Paul Shaviv, director of education at Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto,
Richmond Hill, writes:
A source writes: "I remember him from Moscow. Anatoly Eskin. He is a
ger like you. In Moscow he had a class in Tehillim. His grandfather was
Jewish. He was very active in Moscow. Left to Israel in 1979 where he
became very close to Meir Kahane. He mastered Ivrit and became an accomplished
and prolific journalist with a significant readership. He was always consistently
far right and has been in the Israeli prison at least two times that I
know of. Among other things he gave regular interviews to a Russian Jewish
radio station in NY from prison!
"A lot of people respect him. I remember he was ideologically uncompromising
rather than crazy. He is normal looking, clean shaven, handsome journalist
popular with women."
Shmarya Rosenberg writes: "Erev Shabbat only got the story because
the Jerusalem Post passed on it because it was "religious." Then-editor
David Bar Illan gave it to Erev Shabbat (the two papers were located in
the same building). Eskin was assigned the story. The facts of the story
were not in question."
R. Jeremy Rosen says his PhD was supervised by Dr Pinchas Peli at Ben
Gurion University in Israel in 1984.
Yakar's publicist says that R. Mickey Rosen received his PhD from London
University in 1994 for a commentary on Job attributed to Rashbam.
The following is from the original 1987 Hebrew article, "Ha Rav
L'inyan Acher," by Avigdor Eskin. English translation and footnotes,
c1990 by the Michael Scott Information and Research Center. This article
in English (sans footnotes) first appeared in Erev Shabbat, a Jerusalem-based
weekly Hebrew newspaper, May 11, 1990.
The Rabbi for the Other Side
By Avigdor Eskin
"The Law of Return (1) today causes more harm than good. We should
aspire to be a normal state, in which any person who wants to become
a citizen can do so according to accepted criteria, without distinction
on the basis of religion, antionality or sex."
The speaker is neither Member of Knesset Muhammed Miari nor journalist
Anton Shamas. (2) These words were uttered by none other than the Director
of the Sapir Center for Jewish Tradition (3) and the Advisor for Inter-Faith
Relations of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith in Israel, David
Rosen.
"To my mind, there is no longer any justification for keeping
the nationality section in the identity card. There is a clear dualism
in the attempt to define a Jew by national criteria, when at issue is
a concept drawn from religion. I know a Dutch boy whose father is Jewish.
Under the current system he is defined as an Israeli citizen of Dutch
nationality, while he has lost all connection to his mother's country.
I don't understand what advantage accrues from the religious definition
of nationality."
David Rosen is fond of lecturing on issues related to social tensions
in Israel, and he reverts to his well-honed themes, sleekly packaged
with the aura of the rabbi and the doctor.
Within a few months the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies for foreign
students will move to the Sapir complex. An important educational missions
awaits David Rosen, and he can scarcely contain his joy, since he has
always wanted to get involved in education, in his words.
The students will encounter a 39-year old man who speaks a lofty literary
English and sports the physiognomy of a movie star (in the words of
journalist Levi Yitzhak Yerushalmi (5)); a colorfuland vibrant figure
who merited a respectable entry in the 1986 Who's Who in Israel.
"David Rosen - Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Vice-President of the Mizrahi
organization in Ireland, a graduate of the Mir and Har-Etzion yeshivas,
as well as of the universities of London, Pretoria, Cape Town and others..."
(6)
David Rosen's fascinating life history could furnish the plot of a
Hollywood movie, in which he played the leading role, despite that some
(7) of the degrees attributed to him in the entry on 'David Rosen' have
no basis in fact.
He was born in England in August 1951. (8) His father, Kopul Rosen,
established the prestigious 'Carmel' school which is known as the 'Oxford
of English Jews' by members of the community. (9) David took after his
father in his openness and in the special emphasis he place don an in-depth
study of Western culture, including familiarity with the New Testament.
The New Testament was dropped from the curriculum at Carmel a few years
ago.
David Rosen recalls the education he received at home with more than
a touch of nostalgia. "Shakespeare was not presented as in conflict
with Judaism, but as a body of work which has a place in the framework
of Jewish thought." (10)
Rabbi Kopul Rosen passed away (11) when David was only ten. The latter
studied at Carmel until the age of 16, when he transferred to the Mir
Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where he spent three years, by his account.
The Mir period was not an easy one for the young man, who had been
accustomed to learning to a background accompaniment of Western music,
and to enjoying all the luxuries of life in the Diaspora. On the Sabbath,
David stayed with his relatives in Rehavia, yet he dedicated himself
to his studies in the memory of his father, who had studied at Mir abroad.
Nowadays Rosen refers to his stay at Mir with the undisguised contempt
which he manifests towards the haredi community as a whole. He mentions
the closed nature of the pupils, and the difficulties which he had during
the three years he was there. (12) Rosen notes that he still has a soft
spot for Mir in his heart, on account of family connections to the place
which go back many years. He even claims to have raised funds for the
yeshiva during the period he served as a community rabbi in South Africa.
Sources in the Mir Yeshiva flatly contradicted this assertion.
The head of the yeshiva, the venerable rabbi M. Finkel, recalls the
young David Rosen was a pupil in the yeshiva, while trying to conceal
the discomfort the subject evokes in him. He immediately emphasizes
that no one can hold the yeshiva responsible for the viewpoints and
utterings of certain students who learned there twenty years ago.
In 1970 David Rosen was drafted into the IDF in the framework of the
foreign students' program of the Har Etzion yeshiva. He served for a
year-and-a-half in the armored corps and in the IDF rabbinate.
During the same period, Rosen claims to have been ordained as a rabbi
by the head of the Ponevezh yeshiva, rabbi David Poberski. The rabbi
himself could not remember Rosen when questioned this week. His son
informed me that there is no document confirming Rosen's claim, althought
it is possible he helped the young man who was planning to undertake
a mission abroad. (13)
After marrying Sharon Rothstein, a student of political science at
the university, David Rosen journeyed to South Africa to serve as the
Director of the Organization of Jewish Students. (14) Later on he was
also appointed to the position of rabbi of the largest community in
South Africa -- "Sea Point" in Cape Town. (15)
The period of his sojourn in South Africa raises many questions. Rosen
intiated conciliation efforts between Jews and Christians, impressing
all sides with his mellifluous English. This may have been the origin
of his desire to be known as an intellectual of broad education, rather
than just an army chaplain. The Carmel school bears the title 'College'
yet it confers no post-high school education. Nevertheless we find mention
of Rosen as an alumnus of the college, a graduate of higher education.
(16)
David Rosen admitted this week that all the academic degrees attributed
to him in articles about him are in error, yet his insisted that he
did complete a Bachelor's degree at the University of Pretoria. (17)
Mrs. Jordan, the academic registrar of the university administration,
responds: "Mr. David Rosen only enrolledduring the academic year
of 1974 for the Arts Special course in our Faculty of Arts. He did not
pass any examinations during 1974."
If so, what academic degree does David Rosen possess? (18) During his
stay in South Africa it was claimed that he had studied at the prestigious
Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg. (19) In response to our inquiries,
a representative of the administration there replied that there is no
record of any presence of David Rosen at the university. (20)
The publication Who's Who in Israel states that David Rosen
received a doctorate from the University of Cape Town. The university
replied that "We have no record of the attendance of David Rosen
at the University of Cape Town from December 1973 through December 1980."
Then what was the young man with the Oxford accent up to in Cape Town
until the time he left South Africa in 1980?
His role in the community was largely ceremonial. There were no more
than 20 observant Jews at Sea Point at the time. There was little demand
for classes, yet all the ritualsand the celebrations were graced by
the presence of a young and charismatic rabbi, who knew how to find
favor in the eyes of his audience. He was wont to be seen in the company
of liberal Christians, exchanging sweet ecumenical compliments in the
style familiar from the U.S., where representatives of the Jewish community
point with pride to the occasion on which they convinced this or that
priest that Jews do not use the blood of children to make matzas.
The young rabbi of the community, only 24 years old, did not abandon
his athletic pursuits, and even broke his big toe during the course
of a match between the Israeli sport club and amateur Austrian basketball
players. The Byok newspaper, which reported the event (October
18, 1975), mentions that the rabbi was 26 years old. Why did Rosen add
two years to his age? Conflicting facts such as these fill every article
about him.
In 1980 Rosen accepted an offer to serve as Chief Rabbi of Ireland.
The Jewish community there numbers no more than 3,000 people, yet the
honor is very great. Rabbi Herzog (22) served in this position, and
Rosen sees himself as following in his footsteps.
Catholic Ireland respects religion, and showered the young rabbi with
warmth and adulation. David excelled in his use of the English language,
and eagerly acccepted every offer to star on television or to appear
in public in the company of priests. This was the high point in David
Rosen's career.
Yet prior to leaving his flock at Sea Point, David had managed to bring
down upon himself the wrath of the community (23), pursuant to the interview
he granted the magazine Encounter (October, 1980). Journalist
Garda Cohen attributed expressions to him which displayed tremendous
conceit. "Yes, they love me," Rosen remarked about the members
of the community. "Yet I am now planning to leave, and I feel sorry
for them. South African Jews have been condemned to struggle against
fate." Cohen depicted him in grotesque fashion, as someone who
professed to identify with the opponents of the regime while complaining
about the temporary absence of his black maid from the house.
In early 1980, David Rosen took up his position in the rabbinate of
Ireland. By May, the Jewish newspaper Jewish Herald (24) was
already referring to him as "Dr. Rosen." From that point on,
the latter embellished himself with an advance degree at all of his
appearances and interviews. At the time it was said that Rosen had studied
Jewish Studies (25) at the University of London, and even passed external
exmaintions. (26) In response to our inquiries, the university stated
that Rosen was never registered there. (27)
Other sources attribute a doctorate to Rosen from the University for
Theological Studies of Dublin, Ireland. Prof. Andrew Meyers, one of
hte institution's veteran scholars, investigated the subject and informed
us that "David Rosen registered in January 1980 for half-day studies,
in a program for high school graduates. He was registered with us until
he left Dublin in 1984. There is no record whatsoever that he was awarded
any kind of degree."
Rosen admits that the attribution of various degrees to him was erroneous.
Yet there is no support even for his more modest contention that has
a B.A. degree. Every institution mentioned in connection with him denied
having awarded him any degree.
Rosen remained in Ireland almost five years, during the course of which
he strengthened his ties with Catholics, even going so far as to visit
the Vatican. Rosen specialized in demonstrations of mutual affection
with liberal representatives of the Catholic church. He authored a number
of articles explicating the changes which had transpired in the outlook
of the Catholic clergy towards Jews. The friendly relations his cultivated
with European bishops ultimately helped him win the post of Advisor
on Interfaith Relations for the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League.
In 1985 Rosen returned to Israel with his wife and three children,
where he took upon himself the management of the Sapir Center, which
is headed by former member of the Knesset rabbi Menahem HaCohen. They
made a good match, using Jewish sources to justify the triumphalist
approach to Arab aggression, the deepening of ties with Christians,
and a forgiving and sympathetic approach to the Reform movement.
Rosen immediately took up with the 'Netivot Shalom' and 'Oz VeShalom'
movements, where he found natural allies such as Avi Ravitzky, Yehezkel
Landau and David Hartman. He is a lecturer in demand at the Jewish Agency
and other institutions who like to trot forth a religious Jew, a Doctor,
who can preach more effectively for all the things that secular leftists
believe in. Rosen's colleague Ravitzky once stated clearly that he is
a Conservative in outlook. (29) Rosen has not openly admitted to crossing
lines, but he talks of his unique approach, and of the need to suit
Judaism to modern times. (30)
During the last five years of his residence in Israel, Rosen has failed
to receive the acclaim that was his lot in Ireland. Here he has had
to be content with publishing articles and with frequent sorties abroad,
where a warmer reception awaits him. Even Rosen's friends raised eyebrows
when the latter rose in defense of a couple of apostate Jews who wanted
to receive citizenship in Israel and applied to the Supreme Court to
that end. At issue are the Beresford couple of Zimbabwe, who are identified
with missionary circles and feature in the publications of the institutions
which seek to spread Christianity among Israelis. It is common knowledge
that the Law of Return does not apply to Jews who have converted out
of the religion. The Beresfords tried to take refuge in a technicality,
claiming that they never underwent any formal ritual of conversion,
while admitting their belief in Jesus. Rabbi Shlomo Goren [former Ashkenazi
Chief Rabbi] held at the time that it made no difference whether the
couple had formally converted, for their present faith was sufficient
to declare them members of another religion.
David Rosen came out in their defence, declaring to The Jerusalem
Post (31), "I believe that every person should be free to hold
his own opinions in a Jewish democratic state." Today Rosen seeks
to clarify that he did not intend to defend the content of the apostates
beliefs, but only to relate to the legal issue at stake. He remained
isolated in his views, receiving only the commendations of Christians
(32), whereas all the rabbis, including rabbi Aaron Lichtenstein (33),
affirmed unequivocally that it is forbidden to apply the Law of Return
to members of the Messianic Sect.
David Rosen's tolerance does not extend to religious circles in Israel.
He preaches separation of church and state and for the elimination of
religious parties. The ultimate aim of these battle cries is to diminish
the power of the religious public, even when they wrap themselves in
the mantle of preserving the honor of Judaism. One can justifiably claim
that the honor of the Torah is defiled by religious wheeler-dealers,
but the moral force of the argument evaporates the minute it is suggested
that they be replaced by secular [wheeler-dealer] politicians.
Rosen professes great anxiety at the possibility that Israeli democracy
might be replaced by theocracy, that is, by the rule of religion. It
is difficult to find any basis for this anxiety. Is there any religious
party of traditional movement which proposes to change the form of the
government in a substantive way? Is this some kind of pathological paranoia,
or is it simply normal incitement against the religious community?
Rosen continues: "Israeli fundamentalism jeopardizes democracy."
In the Anti-Defamation League publication (1986) (34) Rosen is once
again portrayed as a Doctor, and his proposal to change the structure
of government in Israel in order to preempta theocratic takeover is
propounded. In other words, the Judaification of the regime (what Rosen
calls a 'theocracy') is unthinkable, yet it's perfectly permissable
to strive to implement far-reaching structural changes. Rosen advocates
raising the eligibility cut-off for political parties, in order to "eliminate
Meir Kahane," in the words of the article. This is the way of the
new 'democracy,' absent Kahane and the haredim.
Rosen once again made headlines, together with his brethren in the
Conservative and Reform movements, upon announcing the formation of
the 'Rabbinic Watch Group for Civil Rights." (35) The experienced
reader will already have guessed that those whose civil rights merit
defending are Arabs bent on destroying the state of Israel. The rabbis'
manifesto quotes a verse from the Torah regarding the prohibition against
the oppression of proselytes, as if the Intifada rioters could possibly
be included in that category.
David Rosen acknowledges the claim that he and his cohorts have become
accomplices of Arab terror, and attempts to justify himself. "I
am opposed to any kind of politicization, and I don't attribute any
political significance to our activities, they are merely a human gesture."
With regard to the accusation that he and his associates are stationing
themselves at the right hand of the enemy, at a time when Jewish children
are being injured by rocks and petrol bombs, Rosen replies: "It
seems to me that the average person in Batir feels himself more threatened
than the average Israeli. I hope that the population of Batir as well
has right to humane treatment and appropriate legal defense."
This is the man who is soon to receive the students of the Pardes Institute.
He is also one of the leading personalities at the office of the Anti-Defamation
League of B'nai B'rith in Israel. He also makes appearances abroad as
a Doctor/Rabbi, wrapping himself in the mantle of the Anti-Defamation
League and the Sapir Center.
Six months ago Rosen was the guest of honor of the "Knesset Israel"
community of Minneapolis. (40) As usual, he spoke of the dangers of
theocracy in Israel. The community presented him as possessed of academic
degrees from London and Pretoria, as holding a doctorate in political
and theological studies from Dublin (41) and as bearing ordination from
the Mir and Ponevezh yeshivas (42). In his statement, Rosen made the
correction that he holds ordination only from Ponevezh, (43) yet he
did not deny holding all of those academic degrees. Once upon a time
this would have been called fraud.
Rosen is inconsistent in his presentations regarding his yeshiva studies.
A year ago I heard him boasting about having studied at Ponevezh Yeshiva
(44), when he sopke under the auspices of the 'Kesher' project of the
Jewish Agency. At every appearance, Rosen emphasizes his past connection
with the yeshiva world, and is sometimes accepted as an authentic representative
of the yeshiva way of thought.
The darling of the 'Meimad' and 'Oz VeShalom' movements, champion of
the Left who happily accepts every rabbi as partner in his activities,
David Rosen has been exposed as an ambivalent and controversial personality.
Once deprived of his academic robes, so to speak, one can only note
the superficiality of his Jewish learning. We are left with his fluid
English alongside a mediocre Hebrew. One should not dismiss his highbrow
English too lightly. It's a pleasure to hear him speak his native tongue;
he's also a good-looking man, as the journalists say, and he knows how
to play basketball. It's only a pity that he ventures beyond these fields
and resorts to imposture, for every lie is fated to be revealed in the
end.
FOOTNOTES
1. Israeli is defined as a Jewish state in its declaration of independence.
Because of the thousands of years of persecution and suffering by Jews
-- including the Holocaust -- when Jews had no safe haven, the Law of
Return was instituted so that Jews could always seek refuge in the Jewish
homeland -- Israel.
2. Miari and Shamas are both Arabs and have argued publicly that the
Law of Return should be abolished or changed to permit Arabs and others
to freely immigrate (i.e., to make aliyah) to Israel.
3. RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR, Conflict and Accommodation between Jews in
Israel edited by sociologist Charles S. Liebman, published by the Avi
Chai Foundation and Keter Publishers, 1990.
Pages 198-199: The Sapir Jewish Heritage Center has the goal to "teach
Judaism from a humanistic perspective. Judaism was to be presented as
a civilization with the human being at its center of its value system."
Pages 210-211: Jewish identity "at the Sapir Center is linked
to the centrality of man and values of humanism. At the Sapir Center
the specifically religious aspect of Judaism plays a marginal role in
the program of study. The central aspect is the cultural-moral dimension."
4. Pardes is a Jerusalem-based co-educational institute for Jewish
studies that is Conservative in outlook but has external Orthodox features.
Pardes has been linked to Oz VeSHalom/Netivot Shalom.
5. Maariv weekly magazine; Sof Shavua; 18 July 1986 article, "Escaping
From The Rabbinate." Author's last name is spelled 'Hayerushalmi.'
6. Exact wording of Rosen's Who's Who entry for his education is: "Education:
Yeshivat Mir, Jerusalem & Yeshivat Har Etzion; London University,
Pretoria University, Cape Town University (Ph.D)."
7. Should read "all" with regards to secular degrees listed
in the Who's Who entry.
8. David Shlomo Rosen was born 18 August 1951 in Newbury, England.
9. a. Letter from Carmel College's headmaster, P.D. Skelker, states
that "We are a high school and the children who attend are between
11 and 18 years of age." This letter is reproduced in Appendix
A. [LF notes: I was sent this as a bound 8x10 publication from the Michael
Scott Information and Research Center. I believe that one half of this
organization is Scott "Shmarya"
Rosenberg.]
b. See footnote 5 for a direct reference to "Oxford of English
Jews." Only outside of England is it mistakenly considered a 'Jewish
Oxford.' English Jews realize that Carmel College is a high school.
C. Biography section of the weekly magazine of the Cape Town newspaper
Argus, 18 October 1975 article, "Rabbi Never Fired a Shot."
That writer assumed that Carmel College is a real college.
d. Argus, 11 March 1975 article; 'Country Bumbpkin Rabbi is Only 25."
That writer assumed that Carmel College is a real college.
e. Irish Times, 22 November 1984 article, 'A Strict Rabbi and a Political
Radical." That writer assumed Carmel College is a real college.
10. One of Shakespear's more notable efforts is The Merchant of Venice,
a play that features a grotesque anti-Jewish caricature -- Shylock,
the Jewish moneylender.
11. Rabbi Kopul Rosen died 15 March 1962.
12. a. See footnote 5
b. Israel Scene Magazine, June 1987 page 32, "The Life in a Day
of Rabbi David Rosen."
13. a. Head of Yeshiva. In Hebrew: "Rosh HaYeshiva" At Ponevezh
there are several Rosh HaYeshivas: Rav Shach, Rav Kahaneman, Rav Poberski
(and perhaps others).
b. After this article was published, Rosen produced documents stating
that: "The head of Ponevezh Yeshiva, Rabbi David Poberski and the
head of Tefferet Netanya Yeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Levin ordained David Rosen
for the Rabbinate the eve of his departure, on a mission to South Africa
sixteen years ago." (As quoted in Erev Shabbat, page 13, 8 June
1990)
Certainly David Rosen can call himself a rabbi. In a telephone conversation
with rabbi Kravitz, a vice president from the American Friends of Ponevezh
Yeshiva, he explained that "Ponevezh as an institution does not
grant ordination. The individual rabbis do. These rabbis are allowed
to use Ponevezh stationary. With ordination on this stationary, it is
legitimate to claim ordination from Ponevezh. There are absolutely no
records kept of ordinations, unless an individual rabbi may keep records
of who he ordained."
It is not that unusual for some yeshivas to grant ordination to a student
if the student says he can obtain a rabbinical position if he can call
himself a rabbi. It seems some of the rabbis at Ponevezh will from time
to time ordain someone who is not a student, althought this practice
may not be common. Rosen from all available information was never a
student at Ponevezh. (Rabbi David Poberski does not remember him.)
Rosen did study at Mir and Har Etzion yeshivas. Interestingly, the
rabbis at these two institutions did not ordain Rosen. Rosen says nothing
about studying at Ponevezh, only that he received ordination from a
rabbi there. (See footnote 5.)
The Sof Shavus article (footnote 5) says that Rosen was ordained before
he served in the IDF Rabbinate. The Erev Shabbat article of 8 June 1990
(whose writer, Yehoshua Geladi, saw Rosen's documents) has Rosen receiving
ordination after his stint in the IDF Rabbinate.
c. Rosen also produced evidence that he served on Cape Town's rabbinic
court (Beit Din) at the time he was rabbi of the Green and Sea Point
Hebrew Congregation. The head of that Beit Din, rabbi Duchinsky, is
now deceased. The head of the Johannesburg Beit Din, rabbi Kurtsdah,
serves Cape Town when necessary.
14. September 1973, Rosen assumes his appointment to Jewish students
at Witwatersrand University.
15. Formal name of the congregation is Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congregation.
Rosen is rabbi there from March 1975 to June 1979.
16. See footnote 9a.
17. According to the World of Learning, a registry of all universities
world wide, at the University of Pretoria the language of instruction
is Afrikaans only. A phone conversation with Pretoria brought out more
details -- while the textbooks are in English all class discussions,
exams and even the university newspaper are in Afrikaans. Without knowledge
of Afrikaans obtaining a degree is unheard of. Other universities are
bilingual (for example: University of South Africa at Pretoria) or English
only, (University of Cape Town). Rosen was asked to informally in November
of 1989 if he spoke Afrikaans. He replied, "Just a few words."
18. After this article was published, Rosen produced a testimonial
from an Irish Catholic church leader stating that Rosen was accepted
for a doctoral degree program at the University of Trinity in Dublin,
Ireland. The church leader also claimed that Rosen has academic title,
although no proof of this claim was produced by the church leader. (See
letter from Trinity University in Appendix A for the university's definitive
statement on David Rosen.)
All secular institutions that have been associated with Rosen were
asked about a David S. Rosen, born 18 August 1951 (All replies are reproduced
in Appendix A.) From these replies, it is clear that Rosen has no secular
degrees from these institutions. Three of these institutions found no
trace of Rosen at all.
Rosen is still insisting that he registered at the University of Cape
Town. During a phone conversation, it was learned that one "David
Rosen" (no middle name or initial) born 17 April 1959 did attend
the University of Cape Town from 1977 to 1987. However, David Shlomo
Rosen (born 18 August 1951) only lived in South Africa from 1973 to
1979. Therefore this could not be the same David Rosen.
19. Rosen was a student advisor there.
20. Letter was reproduced in whole in Erev Shabbat 11 May 1990.
21 a. This reference is from the biography section of the weekly magazine
of the Cape Town newspaper Argus, 18 October 1975 article, "Rabbi
Never Fires a Shot." The article says "for the record he is
26."
b. See also Argus, 20 March 1975 "Rabbi (25) Inducted in Sea Point
Ceremony." Rosen is 23 years old at this time.
c. See also Argus, 11 March 1975, "Country Bumpkin Rabbi is only
25." Rosen is 23 years old at this time.
d. See also Irish Times, 22 November 1984, "A Strict Rabbi and
a Political Radical." "But by only 24 he was Rabbi at the
Sea Point synagogue."
22. Former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, father of the current president
of Israel, Chaim Herzog.
23. See also Afrikaans newspaper Die Burger, 23 December 1977, article
"Preek Krap Seepunt Se Jode Om" (Sermon Upsets Sea Point's
Jews).
24. Jewish Herald, 15 May 1980, "Jews Target for Vicious Letters."
After 1983 The Irish Times, Irish Independent and the Irish Press regularly
refer to Rosen as "Dr. Rosen."
25. Semitic studies.
26. See footnote 12b.
27. Exact wording is: "I am sorry to inform you that I can find
no trace of the above mentioned student..." Letter is reproduced
in Appendix A.
28. Exact wording is: "My records indicate that David Rosen registered
as a part-time post graduate student in this University in January 1981.
He remained on the register until he left Dublin in the autumn of 1984.
I have no record of his having been awarded any degree."
29. Counterpoint, November 1987, "The Wizard of Oz VeShalom."
30. Jerusalem Post, 19 July 1989, "Of Modernists and Modernists."
31. a. Jerusalem Post, 29 May 1987, "Jews for Jesus Fight for
Rights."
b. David Rosen has also asserted that his remarks only pertained to
Israeli Ari Sorko-Ram, who was also mentioned in The Jerusalem Post
29/5/87 article. The pamphlet Missionary and Cult Activity in Israel,
published by the Cult and Missionary Task Force of New York City's Jewish
Community Relations Council, identifies Ari Sorko-Ram as a missionary
leader in charge of Maoz Ministries.
In Charisma & Christian Life, June 1989, "Believers in Israel,"
Ari and Shira Sorko-Ram are portrayed as leaders in the missionary movement.
32 a. Jerusalem Times, Letters from Jerusalem Times Readers, 7 August
1987, "Jews for Jesus and the A.D.L." Natan Baum writes that
he was approached by missionaries who used The Jerusalem Post 29/5/87
clipping (Rosen's comments) to prove that one can believe in Jesus and
still be Jewish.
b. A letter from an anti-missionary leader, Shmuel Golding, dated 1
Nov 1987, says about Rosen that "he certainly is being quoted by
the messianic Jews as one who speaks in their favor."
33. Rav Aaron Lichtenstein is the Rosh HaYeshiva at Yeshivat Har-Etzion.
Rosen's highest rabbinic studies occurred under the guidance of Rav
Lichtenstein. Rav Lichtenstein is considered the leader of a small minority
of Orthodox rabbis in Israel who hold far left views. In theory Rosen
belongs to this group. See also Appendix B, Counterpoint, November 1987,
"The Wizard of Oz VeShalom."
34. ADL Bulletin, June 1986, page 15.
35. Formal name in English as used in The Jerusalem Post is,
Rabbinic Human Rights Watch (RHRW).
36. Tiny far left group whose members refuse to do military service
in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
40. 17 & 18 of November 1989, Rosen was presented as 'Scholar-in-Residence.'
41. Rosen was presented as having "pursued Ph.D. study in Rabbinics
and Politics at Trinity University."
42. Kenesseth Israel Congregation Bulletin, Volume 31, No 3, Nov 1989.
Full quote of Rosen's education credentials is as follows: "Rabbi
Rosen received his B.A. in Semitics from London University, his M.A.
in Semitics from Pretoria University; pursued Ph.D. study in Rabbinics
and Politics at Trinity University and received his Semicha from Mir,
Ponevez Yeshivos in Israel."
43. It is interesting to note that Rosen made the correction after
serious questions were raised regarding his ordination and rabbinic
status.
44. In the Maariv weekly magazine of Sof Shavua, 18 July 1986
(footnote 5), "Escaping from the Rabbinate," Rosen only says
that he received Semicha from Ponevezh but says nothing about studying
there.
In Rosen's Who's Who in Israel entry, Ponevezh is not mentioned.
In Isarel Scene Magazine, June 1987, page 32, "The Life in a Day
of Rabbi David Rosen," Ponevezh is not mentioned.