Beit HaYeshua (The House of Salvation) is a Messianic congregation and rehabilitation center in Jerusalem. It was founded in October 2004, by Tsvi Randelman, who had a vision to bring the Gospel to those suffering from addiction and spiritual oppression in Israel. He was joined by Roni Rejwan and Oleg Vilensky in establishing Israel’s second Messianic rehabilitation center, the first being in Haifa.
Almost all of Beit HaYeshua’s members have received Yeshua as lord and savior, and have been healed and set free from addiction through the rehabilitation program. The congregation always has a warm and encouraging atmosphere, and is constantly growing because of the new believers and members who join through the program.
On average, the rehabilitation program takes about one year to complete and has between 5-15 members at any given time. It includes morning prayer and Bible studies, several hours of daily work, and a commitment to a closed, communal lifestyle without drugs. Until now, the rehabilitation center has only provided a program for men. However recently, a women’s rehabilitation pilot program was started with the help of two female volunteers from Russia.
Upon completion of the program, special emphasis is put on maintaining relationship with a local congregation. As such, most graduates attend other Messianic congregations in their hometowns, or stay in Jerusalem and serve at Beit HaYeshua. To this end, the ministry also runs two “warm homes”, where graduates of the program can continue to live together, and begin to minister themselves by serving in the congregation, the rehabilitation program, or on the ministry’s evangelism team. Several times a week, this team is sent out from Beit HaYeshua to the drug marketplace on the streets of downtown Tel Aviv. There they share the hope of Yeshua and either invite people to the rehabilitation program in Jerusalem, or to their partnering charity center in Tel Aviv. This center is run by several congregations, including Beit HaYeshua, and provides free hot meals and clothing every day, as well as the love of Yeshua to those on the streets.
Roni and Oleg are now co-pastoring Beit HaYeshua, with Oleg directing the rehabilitation program. The congregation’s previous name, Yeshuat Israel (The Salvation of Israel), was changed to Beit HaYeshua (The House of Salvation), unifying the congregation and the rehabilitation program into one ministry. There are now between 50-60 members in the congregation, and over half of them join together for prayer meetings twice a week.
Beit HaYeshua’s vision for the future is to branch out and establish more rehabilitation centers in different locations throughout Israel, particularly in Afula, a large city in the Jezreel Valley. Their main goal is to see salvation through faith in Yeshua change people’s lives, and rehabilitation and freedom from addiction is a critical part of reaching that goal.
This article originally appeared on Revive Israel and is reposted with permission.