Rabbi Jan Rosenberg
Rabbi Jan Rosenberg has been actively involved in the Messianic Jewish movement for over 35 years. On January 6, 1993, he and his wife Marlene came to Beth Zion with a wide range of ministry experience including 16 years as members of the internationally known Messianic singing group, Kol Simcha (Hebrew for Sound of Joy). They were also members of Congregation Beth Yeshua in Philadelphia, PA for nearly 20 years, serving in various leadership capacities.
Jan was born and raised in a Conservative Jewish home in northern New Jersey. In his high school years, he and his brothers began to move towards a more observant Jewish lifestyle.
In his quest for an intimate personal relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Jan found himself deeply involved in a powerful series of unusual events that ultimately led him to the realization that Yeshua (Jesus) was indeed the long awaited Messiah of his people.
After coming to a knowledge of Messiah in 1971, in a black Pentecostal Church in North Philadelphia (this was definitely not Hillel House!), Jan discovered the importance of being immersed in the Scriptures. Eighteen months later, he attended Bible School, where he received basic biblical training and learned more clearly the reality of God's unconditional love.
In 1975, Jan moved back to Philadelphia, where he began to attend Congregation Beth Yeshua. That same summer, while attending Messiah '75, a clear vision of Messianic Judaism was deeply sown into his heart.
After years of intensive personal study and Messianic Yeshiva courses, Jan received his full s'mikhah (ordination) through the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations & Synagogues (IAMCS) towards the end of the 1990s. His humorous, heart oriented delivery has made him a popular conference speaker for the past several years.
Jan has written the Passover Trilogy Messianic Haggadah, and co-authored the Word As A Way of Life Bible Reading Program, with his brother David (Messianic Rabbi of Congregation Shuvah Yisrael in East Williston, NY).
In 1982, Jan started his own graphic design and print brokerage business. Over the years, Tovah Publications has produced many books, brochures, catalogs, calendars, CD and cassette album covers, as well as a variety of printed materials for several businesses and ministries. At present, the chief publishing focus is with congregational materials and print advertisement.
Rebbitzen Marlene Rosenberg
Marlene Rosenberg was born and raised in a traditional-Jewish home in the Midwest. With a grandmother from Minsk who made the Czar's hit list as a revolutionary, it's no wonder Marlene has always been an independent thinker and a tenacious seeker of truth. As a youth, her study of the Scriptures enriched her love of Judaism and increased her desire to know the God of our people even more.
During her college days, after having studied the Messianic prophesies contained within the Tanakh, Marlene was confronted with a problem. She intellectually understood Yeshua was indeed the Messiah, but was uncomfortable in the local church environment she was invited to. After deciding it was impractical to start her own religion with herself as the sole member. She was invited to visit a Messianic Jewish Synagogue by a wonderful non-Jewish believer who had a love and zeal for her Messiah. In the comfort of a culturally familiar setting, she found she was not the only Jew in the whole world who believed this way.
In 1975, she moved to Philadelphia to be a part of Congregation Beth Yeshua and then the singing group, "Kol Simcha" (Hebrew for Sound of Joy) where they traveled all over the United States & Canada, Israel & Moscow. One of the unique fringe benefits of singing with Kol Simcha for 16 years was meeting and marrying her husband, Jan in 1980.
Over the years, Marlene's growth and maturity in her relationship with the Lord established her as a speaker at conferences, women's retreats and other formats. She is currently leading our Wednesday Connections Class as well as serving as Beth Zion's Administrator and also one of our worship leaders.
Marlene, who is one of the founders, has been overseeing the Beth Zion Women's Retreat every year since 2005. This inclusive, inspirational and transparent retreat hosts women from 23 Messianic synagogues from more than 10 states.
The joy of Marlene's life has been her three adult children: Shoshana, Isaac, Tovah and Dan her son-in-law.
