In 1886, “a small whaling vessel anchored off the Island of Oʻahu, opposite the city of Honolulu. A wizened little man with knowing, twinkling eyes of jet black, and some sixty odd winters in his long white beard, and a wind-lashed face, disembarked the ship.” (Canadian Jewish Chronicle, April 15, 1938)
“His quick smile, his rapid wit, his good nature, his feats of magic, soon made him a popular figure among the natives of the flourishing community of Honolulu, and earned for him the affectionate name of ‘Rosey.’”
“It is by this name alone that the old-timers still remember him, and only after considerable inquiry was the writer able to learn that ‘Rosey’ was a contraction of ‘Rosenberg,’ the true name of this wandering prophet.” (His full name was Elias Abraham Rosenberg.)
“’Rosey’ amused the King by telling him prophetic stories and reading his horoscope. From this amusement Rabbi ‘Rosey’ turned to mysticism and interpretations of the Talmud, read and explained to King Kalākaua the Torah.” (Canadian Jewish Chronicle, April 15, 1938)
He also earned the name ‘Holy Moses.’ He befriended Kalākaua and was appointed appraiser at the Custom House. “A foreign fortune teller by the name of Rosenberg acquired great influence with the King.” (Alexander)
He had his detractors; “A curio by the name of Rosenberg, who is too well known in our neighborhood (San Francisco) to need much introduction, is cavorting around Honolulu and has succeeded in ingratiating himself in the King’s favor.”
“At last accounts he was teaching his Majesty Hebrew, and predicting all manner of disturbance in the line of earthquakes, fires, etc., thus endeavoring by a species of charlatanism to work on the superstitions of an easily deluded neighborhood.”
“The Islands, more especially Honolulu, have a Hebrew population of which they have ample reason to be proud, and when such a scalawag as Rosenberg comes floating around, putting himself forward as a prominent representative of Judaism …”
“… a good-sized boot should he effectively applied to the more delicate portion of his anatomy, and instead of the Custom House, a berth should be given him in some distant land where at least he might be far removed from respectable members of a refined Jewish community.” (Jewish Progress; Daily Bulletin, May 10, 1887)
However, Kalākaua took such a shine to him that at one point Rosenberg was actually granted a room in ʻIolani Palace for fortune-telling and drinking sessions which the King frequently took part in. (Kain)
“I struck old Holy Moses last Friday on his way to the Custom House. He looked as smiling as a summer morning and had a big envelope in his hand. I asked Holy Moses how he was getting along. He told me he had just got his appointment as appraiser …” (Flaneur, Hawaiian Gazette, April 5, 1887)
“I noticed my venerable friend Holy Moses knocking round the Custom House lately and the boys there have dropped calling him ‘Moses,’ ‘Rosy’ and other pet names. Now they are very circumspect and never forget the Mr when they address him. … Holy Moses has promised to tell them the number of the lucky ticket in the Louisiana lottery.” (Flaneur, Hawaiian Gazette, April 26, 1887)
“Though his stay on the island was only six months, Rosenberg made quite the impression on the reigning monarch, King Kalākaua. He spent time teaching the king to read Hebrew and gained the monarch’s trust.”
“His majesty is said to have been so impressed that he started the study of Hebrew in order that he could read from the ancient Torah that his Rabbi friend carried with him and temper the laws of his ocean-bound kingdom with many of its teachings.” (Canadian Jewish Chronicle, April 15, 1938)
A Sefer Torah (Pentateuch) and Pointer were brought to Hawaiʻi in 1886 by Elias Abraham Rosenberg who came here from San Francisco. Although the rabbinical lists do not contain his name, he called himself a rabbi.
He appears to have ingratiated himself with King David Kalākaua and became a royal soothsayer, of sorts, preparing horoscopes and prophecies for the King as well as telling him Bible stories and teaching him Hebrew. Rosenberg left the Torah and Pointer with Kalākaua for safe-keeping. (Temple Emanu-El)
Kalākaua presented Rosenberg with a silver cup and a gold medal; “Mr. A. Rosenburg, the Custom House Appraiser, received a present of a silver cup and a gold medal, on the first instant. The cup bears the inscription ‘His Majesty Kalākaua I to Abraham Rosenberg, June 1st, 1887.’”
“The gold medal, which is about the size of a $5 gold piece, is similarly inscribed, with the King’s features on the reverse side, and a small attachment on the upper rim in the shape of a crown, to which is fastened a strip of blue ribbon.” (Daily Bulletin, June 3, 1887)
“The king received the Torah scroll and yad … over the years that followed, the scroll and yad gradually made their way to Temple Emanu-El, where they remain to this day, safely ensconced in a glass cabinet.” (Canadian Jewish Chronicle, August 4, 2011) Rosenberg left the Islands June 7, 1887 and returned to San Francisco; he died a month later.
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