Asher Wade
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Dr. Asher Wade is an American-born international lecturer, college instructor and psychotherapist. He was also well known as a "must have" tour-guide at Yad Vashem
, the Holocaust museum in Israel
, from Jan. 1991 until Nov. 2005.
Although there have been a number of Christian clergy who have become converts to Judaism, Asher Wade is one of the few who have gone on to become an orthodox rabbi
. As an ordained Methodist minister, Asher Wade and his wife were moved by the articles in a Sunday morning newspaper commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Kristallnacht. At that time, he was attending the University of Hamburg
in Germany working towards his doctorate in the field of Metaphysics
and Relativity Theory.
He had already earned a B.A. in Philosophy in America and a Master's degree in Philosophical Theology at the University of Edinburgh
in Scotland. In addition, he had previously interned as an adolescent and marriage counselor at the U.S. Army Chaplaincy Center in Berlin while he was attending the Goethe Institute for German studies.
. Rev. Wade and his German born wife recognized that the site where Hamburg's once thriving 30,000 member Jewish community had worshipped was now merely an unmarked university parking lot.
They began a historical investigation and found that the first public organization to join Hitler's ranks was the university teaching staff in Germany; first, the Medical faculty, followed by the Law faculty. Five out of eight university students, they found out, had also openly joined the Nazi party.
and the Orthodox-Reform Debate. About two years later, having undertaken expensive research trips to New York, as well as having written up his first rough-draft, his second supervisor mysteriously withdrew his support of his doctoral program which left Wade with two dissertations written but disallowed from taking the oral exams for completion. The Wade's eventually converted to orthodox Judaism in Frankfurt-am-Main in May, 1983 and, shortly thereafter, moved to the United States.
While living in America, they were contacted by Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore. This meeting, chaired by Rabbi Herman N. Neuberger
(z"l), led to him and his family being sent in 1988 to Jerusalem where he learned for a number of years at Yeshivah Ohr Somayach. Rabbi Wade was ordained a rabbi in Dec.,1992 and worked at Heritage House
in the Old City of Jerusalem, Ohr Somayach as well as Aish HaTorah
for many years. In 2004, Rabbi Wade completed a professional doctoral degree in clinical psychology
through Southern California University for Professional Studies. Today, Rabbi and Mrs. Wade live in Jerusalem with their six children where he lectures at yeshivas & seminaries, teaches at Touro College
and has a private practice in clinical psychology
.
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
, the Holocaust museum in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, from Jan. 1991 until Nov. 2005.
Although there have been a number of Christian clergy who have become converts to Judaism, Asher Wade is one of the few who have gone on to become an orthodox rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
. As an ordained Methodist minister, Asher Wade and his wife were moved by the articles in a Sunday morning newspaper commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Kristallnacht. At that time, he was attending the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
in Germany working towards his doctorate in the field of Metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
and Relativity Theory.
He had already earned a B.A. in Philosophy in America and a Master's degree in Philosophical Theology at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in Scotland. In addition, he had previously interned as an adolescent and marriage counselor at the U.S. Army Chaplaincy Center in Berlin while he was attending the Goethe Institute for German studies.
Kristallnacht
That Sunday morning newspaper included graphic pictures of the destruction of Jewish homes and stores of Hamburg during Kristallnacht, among which was that of the great Born Platz Synagogue of Rabbi Joseph CarlebachJoseph Carlebach
Dr. Joseph Hirsch Carlebach was an Orthodox rabbi and Jewish-German scholar and natural scientist ....
. Rev. Wade and his German born wife recognized that the site where Hamburg's once thriving 30,000 member Jewish community had worshipped was now merely an unmarked university parking lot.
They began a historical investigation and found that the first public organization to join Hitler's ranks was the university teaching staff in Germany; first, the Medical faculty, followed by the Law faculty. Five out of eight university students, they found out, had also openly joined the Nazi party.
Conversion
Rev. Wade and his wife then began to study about Jewish history and the Jewish religion, especially vis-a-vis Christianity. After about a year & a half of study, they both decided to pursue conversion to Judaism. This caused a stir, not only within the Church, but also among his professors at university, primarily with his doctoral supervisior, who, it turned out, had been a chaplain in one of Hitler's tank divisions in Poland during World War II. This professor thwarted the completion of his doctoral program. Several months later, Wade obtained the support of a younger professor, who apparently had no qualms with their conversion to Judaism. Although he was forced to drop his prior research studies as a condition for this support, Wade happily began research in a fully Jewish topic: Rabbi Samson Raphael HirschSamson Raphael Hirsch
Samson Raphael Hirsch was a German rabbi best known as the intellectual founder of the Torah im Derech Eretz school of contemporary Orthodox Judaism...
and the Orthodox-Reform Debate. About two years later, having undertaken expensive research trips to New York, as well as having written up his first rough-draft, his second supervisor mysteriously withdrew his support of his doctoral program which left Wade with two dissertations written but disallowed from taking the oral exams for completion. The Wade's eventually converted to orthodox Judaism in Frankfurt-am-Main in May, 1983 and, shortly thereafter, moved to the United States.
While living in America, they were contacted by Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore. This meeting, chaired by Rabbi Herman N. Neuberger
Herman N. Neuberger
Hermann Naftali Neuberger was an Orthodox rabbi and leader. He was the brother of Albert Neuberger CBE FRS FRCP.- Younger years :...
(z"l), led to him and his family being sent in 1988 to Jerusalem where he learned for a number of years at Yeshivah Ohr Somayach. Rabbi Wade was ordained a rabbi in Dec.,1992 and worked at Heritage House
Heritage House
Heritage House may refer to;*Sheffield Royal Infirmary, a former hospital in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.*Heritage House , once part of the Iron City Brewing Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in the Old City of Jerusalem, Ohr Somayach as well as Aish HaTorah
Aish HaTorah
Aish HaTorah is a Jewish Orthodox organization and yeshiva. Aish HaTorah is actively pro-Israel and encourages Jewish people to visit Israel and connect to the land and its history. Some consider the organisation to reflect a more Religious Zionist philosophy in its attachment to Israel, promoting...
for many years. In 2004, Rabbi Wade completed a professional doctoral degree in clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
through Southern California University for Professional Studies. Today, Rabbi and Mrs. Wade live in Jerusalem with their six children where he lectures at yeshivas & seminaries, teaches at Touro College
Touro College
Touro College is a sponsored independent institution of higher and professional education, in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by Dr. Bernard Lander, the College was established primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American community...
and has a private practice in clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
.
External links
- http://ohr.edu/tapes/speaker.php?id=79
- http://www.atljewishtimes.com/archives/2001/042701cs.htm
- https://www.jewishpress.com/content.cfm?contentid=32973&sContentid=1
- http://www.torah.org/learning/dvartorah/5759/vayigash.html
- Asher Wade's webpage