MembersIsrael’s Only Messianic Village Under Assault

Few of Israel’s Christian supporters realize this, but nestled in the hills just outside Jerusalem is a small communal village started by fellow Christian lovers of Israel and run today by Israeli Messianic Jews. Yad Hashmonah was established in 1974 by Finnish Christians seeking to participate in Israel’s restoration. Over the years, the children of those original pioneers married into the local believing community, and today the village is considered by many to be a beacon of Messianic Jewish faith in the land.

That identity has often come at a cost. Recently, Yad Hasmonah was sued for refusing to host a lesbian wedding at its beautifully constructed event hall and biblical gardens. Liberal elements opposed to the interference of biblical faith in this land saw an opportunity, and struck.

Beyond the $20,000 in damages Yad Hashmonah was ordered to pay the lesbian couple, the village has now become a target for the more extremist elements in the homosexual community, and may end up losing the use of its hall and gardens as a business. We spoke to Ayelet Ronen,...