-tinted or...

Conflict of Interest

“Conflict of Interest” 25 Cheshvan 5777 • Chayei Sara • November 26, 2016 Rabbi Alexander Davis Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make me a match, Find me a find, catch me a catch Matchmaker, Matchmaker Look through your book, And make me a perfect match Matchmaker, Matchmaker, I’ll bring the veil, You bring the groom, Slender and pale. Bring me a ring for I’m longing to be, The...

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...