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Staff

Robert and Carrie Specter

Ministry President and Director:
On staff 40+ years

Robert was born in the country of Haiti while his father, Hyman Specter, served the people of Haiti bringing them the message of Messiah.

Robert’s father, Hyman, grew up in a traditional Jewish household in Southern California.

As a young adult, Hyman had found that Jesus is the Messiah and wanted to tell it to the whole world.

Though Hyman is gone now, Robert has picked up that mantle and has traveled to Europe, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Finland, Japan, Hungary, and of course, Israel.

This has given him a global perspective. His travels and experience point to one overriding belief or philosophy, “We must allow God to make us His Light to the Nations just as Israel was meant to be.”

Doug (David) Carmel

On staff 29 years

Doug (David in Hebrew) was born in New York City to an Israeli (Sephardic) father and Jewish (Ashkenazi) mother.  

He went to Hebrew school, was Bar-Mitzvah and could understand Yiddish. 

After college, at 21 years old, he met the Messiah and it changed his life.

To read more of Doug’s story click here.

Pat Hicks

On staff 1 year

Pat is the newest member of our staff.  While Pat is not Jewish, he is married to a Jewish believer, Debbie, who also happens to be our office manager.

Being married to a Jewish believer has given Pat some great insights into Jewish family life. 

Pat has a real heart for sharing the Messiah with the Jewish people and is very excited to be a part of the Rock of Israel.

 

 

 

Greg Savitt

On staff 4 years

Greg Savitt was born and raised as a Conservative Jew in a Chicago suburb. He attended Hebrew School, learned about Jewish traditions, liturgy and the Hebrew language, yet does not remember the rabbis talking about God as if He could be known personally.

Greg’s interest at that time was math and accounting and he saw religion as something he had to do until his Bar Mitzvah at age 13.

At age 16, while attending a Christian youth function, friends told Greg about Jesus. He imagined what it would be like to believe in Jesus and, oddly enough, began to experience a peace and joy that frightened him. He spoke to a rabbi about his discomfort and was able to dismiss thoughts of Jesus for a time.

After high school, Greg attended the University of Illinois and lived in a Jewish fraternity. After graduation, he worked at the accounting firm of Ernst & Young.

Even though he had plenty of friends, money, and good times, he knew something was missing. Once again a friend began telling Greg about Jesus. This time he listened and he began experiencing a sense of peace and joy.

One day Greg heard a concert by the Liberated Wailing Wall, a mobile Messianic Jewish music team. Watching those Jews who believed in Jesus helped Greg to accept the truth about Jesus the Messiah. Greg felt so strongly about the Messiahship of Jesus that in 1997 he left his job as a CPA to work full-time in sharing the message of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah.

Debbie

Office Manager 20 Years

Debbie was raised in a Jewish home and is now a Jewish believer in Jesus.  She takes care of almost all the administrative office functions which helps things run smoothly for us.  Debbie is married to Patrick (see above) and they have two grown sons.

Rabbi Michael Wolf

Board Member

Messianic Rabbi Michael Wolf is the Rabbi of Beth Messianic Synagogue in the Greater Cincinnati area (Loveland, OH.)  

Michael was raised in a traditional Jewish home and came to faith in Messiah in his twenties.

Michael is a well respect author of several books, a film maker and a board member of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA).

A link to a full copy his movie “Sound of the Spirit” can be found on our video page.

Michael's Movie

Michael's Congregation

Dr. Hal Carter

Board Member

Dr. Harold (Hal) Carter is a 20-year US Air Force veteran and emeritus professor, School of Electrical and Computer Systems at the University of Cincinnati.
 
He has earned degrees in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University (BS, 1966), University of California at Santa Barbara (MS, 1970), and University of Southern California (PhD, 1980).
 
Hal has been a Christian since childhood. He became acquainted with the Rock of Israel and the Jewishness of the Christian faith in the mid-90’s. Since then his heart has been to actively and prayerfully support Rock of Israel as it fulfills its mission of sharing Yeshua with God’s chosen people, the Jews.
 
Hal brings to the Rock of Israel board administrative, technical, and leadership skills.

Rabbi Jeff Adler

Board Member

Rabbi Jeffrey Adler is the Messianic Rabbi of Congregation Sha’arey Yeshua in Indianapolis.

Rabbi Adler comes from a family with five generations of Messianic Jews.  A native of Cincinnati, he has a Master of Divinity degree and has led Messianic synagogues is Cincinnati and Indianapolis since 1978.

Rabbi Adler has held offices in the Messianic Alliance of America and the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations.

He has spoken and taught at congregations all across America, as well as in England.

Additionally, he has spoken and taught the Word of God at many Messianic Jewish conferences, both regional and national, and on several occasions has taught Yeshiva courses for the IAMCS (International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues). His congregation link is here

Jeff's Congregation

Rabbi Frank Lowinger

Board Member

Messianic Rabbi Lowinger was reared in a Conservative Jewish home, the eldest son of a holocaust survivor. He came to faith in the God of Israel in the winter of 1975.

He is a graduate of Canisius College, earning a B.S. in Management and Marketing.  He holds an ordination with the International Alliance of Messianic Jewish Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS).

Rabbi Lowinger is the leader and founder of Congregation B’rith Hadoshah Messianic Synagogue, a position he has held since 1983. He is currently the President of the Messianic Times newspaper, serves on the Executive Committee of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America and is the MJAA’s North East Regional Director. He resides in Buffalo, New York with his wife Margaret.

Franks Congregation

Noelle Shepperd

Board Member

Noelle Shepperd is the daughter of the late Rev. Rodney Dukes who was a Rock of Israel board member for many years. She has held leadership roles at several large churches, roles such as Christian Education Director, Children’s Ministry Director, and Missions/Outreach Director. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education, and a M.A. in Theological Studies.

Noelle has served and continues to serve on several Mission’s Boards.

She is a good friend of Rock of Israel Ministries and has volunteered in our Street Evangelism events in Washington DC. She says, “I love people, both Jew and Gentile, and want to see all come to a saving knowledge of the Messiah!” Noelle and her husband Robert live in Georgia.