Moishe Rosen
Encyclopedia
Martin "Moishe" Rosen was the founder and former Executive Director of Jews for Jesus
, an evangelical Christian missionary organization that focuses specifically on evangelism
to the Jewish people. His parents were Ben Rosen and Rose Baker. Rosen was raised in Denver, Colorado. According to Rosen his mother's parents were "Reform Jews from Austria", his paternal grandfather was Orthodox
, and although Rosen's father regularly attended an Orthodox synagogue he was irreligious and viewed religion as a "racket".
Rosen married Ceil Starr on August 18, 1950, and they became Christians in 1953. After graduating from Northeastern Bible College
, Rosen made a commitment to be a missionary
to Jews from 1956. He was ordained as a Conservative Baptist
minister in 1957. He founded what became known as Jews for Jesus in 1969. In 1973, Rosen left the employment of the American Board of Missions to the Jews (now called Chosen People Ministries
) to incorporate a separate mission which became known as Jews for Jesus ministries. In 1986, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. He stepped down from his position as Executive Director in 1996, and continued to be employed as a staff missionary, remaining one of fifteen board members until his death on May 19, 2010.
In 1997, the Conservative Baptist Association named him a "Hero of the Faith."
A March 2010 article on Charisma Magazine's
website indicated that Rosen had been suffering from a number of serious health issues, including bone cancer. Rosen died on May 19, 2010 of prostate cancer.
Jews for Jesus
Jews for Jesus is a conservative, Christian evangelical organization that focuses on the conversion of Jews to Christianity. Its members consider themselves to be Jews – either as defined by Jewish law, or as according to the view of Jews for Jesus. Jews for Jesus defines “Jewish” in terms of...
, an evangelical Christian missionary organization that focuses specifically on evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
to the Jewish people. His parents were Ben Rosen and Rose Baker. Rosen was raised in Denver, Colorado. According to Rosen his mother's parents were "Reform Jews from Austria", his paternal grandfather was Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
, and although Rosen's father regularly attended an Orthodox synagogue he was irreligious and viewed religion as a "racket".
Rosen married Ceil Starr on August 18, 1950, and they became Christians in 1953. After graduating from Northeastern Bible College
Northeastern Bible College
Northeastern Bible College was founded by Charles W. Anderson and first opened in September, 1950, as Brookdale Bible School, at the Brookdale Baptist Church in Bloomfield, New Jersey. The college relocated to a campus in Essex Fells in the fall of 1952...
, Rosen made a commitment to be a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to Jews from 1956. He was ordained as a Conservative Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister in 1957. He founded what became known as Jews for Jesus in 1969. In 1973, Rosen left the employment of the American Board of Missions to the Jews (now called Chosen People Ministries
Chosen People Ministries
Chosen People Ministries is a religious organization that melds Judaism with evangelical Christian faith and engages in evangelism to Jews. It supports development of congregations of adherents to Messianic Judaism, which it describes as "faith communities that stress the Jewish context of the...
) to incorporate a separate mission which became known as Jews for Jesus ministries. In 1986, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. He stepped down from his position as Executive Director in 1996, and continued to be employed as a staff missionary, remaining one of fifteen board members until his death on May 19, 2010.
In 1997, the Conservative Baptist Association named him a "Hero of the Faith."
A March 2010 article on Charisma Magazine's
Charisma (magazine)
Charisma is a monthly Christian magazine based in Lake Mary, Florida, aimed at Pentecostals and charismatics...
website indicated that Rosen had been suffering from a number of serious health issues, including bone cancer. Rosen died on May 19, 2010 of prostate cancer.
Publications
Rosen wrote numerous books, including:- Sayings of Chairman Moishe (1972)
- Jews for Jesus (1974)
- Share the New Life with a Jew (1976)
- Christ in the Passover (1977)
- Y'shua: the Jewish way to say Jesus (1982)
- Overture to Armageddon (1991)
- The Universe is Broken: Who on Earth Can Fix It? (1991)
- Demystifying Personal Evangelism (1992)
- Witnessing to Jews (1998)
- Christ in the Passover (2006) [revised and expanded]