Who is Benjamin Gorelick, Colorado’s Mushroom Rabbi?

On the heels of Colorado passing Proposition 122 which decriminalizes certain psychedelics including psilocybin mushrooms, a man named Benjamin Gorelick, also known as the Mushroom Rabbi, has been in the news.

This begs the question, what exactly is a mushroom rabbi? Keep scrolling to learn about Gorelick and his position as Colorado’s Mushroom Rabbi.

Who is Colorado’s Mushroom Rabbi?

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Benjamin Gorelick is the founder of a synagogue in Denver by the name of Sacred Tribe. Sacred Tribe combines elements of Judaism with psychedelic practices. Members of the religious group use psychedelics to fully immerse themselves into a heightened sense of spirituality.

Following his childhood in New Mexico, Gorelick escaped to the Alaskan wilderness where, combined with his college studies, he found philosophy and sought out deeper meaning to his spirituality and its connection with the universe around him.

He later attended Rabbi School but ultimately discovered his perception of God through his first experimentation with psychedelic mushrooms. This was a pivotal moment for Gorelick as he would later found his “Kabbalistic, Jewish congregation filled with seekers from all backgrounds and walks of life” known as Sacred Tribe, which is currently based in Colorado.

Drug Charges Dropped for Colorado’s Mushroom Rabbi

Roughly a year ago in January of 2022, Gorelick was charged with the first-degree felony of possession and intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance. However, following the passing of Proposition 122 this past November eventually led to these charges being dropped on December 8^th, 2022.

Following these charges being dropped, Gorelick has said that he is thankful but still would like to see the decriminalization of certain controlled substances for religious purposes come to fruition in the future.