David Rosen (Rabbi)
Encyclopedia
Rabbi David Shlomo Rosen CBE
is the former Chief Rabbi
of Ireland
(1979–85) and currently serves as the Director of the American Jewish Committee
's Department of Interreligious Affairs and the Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding. From 2005 until 2009 he headed the International Jewish Committee for Inter-religious Consultations (IJCIC), the broad based coalition of Jewish organizations and denominations that represents World Jewry in its relations with other world religions. His personal website is given below.
Before being appointed Chief Rabbi of Ireland,he was the Senior Rabbi of the largest Orthodox Jewish congregation in South Africa
(The Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congregation, Cape Town
) and served as a judge on the Cape Beth Din (Rabbinic Court.)
, serving on the latter's Commission for Interreligious Relations.
He is an International President of the World Conference of Religions for Peace; Honorary President of the International Council of Christians and Jews
; on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute; and is on the Advisory Boards of the World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace
; and the World Economic Forum
's council of religious leaders.
of the Order of Gregory the Great in recognition of his contribution to Jewish-Catholic reconciliation (Rabbi Rosen is the first Israel
i citizen and the first Orthodox rabbi to receive this honor.) In the same year he also won the Mount Zion Award
for Interreligious
Understanding. In December 2006, Rabbi Rosen received the Raphael Lemkin
Human Rights Award for having founded the organization Rabbis for Human Rights
. Rosen was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.
Rabbi Rosen was the only Israeli participant at the interfaith summit convened by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in Madrid in June 2008 and the follow-up meeting in Vienna in July 2009.
has been quoted on is the caption concerning Pius XII at Yad Vashem
. "What Yad Vashem says is not necessarily wrong," conceded Rosen, "but it doesn't give us all the information." Rabbi Rosen quoted eminent historian Martin Gilbert
, who says that Pius saved thousands of Jews.
He also expressed grave concerns on the lifting of the excommunication of controversial bishop Richard Williamson,
but welcomed the Vatican's subsequent clarifications and Pope Benedict XVI's categorical repudiation and condemnation of Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism.
society. He is a vigorous critic of factory farming
, noting that "much of the current treatment of animals in the livestock trade makes the consumption of meat produced through such cruel conditions halachically unacceptable as the product of illegitimate means." In addition he has argued that the waste of natural resources and the damage done to the environment by "meat production" make a compelling Jewish moral argument for adopting a vegetarian diet. http://www.ivu.org/religion/articles/jewishveg.ivu.revised.3.05.doc He has written extensively on a wide variety of interfaith issues http://www.rabbidavidrosen.net.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is the former Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(1979–85) and currently serves as the Director of the American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
's Department of Interreligious Affairs and the Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding. From 2005 until 2009 he headed the International Jewish Committee for Inter-religious Consultations (IJCIC), the broad based coalition of Jewish organizations and denominations that represents World Jewry in its relations with other world religions. His personal website is given below.
Before being appointed Chief Rabbi of Ireland,he was the Senior Rabbi of the largest Orthodox Jewish congregation in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
(The Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congregation, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
) and served as a judge on the Cape Beth Din (Rabbinic Court.)
Interfaith relations
Based in Jerusalem, he also serves as the Advisor on Interreligious Affairs to the Chief Rabbinate of IsraelChief Rabbinate of Israel
The Chief Rabbinate of Israel is recognized by law as the supreme halakhic and spiritual authority for the Jewish people in Israel. The Chief Rabbinate Council assists the two chief rabbis, who alternate in its presidency. It has legal and administrative authority to organize religious...
, serving on the latter's Commission for Interreligious Relations.
He is an International President of the World Conference of Religions for Peace; Honorary President of the International Council of Christians and Jews
International Council of Christians and Jews
The International Council of Christians and Jews is an umbrella organization of 38 national groups in 32 countries world-wide engaged in the Christian-Jewish dialogue...
; on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute; and is on the Advisory Boards of the World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace
World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace
The World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace "brings together Imams and Rabbis who formally seek to initiate rapprochement between Judaism and Islam"....
; and the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
's council of religious leaders.
Awards
In November 2005, Rabbi Rosen was made a Knight CommanderKnight Commander
Knight Commander is the second most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are dormant . The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the recipient to use the title 'Sir' or 'Dame' before his or her name...
of the Order of Gregory the Great in recognition of his contribution to Jewish-Catholic reconciliation (Rabbi Rosen is the first Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i citizen and the first Orthodox rabbi to receive this honor.) In the same year he also won the Mount Zion Award
Mount Zion Award
The Mount Zion Foundation has its seat at the Institute for Jewish-Christian Research at the University of Lucerne in Switzerland and grants every other year on october 28 the Mount Zion Award. In 1986 the Mount Zion Foundation was created by the German Reverend Wilhelm Salberg , son of a Jewish...
for Interreligious
Understanding. In December 2006, Rabbi Rosen received the Raphael Lemkin
Raphael Lemkin
Raphael Lemkin was a Polish lawyer of Jewish descent. He is best known for his work against genocide, a word he coined in 1943 from the root words genos and -cide...
Human Rights Award for having founded the organization Rabbis for Human Rights
Rabbis for Human Rights
Rabbis for Human Rights-Israel is an Israeli human rights organisation describing itself as "the rabbinic voice of conscience in Israel, giving voice to the Jewish tradition of human rights"....
. Rosen was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.
Rabbi Rosen was the only Israeli participant at the interfaith summit convened by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in Madrid in June 2008 and the follow-up meeting in Vienna in July 2009.
Personal life
He is married to Sharon (née Rothstein) and they have three daughters, Yakarah (married to Arik Attias), Gabriella (married to Dror Rubin) and Amirit; and four grandchildren, Imbar, Nieve, Yair (Yakarah and Arik's offspring)and Zohar (Gabriella and Dror's son.)Views
Among the many recent issues that Rabbi David RosenDavid Rosen
David Rosen is the name of:* David Rosen , longtime CEO of SEGA* David Rosen , Professor of Musicology, Cornell University* David Rosen , fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in 2000...
has been quoted on is the caption concerning Pius XII at Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
. "What Yad Vashem says is not necessarily wrong," conceded Rosen, "but it doesn't give us all the information." Rabbi Rosen quoted eminent historian Martin Gilbert
Martin Gilbert
Sir Martin John Gilbert, CBE, PC is a British historian and Fellow of Merton College, University of Oxford. He is the author of over eighty books, including works on the Holocaust and Jewish history...
, who says that Pius saved thousands of Jews.
He also expressed grave concerns on the lifting of the excommunication of controversial bishop Richard Williamson,
but welcomed the Vatican's subsequent clarifications and Pope Benedict XVI's categorical repudiation and condemnation of Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism.
Vegetarianism
Rabbi Rosen is also Honorary President of the International Jewish Vegetarian and EcologyEcology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
society. He is a vigorous critic of factory farming
Factory farming
Factory farming is a term referring to the process of raising livestock in confinement at high stocking density, where a farm operates as a factory — a practice typical in industrial farming by agribusinesses. The main products of this industry are meat, milk and eggs for human consumption...
, noting that "much of the current treatment of animals in the livestock trade makes the consumption of meat produced through such cruel conditions halachically unacceptable as the product of illegitimate means." In addition he has argued that the waste of natural resources and the damage done to the environment by "meat production" make a compelling Jewish moral argument for adopting a vegetarian diet. http://www.ivu.org/religion/articles/jewishveg.ivu.revised.3.05.doc He has written extensively on a wide variety of interfaith issues http://www.rabbidavidrosen.net.