Beit Bracha - House of Blessing in times of war in Israel

Along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, just north of Tiberias and at the foot of Mount Arbel, lies the ancient town of Magdala, famous from the New Testament as the hometown of Mary Magdalene. Nearby, on a hill overlooking the shore, is the modern town of Migdal, established in 1910 by 12 Jewish pioneers. These key figures overcame the significant obstacle of malaria, a common threat during the early waves of Zionist immigration, as they worked to transform the swampy, bug-infested land into a thriving community.

Named after the Hebrew form of Magdala, the modern town was inspired by the vision of Theodor Herzl in his 1902 book, "Altneuland," in which he envisioned a future Jewish state, including the town of Migdal, near its biblical location.

Within this modest town of barely 2,000 inhabitants, one can find bed & breakfast accommodations at "Beit Bracha" (or House of Blessing), a Christian guesthouse featuring a prayer center and central hall that has served as a source of blessing for both Christians and Jews for most of the 21st century. 

The Beit Bracha premises were purchased by the organization, "Church's Ministry Among Jewish People" (CMJ) and was later turned into a guest house in 2004.

CMJ, an Anglican missionary society founded in 1809, has been active in Israel since 1820. In addition to Beit Bracha, CMJ operates several facilities, including Christ Church in Jerusalem and its Mercy Fund for social outreach, Beit Immanuel Guest House in Jaffa, the Anglican School in Jerusalem, and Shoresh Study Tours.

My fondest memory from the last time I stayed at Beit Bracha, about 10 years ago, is the tranquility and peacefulness surrounding the place. The amazing terrace and garden feature a fountain, koi pond, swing, and a stunning view of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. 

The "main house," originally a family home, now serves as the residence for the directors, staff, and volunteers, and is also where meals are served. A separate one-story guesthouse features 12 bedrooms of varying sizes, all opening into a shared "living room" area.

Beit Bracha was not originally intended to be a guesthouse but rather a retreat prayer and healing center designed primarily for Christian and Messianic believers and leaders. The goal was to provide a space where guests could rest, spend time alone with the Lord, renew their vision, and experience spiritual healing and renewal.

However, Beit Bracha's role has shifted somewhat since the Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities on October 7 of last year. Since the attack – and Israel's war against the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip that began shortly after – Beit Bracha has taken on a more active role in providing relief to Israelis directly impacted by the war, while still continuing to host Messianic congregations and youth camps. I had the opportunity to sit down with its current directors, Justin and Sara Hogeboom, to learn more about this remarkable place, their responsibilities, and how life has changed since October 7.

Justin is a Canadian citizen with Dutch roots and the great-grandson of a “Righteous Among the Nations” honoree who was involved with the Dutch resistance to help save Jews during World War II. His wife Sara is a Brazilian citizen with Italian roots and has family in England.

The couple met in Israel while volunteering at Beit Bracha, married in 2021, and later moved to Canada. However, they felt called by God to return to Israel, this time not as volunteers but as directors of Beit Bracha.

The Hogeboom's have been managing Beit Bracha since November 2023. The previous directors had planned to leave at the end of the month but were forced to leave abruptly following the outbreak of the war in Gaza. Beit Bracha remained closed for about a month until Justin and Sara could relocate from Jerusalem. They took on the challenge of reopening the facility with no staff except for themselves and the volunteers they were able to recruit. There are currently three volunteers helping share the workload.

The initial plan was to host displaced Israeli families from the north, forced to evacuate their homes when Hezbollah forces in Lebanon launched missile and rocket attacks on northern border communities in solidarity with Hamas. However, by the time the Hogeboom's reopened Beit Bracha, most families had already settled into their alternative housing.

Justin and Sara decided to shift the focus of the ministry by serving soldiers in the IDF and their families. They began the new initiative by reaching out to Messianic congregations and ministries to spread the word. Beit Bracha offered free lodging for up to two nights to any soldier, whether on active or reserve duty, as well as their families. Some have stayed with their families, while others have arrived with their entire army units.

Sara said the soldiers often asked, 'Who are you, and why are you here doing this?' They tell her, 'I’m Israeli. I have to serve, but you could have left.'

Sara continued, "And that opens an opportunity to witness about the love of Jesus. We couldn’t imagine it would be such a blessing for them and for us. We didn’t know quite what to expect, but we found such a blessing in just hearing their personal stories.”

She explained: “Many of these wives of soldiers are by themselves with the children while the husband is gone, often for months. Not only is it hard, and they miss him, but they also have to live with the fear that he might not return. One family we got to know had two little boys. The youngest one was 9 months old when the war broke out, and his dad spent 9 months in the war. He came home, and his son didn’t know him. Another family we got to know, their child cried for ‘Abba’ to come home for two weeks straight.”

This is where Beit Bracha comes in – by offering free lodging for the families whenever the husband is off duty. Their time at Beit Bracha provides them with a much-needed opportunity to pause, unwind and breathe amid their stressful lives.

“They tell us how amazing it is, just for them to have some time for the family, in a beautiful, peaceful place, without the stress of cleaning and cooking,” Sara said. She shared how one reservist soldier arranged for his wife to spend a night alone at Beit Bracha, giving her a chance to rest and have some time to herself away from the children. The following night, he and the kids joined her.

The wives of reservists have often shared that their stay at Beit Bracha was the first time in months that they had a good night's sleep. They also told me about a soldier whose dedication to serving his country had taken such a toll on his marriage that it was falling apart. Their time together as a family at Beit Bracha helped him recognize this and brought much-needed healing to their relationship.

The Hogebooms said they once hosted a young, newly married Messianic couple who had celebrated their wedding at the groom's army base shortly after the war began. The couple joined them for Shabbat dinner, where they learned that the cook, Iman, was an Arab Christian from Galilee.

During the meal, Iman shared her testimony, explaining that she grew up in a communist family but came to faith after a friend gave her a Bible to read. She spoke about her belief that God had brought the Jewish people out of Egypt and given them this land.

Sara shared that as Iman spoke, tears welled up in the soldier's eyes. Iman then began speaking to him in Hebrew, and the two embraced.

“This showed us how God can break down the wall of separation – in Jesus, we are one,” Sara said.

They also hosted a group of 33 military officers, including two Messianic believers, who stayed at Beit Bracha for a night while transitioning from the Gaza front to the Lebanon front.

“We had a barbeque evening for them, and they asked us who we are and why we are doing this. So we shared with them that it is because we believe in the God of Israel, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob,” the Hogebooms explained.

Beit Bracha is also available for use by Messianic ministries and congregations, including a Messianic pre-military training for youth, and a conference where Jewish and Arab believers gathered to pray, worship, and seek the Lord's guidance and purpose for their lives.

Reflecting on the past year, Justin and Sara shared how clearly they have seen God working through their ministry. Despite the challenges faced, they are grateful for the opportunity to bless the people of Israel through Beit Bracha and remain hopeful for the future.

May God continue to bring those who need a place of rest and restoration to Beit Bracha, allowing the facility to continue fulfilling the meaning of its name – a House of Blessing.

If you wish to support the important work of Beit Bracha, you can donate to the CMJ and choose to designate the donation to Beit Bracha. To volunteer at Beit Bracha, please apply on their website.

If you are visiting Israel soon, either alone or with a group, and you wish to stay at Beit Bracha, contact the Hogebooms by email at [email protected]