Jesus Freak?

Imagine you have just made a discovery, and that discovery leads to a decision, and that decision changes everything in your life–how you view the world, your relationship with your family and friends, your employment, even where you live. This is what happened to Moishe Rosen.

This is the story (biography) of the life of Moishe Rosen written by his daughter, Ruth. This is a fascinating history starting at the beginning of his life where he was raised in a nominally practicing Jewish family, to the meeting and marrying of his wife, and his conversion to belief in Jesus as his Messiah.

A good background is given about Moishe’s life for the reader to understand the sacrifices Moishe made in his personal and family life, as well as, in his employment when he announces his beliefs publicly. I am sure that many will be surprised that often Jewish people who accept Jesus are ostracized from their families and communities for the rest of their lives. This book explains how Moishe and his wife, Ceil, face those situations, and the very real and deep sacrifices they made for their faith.

The book also covers the change in course Moishe’s employment took because of his new faith, and how that affected both Moishe’s and Ceil’s lives. There are some funny accounts of Moishe and Ceil suddenly being surrounded by Christians and Christian terminology and how confusing that can be to someone who has never heard those terms. There are also accounts of a very Jewish couple going to a Bible college.

This story journeys through the beginning of Moishe’s first years attempting to witness to other Jewish people about Jesus, including street preaching and the violence and hecklers they encountered. It also talks about the first mission that Moishe was associated with, and the blessings and difficulties that went with it.

The story then carries us through the turbulent 1960’s and 1970’s, including protest marches for Jesus. It also tells how that time period affected Moishe’s ministry and how “Jews for Jesus” grew out of that time.

The book ends with the last years of Moishe’s life and the way he “retired” from Jews for Jesus.  Included is how very difficult it was for Moishe to walk away from something he had birthed, as well as, something that he and his family’s life revolved around.

Moishe was a very interesting man. His daughter painted a complete picture of him, “warts and all”, but it is very obvious she did it with love.

This is a great story of a man and his wife whose decision about Jesus radically changed the course of their lives, and thousands of other people’s lives as well. Moishe was a larger than life man with a larger than life story.

I enjoyed this story and was inspired that Moishe kept his faith throughout all the ups and downs he faced in his life. Read this and be intrigued.

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze/Thomas Nelson Publishing for the purpose of review on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner.