Rabbi Roselaar has been at Belmont Synagogue for over 10 years leading the community from strength to strength.
He studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion, Israel, for eight years, and received semicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He is a regular contributor to Daf Hashavua and also acts as Rabbinic Advisor to the United Synagogue Burial Society. He and wife Na'amah have four children. Every week Rabbi Roselaar leads our Kehilla in prayer - but have you ever wanted to know more about the man behind the very impressively adorned tallit? I did, so I asked him some questions to satisfy my curiosity and the Rabbi very bravely answered them! How did you decide to become a Rabbi?I was enthusiastic about teaching Torah and I thought that I had the necessary people skills.
What three things do you want people to know about you?I'm quite a private person!
What is your favourite thing about Israel and why?Knowing that this is the Land of the Bible.
Apart from Israel - where is the best place you have visited on holiday?The scenery in Scotland was amazing - as was the Scotch!
Where would you like to go that you haven't been yet?Norway - to see the Northern Lights.
If you and Na'amah could have any 6 guests to dinner regardless of when theylived - who would they be?Sir Moses Montefiore, Natan Scharansky, the Queen, Thomas Edison, Fiona & Neville.
Has being a father changed the way you approach your job?Definitely - it's made me much more relaxed and made me appreciate that there is more to life than work.
What is your favourite topic to give a shiur on?I can always find something that excites me in the weekly sidra.
What is the best thing about Belmont shul?It doesn't matter how much money you have, the ladies' section isn't a fashion parade every Shabbat and there isn't a lot of religious one-upmanship.
What continues to inspire you to be a community rabbi?Seeing people in the community grow in their committment to Jewish observance.
What is your favourite colour? Peach.
What is your favourite chag and why?Chanukah - it's relatively stress-free and I can enjoy it with the family.
How do you decide what to say in your weekly drosha?I try to say something that will get people thinking and something that wouldn't have occurred to people by themselves.
What do you feel has been your biggest achievement as a Rabbi to date?I don't worry too much about big achievements. Lots of small achievements are also meaningful.
As a community rabbi you seem to be busy 24/7 - how do you switch off at theend of the day?Killer sudoku.
Who is your biggest inspiration in life?Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein - the Rosh Yeshiva of Gush.
If you could meet anyone from the bible - who would it be and why?Mordechai - he was a scholar and leader. And he won!
Why do you think the congregation on Shabbat has diminished?It's got a lot to do with the age profile of the community - in the days when there were 25 bar / bat mitzvahs each year there were a lot more people coming to shul.
Do you prefer Brent X or The Harlequin?The Harlequin of course!
Who is your rabbi?Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein - the Rosh Yeshiva of Gush.
How would you like to be remembered?If people would remember even just one thing that they learned from me it would be very satisfying Image: Murray Freedman
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