Mo-Drash

Welcome to Mo-Drash ... the weird confluence of the Jewish tradition of Midrash and me!

What is Midrash? Literally, the word derives from the Hebrew root that expresses interpretation. Figuratively, it is the process by which Jews read between the lines of our sacred stories and seek insight from what we discover from each story, verse, word, letter and stroke of the pen.

Who am I? My name is Adam Morris, but known by many as Rabbi Mo. I spend a lot of my time serving in the role of rabbi, but I am also a husband, a dad, a runner and a 'weekend' craftsman (among other things). I try to move like Abraham to find my Place ... to wrestle like Jacob to know my Place ... and to snicker like Sarah to keep me in my Place.

B'makom she-ani omayd (from The Place where I stand),
Rabbi Mo

Friday, September 2, 2016

Celebrating Our Stories: Welcoming Our New Torah Scroll

SECURING OUR STORY: Purchasing and Restoring Our New Torah Scroll
We need to raise $9000 to cover the cost, cleaning and repairing of the new Torah -- $1800 for each of the five books.  Please consider making a financial contribution toward this goal.  When making your contribution, think about connecting it with a book, portion, verse or even a word of Torah.  
  • What person in Torah compels you?  
  • Is there a teaching  in Torah that is important to you?  
  • Is there a Torah story meaningful to you?  
  • Is there a section from Torah that you are attached to? (i.e.a Bar or Bat Mitzvah portion)

Here is a suggested guideline when considering matching your contribution with a piece of Torah:
  • $18 to $100 - for a Word or Verse
  • $101 to $500- Chapters or Portion/Parsha
  • $501 and up - Book

When we celebrate our new scroll at Simchat Torah in October -- we will have a printed program that will allow us to share our pieces of Torah with one another.

You may contribute towards the purchase and restoration of the new Torah scroll here.

In addition to the costs for purchase, clean and repair ... our new scroll will eventually need 2 new Torah mantles - one for High Holydays and one for the rest of the year.  Our current scroll’s mantles were gifts by a B’nai Mitzvah class and a Micah family memorializing a relative.  The artist who designed and created these two mantles is eager to create two more for our community.  These mantles would cost approximately, $2,500.  If your family or group of families would like to purchase a mantle to honor or remember someone dear to you, please contact Rabbi Mo about learning more.  



ONE MICAH, ONE STORY: Listening To A Different Story, A Micah Book Club

Rabbi Morris invites the Micah community to read Between The World And Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates. "In a series of essays, written as a letter to his son, Coates confronts the notion of race in America and how it has shaped American history, many times at the cost of black bodies and lives. Thoughtfully exploring personal and historical events, from his time at Howard University to the Civil War, the author poignantly asks and attempts to answer difficult questions that plague modern society." (School Library Journal)

In the shadow of our society's current struggle with racial justice, Rabbi Morris hopes to engage the Micah community in discussion on these issues.  Mr. Coates book is a beautifully written, provocative piece that provides fertile material for consideration and discussion.
On Yom Kippur morning Rabbi Morris plans to address the matter of how we American Jews approach the issue of racial justice.

Following the High Holydays, we will have a communal opportunity to reflect and respond to Between The World And Me.



TELLING OUR STORIESSharing Our Stories With One Another

What is in the sacred scroll that tells the story of your life?  Choose one of those stories and share it with our community.  
  • Write it out in whatever form you like and send it to us (rabbimo@micahdenver.org)
  • Tell it in 140 characters or less and share it with us through Facebook (facebook.com/micahdenver) or Twitter (@micahdenver) at#micahtorahstories.  
  • Forget words, use images, colors, shapes, etc, to express your story send it to us or post it on Instagram (@micahdenver) #micahtorahstories.
We will be collecting stories - however you want to tell them until we Consecrate the New Scroll on October 21st.



IMPACTING SOMEONE’S STORYSupporting a Refugee Family

Since being the refugee is such an integral part of the Jewish story, join us as we partner with a local organization that supports the transition of refugee families into the Denver community. 



CELEBRATING OUR NEW STORY: Consecrating Our New Torah Scroll 

Simchat Torah will Rock as it usually does for the Micah community.  Part of our celebration of Simchat Torah will include a special ritual consecrating our new Torah scroll.  Save the Date for Friday, October 21, 2016 at 7:00pm.