50 Jewish Messiahs: The Untold Life Stories of 50 Jewish Messiahs Since Jesus and How They Changed the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Worlds [Hardcover]

Jerry Rabow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2002 | ISBN-10: 9652292885 | ISBN-13: 978-9652292889

It is a little known fact that there have been more than fifty prominent Jewish ‘Messiahs’. These characters, though unrenowned today, inspired messianic fervor that at times seized the whole Jewish, Christian, Muslim and even secular worlds. The stories of these fifty Messiahs, both male and female, are unknown – suppressed by Jewish religious authorities or ignored by historians of all religions. Until now.

In Fifty Jewish Messiahs, these Jewish Messiahs are remembered, and now their forgotten stories - whether humorous, bizarre, tragic or solemn - are finally told.
*The Messiah who killed the Pope
*The Messiah who was saved from the Inquisition when the Pope hid him in the Vatican
*The Messiah who demanded that his head be cut off in order to prove his immortality
*The Messiah who defied the Holy Roman Emperor
*The 17th century Messiah whose followers continued their secret society into the 20th century
*And to contemporary times and the story of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, and how he inspired a passionate and devoted following.

Above all, Fifty Jewish Messiahs examines humanity, not divinity, and history rather than theology. Taken together, these intriguing stories paint a vivid portrait of the universal and timeless human need for optimism, and hope in a better future.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a beautifully told series of stories, which traces a major mythic thread in the tapestry of Judaism." -- Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author My Grandfather's Blessings

"...a beautifully told series of stories, which traces a major mythic thread in the tapestry of Judaism..." -- Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author My Grandfather's Blessings

"An exciting spiritual adventure...It is a subject matter particularly pertinent in our times of religious ferment." -- Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, author For Those Who Can’t Believe and Finding Each Other in Judaism

As well as being serous Jewish History, this book is rollicking with fun. -- Judy Carr, The Jewish Post & Opinion

About the Author

Jerry Rabow, a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, practiced law for 35 years in Los Angeles, where he lectured and wrote extensively on estate planning and probate. He has been active for thirty years in various lay leadership positions with Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue in Encino, California. Jerry is the author of a nationally distributed booklet, "Guide to Jewish Mourning and Condolence", and currently attends lectures and classes in Judaica at UCLA and the University of Judaism. His hobbies include Jewish papercutting and digital photography, and he is currently working on a new book, "Fundamentals of Digital Photography."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Gefen Publishing House (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9652292885
• ISBN-13: 978-9652292889
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #243,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JERRY RABOW

I graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. At the end of 1996, I retired from the practice of law, keeping my promise to myself that I would retire early (before age 60) in order to explore the rest of life. Since retirement, I've been able to read individually and to study in many adult education courses and individual lectures in areas of interest to me, including history and biography, science and medicine, and religion and philosophy. I've also pursued hobbies, including designing and making Jewish papercuts and using the computer for digital photography.

I guess my writing is a result of my being something of an impatient reader. Whenever I've been surprised at being unable to find a satisfactory book on a topic I'm interested in, I have the urge to remedy that lack by writing the book I'd like to be able to read, including:

A Guide to Jewish Mourning and Condolence, a nationally distributed booklet recently posted for public access on www.vbs.org.

Digital Photography Tutor, published as an eBook CD by Graphics Management. This was a popular eBook showing new digital photography users how to use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, or similar home computer photo- enhancement programs. The eBook included interactive tutorials and videos to help users improve their digital camera images for home printing. Unfortunately, Digital Photography Tutor is now sold out, and rapid developments in the field make it impractical to bring out an updated version at this time. My website for digital photography tips is still available at www.DigitalPhotographyTutor.com and I hope someday to have the time to develop it into a more useful site for digital photography enthusiasts.

50 Jewish Messiahs, published by Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem, tells the fascinating and often bizarre life stories of the major Jewish messiahs since Jesus and continuing to today, including their surprising impact on the Christian, Muslim, and secular worlds of their time. This book, which recently went into its second printing, has been very well received by general readers, as well as having become a part of many community, academic, and Jewish library collections. It's available on Amazon.com and from the publisher.

I'm currently very excited about finishing my next book, THE BOOK OF LEAH: How the Rabbis rewrote the Bible to tell about love...and how to live without it. This is a work of Torah interpretation based upon classical Midrash and personal commentary. It uncovers the hidden story of Leah, perhaps our most important but most neglected biblical matriarch. I hope to have it published in the next year.

I'm just starting to develop a central website for my writing: www.jerryrabow.com. I'd welcome any comments or questions about my books, including my newest, The Book of Leah. Check out my website, or email me at: [e-mail].

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Time to Understand Deep Belief, November 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: 50 Jewish Messiahs: The Untold Life Stories of 50 Jewish Messiahs Since Jesus and How They Changed the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Worlds (Hardcover)

This is a time when understanding the deep beliefs of fanatics and fundamentals is more important than ever. Jerry Rabow's wonderful account of 50 characters held by their followers as messiahs is perfectly timed and beautifully written. Each story is rich with history, humor, and well-researched detail. "Fifty Jewish Messiahs" is an entertaining exploration of the tradition of making messiahs that makes it clear that dearly-held beliefs can lead to everything from trite silliness to stupendous tragedy.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An instructive popular work, October 12, 2004

By 

Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 50 Jewish Messiahs: The Untold Life Stories of 50 Jewish Messiahs Since Jesus and How They Changed the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Worlds (Hardcover)

This is an instructive popular work that tells the story of fifty different Jewish Messiahs. In doing so it shows how the Messianic idea has caused great havoc and suffering in Jewish history. The climax of this is of course Shabbtai Zvi and the untold suffering his deception and betrayal cost the Jewish people.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important history that prompts people to change their ways, January 26, 2010

By 

Israel Drazin (Boca Raton, Florida) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 50 Jewish Messiahs: The Untold Life Stories of 50 Jewish Messiahs Since Jesus and How They Changed the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Worlds (Hardcover)

Moses Maimonides (1138-1204), who understood Judaism better than anyone, explains in his Code of Jewish Laws, Laws of Kings 11:3 that the messiah is not a miraculous figure: "Do not think that the messianic king must perform miracles and wonders, bring new things into being, revive the dead, or perform similar feats as foolish people believe." He continues in 12:1, "Do not think that in the messianic age, things will be different, or the laws of nature will change. Rather, the world will continue in familiar ways."

Thus if people listen to Maimonides, they will not cry out or even pray for the messiah in times of trouble. Sensible people would realize that their future lies in their own hands, not in some miracle or outsider. And they would not wait for difficulty times before they act.

But the multitude of the people are, unfortunately, not sensible, especially in stressful times. Instead of acting and resolving their difficulties, they rely on prayer, certain that if they pray enough, God will send them a messiah.

And so, some sixty years after the destruction of the Temple, in 132 CE, when the Jews were suffering because of the horrid six decade persecutions of the Romans, many Jews, including the famous Rabbi Akiva, decided to rebel against the Romans. Rabbi Akiva assured the people that their military leader, Bar Kokhba, was the long awaited messiah who would deliver them. Rabow tells about the failure of this first messiah and the tens of thousands of people who died relying on his false dream. He also tells of some four dozen other messiahs that followed because the people did not learn from this first experience.

The stories that Rabow relates are real history, tragic and pathetic periods when people relied on the supernatural instead of reality.

Beside Bar Kokhba, the most famous messiah was Shabbatai Zevi who persuaded millions, including many rabbis, to believe in him, sell their property for cheap prices, and be ready to leave with him to live in peace in Israel. Shabbatai Zevi failed and was forced to convert to Islam in 1666, but many of his followers were convinced that it was a fake conversion and he would fulfill his promise. When he died, many thought he would return from the grave.

Today, many Chabad Chassidim are similarly convinced that Chabad's last rabbi, Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994) is the messiah and, although dead, will return and bring them salvation.

Rabow's stories are interesting and well-written. They are important because they recall a tragic segment of Jewish history that should prompt people, as Maimonides tried to do, to assume their human responsibilities to improve themselves and society and thereby produce a better world.