Pauline Rose


Pauline Rose — often called the Lady of Mount Zion — was a South African-born author and a pioneering figure in 20th-century Messianic Judaism. She is noted for her leadership in establishing a Messianic Jewish community in Jerusalem, her published diary describing the 1948 Battle for Jerusalem, and her memoir of life in Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967.

Early life and marriage

Pauline Rose was born Pesyah Robinson on September 2, 1898, into a Jewish family in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her father was Rabbi Shaul Robinson. In her youth, she cultivated skills in piano, watercolor painting, and professional dressmaking. She married Albert Rose, a successful ostrich feather merchant originally from Lithuania, and the younger brother of Max Rose, the "ostrich feather king of South Africa."
The couple had one son who died young, a loss that deeply affected Pauline and prompted a lifelong spiritual search.

Spiritual journey

Rose's spiritual journey took her through a variety of religious and philosophical traditions, including Eastern mysticism and theosophy. Ultimately, she encountered the figure of Yeshua and embraced him as the Jewish Messiah while remaining loyal to her Jewish identity. She rejected traditional church doctrines and emphasized a Jewish understanding of Jesus and the Torah.

World War II and London years

In 1931, the Roses moved to London. Albert prospered as a property developer, while Pauline worked as a fashion designer and continued her search for spiritual truth. During World War II, they developed Heston Farm in the Hounslow district of London, which became known for innovative agriculture. In 1944, Pauline joined the Messianic Jewish community in England led by Abram Poljak and became an active proponent of the movement. Albert continued to live a traditional Jewish life and did not follow his wife's new beliefs, although the couple apparently lived in harmony for many years after Pauline's conversion.

Work in Jerusalem

In 1946, Rose visited Palestine and was inspired by the land and by her fellow Jews who had chosen to live there. She returned to England later that year, but came back to Palestine in 1948 amidst the Arab-Israeli War. Her book Siege of Jerusalem documents her experiences during the Battle for Jerusalem. Rose displayed notable courage, aiding neighbors under fire and helping sustain the Messianic community. Her diary entry from May 18, 1948 recounts one of her experiences:
It was during this time period that Rose and others created a new congregation for Messianic Jews in Israel and named it the Jerusalem Fellowship.
In August 1948, Rose and several others were abducted by the Stern Gang, who suspected them of being British spies. They were later released following public outcry.

Later years

In 1959, Pauline and Albert Rose settled permanently on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. There, they restored a derelict house and established "Ha-Ohel", which became a center for peace, dialogue, and hospitality. During the 1967 Six-Day War, Pauline Rose famously created an Israeli flag that was carried into battle and raised above the Tower of David. Her second book, Window on Mount Zion, recounts these events.
In 1965, Rose shifted her focus and launched a ministry on Mount Zion that brought together Jews, Arabs, and Christians. By the mid-1970s, the original Jerusalem Fellowship had dissolved. Rose stood out as a rare female leader in a male-dominated Messianic Jewish context, though her later role in "parachurch" ministry aligned more closely with conventional expectations for women in the movement.

Death

Pauline Rose died of cancer on September 20, 1973. Albert Rose died in 1977. They are buried on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

Works

  • Rose, Pauline. Siege of Jerusalem: Selected Writings of Pauline Rose.
  • Rose, Pauline. Window on Mount Zion.
  • Rose, Pauline. "The Jewish Christian Community." Hervormde teologiese studies, vol. 14, no. 4, 1959, pp. 177–79.