I am writing this “letter” because I’m getting lots of messages asking me to address different rumors that have been spreading about me, my faith, my personal life, and my divorce. Unfortunately, some of these rumors are quite malicious. I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight and provide a brief summary of my personal situation:

• • I renounced Fundamentalist and Calvinistic theology, not my faith! Despite no longer holding onto the Calvinistic worldview held by my previous ministry (ONE FOR ISRAEL), I have never stopped believing that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. In fact, my faith is stronger (and purer) than ever. Please ignore malicious rumors suggesting I left the faith just because I publicly write against Calvinistic theology (which is held by most Messianic ministries and movements in Israel).
    
    

• • Background: Starting in 2017, while working on my doctorate, I started quietly reconsidering my theological views while simultaneously publicly evangelizing Israelis online with millions of views on YouTube Israel. My deconstruction was not well received at home (both my own home and ministry/church). While I was involved in full-time ministry and leading a large team, I started suffering from and was diagnosed with severe burnout. The depression and anxiety affected my already strained marriage all the more. During that period, the leadership of our Messianic community in Netanya (four pastors, three of whom were also co-workers/leaders at ONE FOR ISRAEL) fell apart over personal disputes. The pastors boycotted each other, which led to the church splitting (to this day, they no longer communicate with one another unless through lawyers). Ironically, all of them adhered to the same Reformed theology. Many members, including two of the pastors, left the messianic congregation. Observing their treatment of each other while also working with them daily and considering the toxic environment, it felt unsafe and too risky to share with them my own personal marital and faith struggles, fearing I would receive the same treatment. 
    
    
  • In 2021, following several years of couples counseling, my wife at the time informed me of her final decision to divorce, though I take full responsibility for my part in this. She wrote a formal letter stating that her reason for divorce was our lack of chemistry. I have much respect for her both as a person and as a mother, and again, I take full responsibility for my side in our failing marriage. We aimed to end it calmly and without unnecessary tension, such as lawsuits or undue public attention.
    
    
  • Since we were both active in the Messianic community and ministry, we kept things mostly to ourselves. Quickly, however, we realized that it doesn’t work that way in our fundamentalist Messianic circle. As word spread that we were going through divorce proceedings, messianic leaders and our pastors began to intervene and engage in spiritual manipulation forcefully. For example, our pastor (Baptist) tried to prevent the divorce by telling us how God “dealt” with a relative of his when she got a divorce – she got ill with terminal cancer and died. My pastor repeated this story several times. The other (reformed) pastor told us that “God is not interested in your happiness,” and therefore, we shouldn’t divorce. I was disappointed to hear these kinds of views from those who were supposed to guide and counsel people on spiritual matters. As someone with a doctorate in Bible and theology myself, I knew not to take to heart this nonsense about a God who doesn’t care how we feel and will punish my ex-wife or me with cancer. Following this, I stopped attending our church.
    
    
  • The Messianic movement in Israel is often viewed as a Puritan-like ultra-conservative movement and considered a cult by 99.9% of Israeli society. The sub-denomination I was involved with in Israel (reformed Baptist) frequently compared in its views/style/theology to the closed-Brethren church.
    
    
  • Following the divorce, the ministry leaders and elders around me announced to me that it was forbidden for me ever to marry again unless my ex-wife died. One leader publicly confronted me on that issue in front of several other leaders, asking me to agree, publicly, to never again marry as long as my ex-wife is alive. Feeling pressured and on the spot, I felt forced to agree. I am sorry for lying, but I was unprepared (in Israel it’s actually illegal for your employer to ask of you such a thing) and felt I had no choice. 

• • Fast-forward to the summer of 2022: I began dating a co-worker. Her name is Anastasia (she just came out of a relationship herself). Given the hyper-conservative views in our ministry and church and, of course, the words spoken to me by the leaders, we decided to continue developing our romantic relationship in confidence for the time being.

• • A private detective was sent to follow me and discover our relationship. A dismissal letter from ONE FOR ISRAEL followed, stating that I was fired due to “having a romantic relationship with another staff member.” The same letter/reason was given to Anastasia, who was also fired.

• • Within 24 hours, we were ostracized, and a rapid spread of gossip, slander, and false rumors began (e.g., that I’m no longer a believer, that I’ve been sleeping around with different women for years, that I already dumped Anastasia and she is heartbroken, that I lost a court case against OFI, etc.). Many long-time friends in the Messianic community blocked us and will not answer our phone calls and text messages. A few sent family members to communicate on their behalf, telling us they fear consequences (losing their job, getting boycotted as well, etc.).

• • Everyone is entitled to their own religious convictions. Our romantic relationship, however, was not meant to hurt, offend, or attack anyone’s religious convictions. We did not commit any crimes or break any laws, nor was our romantic relationship meant to hurt anyone. As Jewish evangelists for Jesus, we already take so much heat from the Jewish community. It hurts immensely when the boycott and shunning come from fellow believers. We gave our lives (almost literally) to the ministry, and suddenly we both lost our livelihoods.

• • Many have emailed me about our videos disappearing. Sadly, both our names and faces were removed from all the hundreds of my articles and videos on ONE FOR ISRAEL’s website and YouTube channel.
  • In March 2023, I published a book against Calvinism whereby I often quoted and refuted Pastor John MacArthur, (who is a close partner with ONE FOR ISRAEL.) Two days later, a mass announcement was sent out by the ministry to “inform” over a million followers worldwide that I was fired following my divorce and relationship with Anastasia and that my publications no longer represent their views (which is true; I no longer hold to OFI’s Calvinistic doctrines). A very close friend of the ministry, Joel Rosenberg, also published an article publicly trying to ridicule and degrade me, purposely making it sound as if I was the one who initiated the divorce and was seeking revenge through the book. When I asked him privately to correct it, he didn’t bother to reply; instead, I got a threatening letter from his lawyer rejecting my request…

Despite different attempts to shame, degrade, and humiliate us, we have no intention of seeking revenge or retaliation. 

Please keep us in your prayers – and perhaps consider helping us build something new 🙂