Moses Farrar

Elder Moses Farrar, who turned eighty years young on Monday, December 28, 2009, recently retired as Elder-in-Charge of Fifth Tabernacle in Atlantic City, NJ. Farrar is a member of Temple Beth El, the oldest and largest Hebrew Israelite congregation in the United States.

Elder Farrar has been a faithful and loyal Elder-in-Charge for almost 38 years having served in Brooklyn, New Haven, Rochester, Philadelphia and most recently, Atlantic City.

Moses Farrar was born in Richmond, Virginia, and is the youngest of eight children. At age seven he went to live in the Hampton Roads area, 90 miles southeast of Richmond. Shortly after his arrival there he was selected from among many others in his age group to be trained in printing, where he learned to set type by hand - one letter at a time. In the "old days" a beginner was called a "printer's devil." In 1941 his mother took him to Philadelphia to live. When old enough to enter high school he chose to attend Dobbins Vocational Technical High School where he continued studies in printing. He has worked on the staff of several newspapers and book-making plants in Philadelphia and Virginia. In 1969 he opened his own printing business in Philadelphia, operating it for eight years.

Ordained an Elder of an international Israelite congregation in 1971 (of which he is virtually a life-long member), he has headed congregations in Atlantic City, Brooklyn, New Haven, Rochester and Philadelphia, After moving to Brooklyn in 1976, he again established his printing business there for 15 years.

He is considered by many to be among the leading Biblicists, biblical historians and lecturers, having presented lectures and historical and spiritual seminars since 1980 at colleges and houses of worship of various persuasions. In 1991 Elder Farrar lectured from the stage of the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem. The Author was chosen by the Chief Rabbi of his congregation to visit South Africa in 1991, 1992 and 1994 to assist in strengthening the spiritual work of our many associated congregations there. For 15 years he was a member of the religious panel for the training course, "Facilitating African-American Adoption," sponsored by the New York Chapter Association of Black Social Workers' Adoption Service.

Shortly after the death of his beloved wife, Naomi, in September 2004, he moved back to Philadelphia, where he now resides. Farrar is listed in the 2000 and forward editions of Who's Who Among African Americans.