Nancy Morris

Morris gained an MA in Jewish History from McGill University in 1989 before continuing her studies to gain an LLB, also at McGill University, before completing her articles at Blake, Cassels & Graydon in Toronto.

In 1997, she decided upon a career change and left Canada to study rabbinics at Leo Baeck College in London, graduating in 2002.

In the final year of rabbinic studies, she returned to Canada where she served as Rabbi at Har Tikvah, in Brampton, Ontario and Temple Shalom, in Kitchener, Ontario/Waterloo, Ontario from 2001 till 2003.

She became the first female Rabbi in Scotland when she was appointed to the post of Rabbi of Glasgow Reform Synagogue in October 2003. During her tenure, Rabbi Morris was also a Guest Lecturer at the University of Glasgow where she lectured on Judaism.

In January 2012, Rabbi Morris returned to her native Canada to take on a temporary post of Rabbi at Temple B'nai Tikvah in Calgary.

In June 2012, South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue (often referred to by the acronym SWESRS) in London announced that Rabbi Morris had been appointed as their new Rabbi.{{cite web|url=http://www.swesrs.org.uk|title=SWESRS website home page, retrieved 18 June 2012|publisher=|accessdate=29 October 2014}} She began this position in September 2012{{cite web|url=http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/news/scotland_s_first_female_rabbi_takes_up_position_at_newbury_park_synagogue_1_1525393|title=Ilford Recorder article announcing appointment of Rabbi Morris.|work=Ilford Recorder|accessdate=29 October 2014}} and held the role until 2014, when she and her husband returned to Toronto.{{cite web|url=http://news.reformjudaism.org.uk/press-releases/synagogue-bids-farewell-to-rabbi-nancy-morris.html |title=Synagogue bids farewell to Rabbi Nancy Morris |publisher=Movement for Reform Judaism |work=News and press |date=16 January 2015 |accessdate=17 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129162136/http://news.reformjudaism.org.uk/press-releases/synagogue-bids-farewell-to-rabbi-nancy-morris.html |archivedate=29 January 2015 }}

Morris strongly supports the egalitarian nature of Progressive Judaism and has spoken a number of times on issues relating to gender equality within Judaism. She was strongly critical of the arrest of Anat Hoffman, head of Women Of The Wall, and publicly wrote to the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on behalf of her congregation about the arrest.{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbinancymorris.com/node/9|title='Letter To Ambassador Taub' on www.rabbinancymorris.com|accessdate=29 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227170959/http://www.rabbinancymorris.com/node/9|archive-date=2014-02-27|url-status=dead}}

Morris also called on the incoming Chief Rabbi to demonstrate his commitment to repairing divisions between different Jewish traditions by publicly criticising the detention of Emily Wolfson for wearing a Tallit at the Kotel.{{cite web|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/94794/two-uk-teens-arrested-kotel-protest|title=Jewish Chronicle article on arrest of Emily Wolfson.|publisher=|accessdate=29 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/anglo-file/arrested-at-the-western-wall-british-teenagers-discover-the-limits-of-jewish-life-in-israel.premium-1.486235 |title=Google Cache of Haaretz Article on arrest of Emily Wolfson |date=21 December 2012 |work=Haaretz.com |accessdate=29 October 2014 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112204053/http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/anglo-file/arrested-at-the-western-wall-british-teenagers-discover-the-limits-of-jewish-life-in-israel.premium-1.486235 |archivedate=12 January 2014 }} Morris conducted Wolfson's Bat Mitzvah as Rabbi at Glasgow Reform Synagogue.{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbinancymorris.com/node/35|title=Article entitled "Why We Really Weep At The Western Wall"|accessdate=29 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222010713/http://www.rabbinancymorris.com/node/35|archive-date=2014-02-22|url-status=dead}}

Morris presented the Time For Reflection[https://web.archive.org/web/20090620211811/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor0625-02.htm Official Report Of Scottish Parliament For 25 June 2008] at the Scottish Parliament on 25 June 2008.

Rabbi Morris' paternal grandfather grew up in London's East End in the early 1900s before emigrating to Canada. This family connection partly influenced Rabbi Morris to take up the post at SWESRS as the synagogue has a strong connection with the East End. In an amazing coincidence, when researching her family history, Rabbi Morris discovered she was also related to Second Lieutenant Harry Jassby, a World War I Royal Air Force pilot who was killed on 6 November 1918 at an airfield very close to the Oaks Lane location of SWESRS. Despite being Jewish, Second Lieutenant Jassby was buried in the Christian cemetery at St Peter's Church which was the closest graveyard to the airfield where he was killed. Members of SWESRS look after the grave and Rabbi Morris conducts an annual Remembrance Service at the graveside.{{cite web|url=http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/news/rabbi_to_give_service_for_jewish_raf_veteran_buried_in_newbury_park_1_2978970|title=Ilford Recorder Article On Harry Jassby Remembrance Service|work=Ilford Recorder|accessdate=29 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://news.reformjudaism.org.uk/press-releases/poignant-discovery-for-swesrs.html |title=Reform Judaism Article On Harry Jassby |author=Movement for Reform Judaism |accessdate=29 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109115543/http://news.reformjudaism.org.uk/press-releases/poignant-discovery-for-swesrs.html |archivedate=9 November 2014 }}

Rabbi Morris was interviewed by Ian Wyatt on his BBC Essex radio programme on which she discussed her career and decision to become a Rabbi. Wyatt also explored her thoughts on the atheist arguments of Richard Dawkins concerning religion. Rabbi Morris explained she feels his arguments focus too much on disputing the literalist interpretation of scriptures as emphasized by religious fundamentalists. Fundamentalism is only espoused by very extremist groups of religious people, and the vast majority of people of faith do not necessarily take such a literalist view of Scripture. Dawkins, in her opinion, fails to address the wider social, emotional, spiritual and cultural benefits for human beings who are devoted to their religious beliefs. Rabbi Morris particularly loves the discussion and lively debate that forms such an important part of Jewish tradition and understanding of Judaism throughout its history.BBC Essex Ian Wyatt programme – broadcast Sunday 16 December 2012 (no longer available for download from the BBC site)

Rabbi Morris appeared regularly on BBC Radio Scotland's Thought For The Day slot where she presented, from a Jewish perspective, brief talks designed to cause listeners to pause for reflection.

Rabbi Morris also contributed to the BBC radio programme on Matisyahu with her predecessor at Glasgow Reform Synagogue, Rabbi Pete Tobias.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2007/10/12/matisyahu_faith_feature.shtml|title=BBC Listen Again page on Matisyahu programme|publisher=|accessdate=29 October 2014}}

Rabbi Morris studied in Vienna for a year while she wrote her Master's thesis on the subject of Ludwig Frankl.{{cite web|url=http://digitool.library.mcgill.ca/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=59809&local_base=GEN01-MCG02|title=Rabbi Nancy Morris' Master's Thesis on McGill University theses library|publisher=|accessdate=29 October 2014}} It is available to view on the McGill University website.

Rabbi Morris contributed to the book God, Doubt and Dawkins, a Reform response to Richard Dawkins' book The God Delusion.

She also publishes selected Torah commentary and articles on her own website.{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbinancymorris.com|title=Rabbi Nancy Morris|accessdate=29 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507170133/http://www.rabbinancymorris.com/|archive-date=2013-05-07|url-status=dead}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_/ai_n12585041 The Sunday Herald interview of Rabbi Morris upon her appointment at Glasgow New Synagogue, dated 14 December 2003]{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

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Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Canadian rabbis

Category:21st-century British rabbis

Category:Academics of the University of Glasgow

Category:Alumni of Leo Baeck College

Category:British Reform rabbis

Category:Canadian Reform rabbis

Category:Clergy from Montreal

Category:McGill University alumni

Category:McGill University Faculty of Law alumni

Category:Reform women rabbis