Elias Friedman OCD

March 11 1916: Born in Cape Town, South Africa

1940: Volunteered as a doctor in the South African Medical Corp
August 5, 1943: Baptised
June 29 1953: Ordained to the priesthood, Cathedral of Avignon, France
September 7 1954: Arrived at Mt. Carmel, Haifa as Carmelite friar
June 11 1999: Passed over into eternity

Elias Friedman, OCD, a Carmelite priest, lived at Stella Maris Monastery on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel until he passed over in 1999. Born in 1916 into a Jewish family in South Africa, Jacob Friedman graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1938. In 1943, while serving as a doctor in the South African Medical Corps, he entered the Catholic Church. Four years later, he became a Carmelite and saw his first book, The Redemption of Israel, published by Sheed and Ward. He was ordained in 1953 and entered Stella Maris the following year.

Creative, sensitive and versatile, Father Elias has achieved distinction as an author, historian of Carmelite origins, linguist, translator, public speaker, musician and internationally acclaimed poet.

Jewish Identity (The Miriam Press, NY, 1987) was the fruit of a lifetime of prayer, study and more than 40 years of religious life in Israel. The new international organization founded by Father Elias, the AHC, is an early manifestation of the great spiritual insights contained in this work. In a parallel development, the Church, beginning with Vatican II, has been revising its teaching regarding Jews and Judaism. (The above was taken from the jacket of Jewish Identity.)

Writings of Elias Friedman, OCD

Original Manifesto for the AHC
The Logo of the AHC
Jewish Identity
Novena to St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)
Reflections of a Hebrew Catholic
Poetry