Pole vanishes from Poznań after pretending to be rabbi

Jacek Niszczota, who had been posing as Jacoob Ben Nistell (Yaakav), had been a practising rabbi in the city, and had claimed he was from Haifa, Israel's third largest city.

However, a fortnight ago, he admitted that he is not in fact a qualified rabbi, after he was recognised by an acquaintance from his hometown of Ciechanów in north central Poland, a town chiefly known for its beer production.

Poznań-based paper Głos Wielkopolski revealed that the would-be holy man had previously been a chef in Ciechanów. He had been raised as a Roman Catholic.

It also emerge that Niszczota is naturally blond, and had dyed his hair and beard.

Alicja Kobus, president of Poznań's Jewish community, has said she is amazed, but that she bears him no ill will.

“I admire his determination - he had learnt Hebrew, the Jewish traditions and prayers, all through listening to Israeli radio,” she noted. (nh/pk)

Source: dw.com/TVN