Honey from the Rock: Sixteen Jews Find the Sweetness of Christ

by Roy H. Schoeman (Editor)

Schoeman, a Jewish convert to Catholicism, and best-selling author of Salvation Is From The Jews, once again shows the clear links between Judaism and Catholicism in these inspiring stories of sixteen Jews who became "fulfilled Jews", as Schoeman says, through their spiritual journeys to the Catholic Church. Using the rich image in Psalm 81 for the book's title, the author shows how God gave the Jews at Meribah refreshing water from the rock struck by Moses, but He promised ever so much more when they turn their whole hearts to Him - he will give them honey, sweetness itself, from the rock. The sweetness of Christ.

The sixteen people whose stories are told here are a variety of Jews, including some who came from secularized, liberal or even atheistic backgrounds, while others came from Orthodox Judaism, or even Hasidism. Some were well trained Jews, others unschooled in Judaism; some rich and wildly successful, others down and out. But their common link was they all had a profound longing for God that gave them no peace until they found God Himself in the Catholic Church.

Some of these converts are famous people like Edith Stein, Alphonse Ratisbonne, Karl Stern, and Rabbi Zolli, while others are less well known, but all have powerful stories of life-changing spiritual transformations.

Genres: Faith, Religion, Catholic, History, Theology, Philosophy

300 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2007

About the author

Roy Schoeman, was born in a suburb of New York City of "Conservative" Jewish parents who had fled Nazi Germany. His Jewish education and formation was received under some of the most prominent Rabbis in contemporary American Jewry, including Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg, probably the foremost Conservative Rabbi in the U.S. and his hometown Rabbi growing up; Rabbi Arthur Green, later the head of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College who was his religion teacher and mentor during high school and early college; and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, a prominent Hasidic Rabbi with whom he lived in Israel for several months. His secular education included a B.Sc. from M.I.T. and an M.B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard Business School. Midway through a career of teaching and consulting (he had been appointed to the faculty of the Harvard Business School) he experienced an unexpected and instantaneous conversion to Christianity which led to a dramatic refocus of his activities. Since then he has pursued theological studies at several seminaries, helped produce and host a Catholic Television talk show, and edited and written for several Catholic books and reviews.

Reviews

[Richard Worden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting book and an addition to my study of Messianic Judaism. The book describes the journey of 16 men and women who journeyed from Judaism to the Roman Catholic Church. Unlike Messianic Judaism which practices a mixture of Judaism and Christianity as a form of Protestantism this book illustrates how converted Jews fit into the RCC and accept the RCC as the fulfillment of Jewish promises and history.

[Chandler Holloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s beautiful and inspiring to read stories of Christ reconciling himself to Jewish men and women. I was feeling in need of a reminder that Jesus saves the ignorant and wayward.

This book is very Catholic! As a Protestant, this book makes claims (specifically about the Eucharist and Mary) that I don’t agree with. But I wouldn’t let that stop you from engaging with this!

I also found that many of their reasonings to identify as Catholic instead of Protestant were more critiques of American Fundamentalistism. But I also found that some of my critiques of Catholicism were also against a Conservative Catholicism.

Overall, this is a book I’d recommend to any believer, regardless of specific denomination, who wants to celebrate the beauty of lost people being found!

[Kevin de Ataíde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very pleased with this collection of autobiographical narratives of Jews who found their way to the heart of Christ in the Catholic Church. The best part is the common observation that, as Catholics, they became 'Jews fulfilled.' None of them have any desire to leave aside their Judaism, and many of them live the Jewish culture, holidays and festivals with a new understanding. Not unlike the blessed Mother and the holy Apostles. For the take-away value, I give this book my rare five-star rating.

[Francisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm looking for answers and this book has a lot of stories about finding God in the Catholic church, some of those through vision, dreams and miracles. This is not my case. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed".

So, even with those stories, I'm still looking and making the human effort to believe and keep the faith.

[Sister M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

finished reading this book!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT FILLED A VOID

I've been reading about the lives of the saints, looking for the very impetuous that I found in Mr. Schoeman's stories. Thank you.