This is
who we are
Beit HaKarem, “The Beloved Vineyard”, started as a congregation among the Jews who have returned to Israel, a place where He could bless His people and restore them to their Land, as He promised, a place where He is revealing Himself to His family, His beloved vineyard as the Bible calls it, as a true Father, full of grace, mercy and compassion.
Beit HaKerem is located in the heart of the Krayot, near Haifa. Our neighbors come from all the countries of the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, North Africa, North and South America. We welcome all believers and seekers to worship with us and to live, pray and study together as disciples of Yeshua HaMashiach.
The vision of our congregation is founded on:
- Restoring the altar of the Lord through praise, worship and prayer, both individually and corporately
- Equipping the saints: a commitment to study and apply the Scriptures including God’s promises, as a foundation for inner healing and godly lives.
- A prophetic call to proclaim the Good News of Salvation to Jews and Gentiles alike ( Is 52 v7 ), showing Yeshua the Messiah through the Jewish festivals and witnessing His Love wherever we go.
- We believe in the one and only living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the creator of heaven and earth. (Genesis 1:1, Isaiah 42:5)
- We believe that Yeshua is Israel’s promised Messiah and the Redeemer of the entire human race. By his life, death and resurrection He fulfilled the messianic prophecies of the Tanach about the Messiah’s first coming. Yeshua, the divine Messiah, is the fullest revelation of God to man. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, 49:6, 53:1-12, Psalm 16:9-11, Colossians 1:15)
- We believe that God made man in His own image and endowed him with a longing for intimate fellowship with God. (Genesis 1:26-27, 5:1-2)
- We believe that man’s disobedience to God’s revealed will caused a separation between man and God. (Genesis 2:16-17, Isaiah 59:1-2)
- We believe that the only provision God made for reconciling man to Himself was through the atoning work of the Messiah, who died as the sacrifice for our disobedience and rose again, manifesting the victory over sin and death. (Leviticus 17:11, Isaiah 53:1-12, 2 Corinthians 5:19)
- We believe that the Bible, both the Tanach and the Brit ha-Chadashah, is God’s Word to man and the only reliable and safe guide to faith and conduct. (Numbers 12: 6-8, Isaiah 8:20, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- We believe that all who repent from sin and accept God’s message of salvation in the Messiah are born of the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit). Faith in the Messiah as the mediator for the New Covenant makes us children of God. (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:24-27, John 1:11-13)
- We believe that those who are of the Ruach haKodesh become members of the universal people of God, or the Body of Messiah. This one spiritual fellowship through the Messiah includes both Jews and Gentiles as equal members of this Body. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 27, Ephesians 5:30-32)
- We believe in the work and presence of the Ruach haKodesh in the life of the believer. He brings forth the fruit of righteousness in the life of all followers of the Messiah. The Ruach haKodesh also orders and leads the local body of believers, enabling them to become a community of love and service through the fruits and the gifts of the Ruach haKodesh. (Romans 8:1-4, 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12)
- We believe that God gave the practices of the Law for moral instruction and as the body of cultural, moral, ethical, and national practices, which would point forward to the Messiah’s work. The Law is valid expiation of lifestyle as a reflection of God’s righteous standard and as a means of preserving a distinct nation of Israel. Fulfillment by Yeshua does not imply the abrogation of the law, rather a correct interpretation and practical application of its precepts. Therefore, within the Universal Body of believers, Jewish people can maintain their distinctive biblical and cultural identity. The Law yields no merits for salvation, which is a sovereign work of God. When assumed to be a system of righteousness by works, the Law can only bring guilt and destruction, for none can live up to its holy and perfect standards. Righteousness with God is based solely upon grace through faith, which is evidenced by an outworking of obedience. (Deuteronomy 30:11-20, 6:20-25, Psalm19:7-14, Matthew 5:17-19, Romans 3:27-31, 6:23, Ephesians 2:8)
- We believe that the nation of Israel is chosen by God to be a channel of blessing to all the nations on earth. The return of our people to their land is in fulfillment of biblical prophecy. The day will come when Israel as a nation will accept the Messiah Yeshua. Then shall the Word of God go forth from Zion. After the Messiah Yeshua’s return, He will establish world-wide rule from Jerusalem. (Genesis 12:1-3, Isaiah 11, Zechariah 12:10, 13:1)
- We believe that as Messianic Jews we maintain an unique identity in Messiah. On the one hand, we, with the rest of our kinsmen according to the flesh, make up the people of Abraham, the Jewish people (Isaiah 11:16; Jeremiah 31:31; Romans 9:1-5, 11:1-5), and on the other hand, we are part of God’s kingdom of believers in our age, and share those spiritual blessings with our Gentile brethren (Isaiah 49:6; Romans 11:17-18; Eph. 2:14, 22; Gal. 3:28).
PASTORS
Dr Alexander and Yelena Kravtsov, were born in Moldovia and immigrated to Israel in 1990. Born again in 1991, they were soon baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit.
They served as elders for 13 years in another congregation before starting and pastoring Beit HaKerem in 2010. While maintaining their professional careers they have served by pastoring and discipling.
Their vision for the congregation is worship, deliverance and healing, and the awaking of Israel before Yeshua’s second coming.
ELDERS
Mr. Vladimir Asipenko was born in Belarus and immigrated with his family to Israel in 2003 from Minsk where he was co-pastoring a Messianic congregation. After serving in another congregation in Israel he joined pastors Alek and Lena when Beit HaKerem was planted. He is currently in charge of the prayer ministry and the home-group meetings. he enjoys life alongside his beautiful wife, two adult children and grandson.
Mr Alexander Goldshtein, born in Moldova, he immigrated to Israel in 1990. He was born again and filled by the Spirit in 2005. After serving in another congregation he joined Beith HaKerem as soon as it was planted. He enjoys serving the L-rd alongside his wife and his children.