It is a little known fact that there have been more than fifty prominent Jewish Messiahs'. These characters, though unrenowned today, inspired messianic fervour 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 this book, 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.
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."
"""...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 Cant 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"