Thursday, October 8, 2026
10:00pm Israel/8:00pm UK/3:00pm Eastern/12:00pm Pacific (US)
Earlier this year, Café Basimta became the epicenter of a heated confrontation over religious freedom,
Shabbat observance, the character of Israel’s capital, and Messianic Judaism, with ongoing and profound
ripple effects in a range of areas across Israeli society. The café faced weekly protests from ultra-Orthodox
demonstrators opposed to businesses operating on and desecrating the Sabbath. Some protests escalated
into harassment, vandalism, and confrontations with police. In response, secular Israelis organized
counterprotests, defending the café’s right to remain open and challenging religious coercion. The
controversy took another turn when it emerged that the café is owned by Jews for Jesus, a proselytizing
Messianic ministry. Then the café announced it would close on Shabbat, citing tensions and safety, as well
as showing the love of Jesus. Perhaps never in Israel’s history has one business choosing to close on
Shabbat received so much national media attention. While the issue of Shabbat desecration seems to have
been resolved, there are still many questions: Should a Messianic owned café have been open on Shabbat,
and is that something Jesus would have sanctioned? Did the ultra-Orthodox protests highlight Jews for
Jesus in a way that is an anathema to most Israelis? Did the secular counter protests normalize that and pit
their advocating for the café to be open in a way that Israeli Jews do not support? Were any or all of these a
chilul hashem – a desecration of God’s name? How has the ensuing media raised deep theological
questions that go to the core of Israel’s identity as a Jewish state?
Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein is a teacher and author who served as the Director of Interfaith Affairs for the
Simon Wiesenthal Center and taught Jewish Law at Loyola Law School. Today, he teaches in several
seminaries, maintains the “Cross-Currents” blog, and “Two Rabbis, Three Opinions” podcast. He is a
candidate for Knesset with the Haredi Public Party. John Enarson is an Evangelical Bible teacher, author,
and member of The Society for Post-Supersessionist Theology. He has lived in Israel for 30 years, is
Christian Relations Director at Cry For Zion, helped author The Truth in Love Declaration against Christian
antisemitism, helped produce the film “I Am Israel,” and is author of the forthcoming “Jesus and the Temple
Mount.” Daniel Juster has been a leader in the Messianic Jewish Congregational movement since the
1970s, serving as the first President and General Secretary of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations
in America. He is author of 22 books including Jewish Roots, Biblical Theology. He has lived in Israel since
2004 and has been an adjunct professor at various graduate schools. David Nekrutman is a pioneer in
Jewish-Christian bridge-building for over two decades, He is the executive director of The Isaiah Projects
and adviser for The Chosen. He holds an MA from Oral Roberts University and has spearheaded relief
efforts for Israeli communities bordering Gaza following October 7th. Adir Schwartz is Deputy Mayor of
Jerusalem, Chairman of the Hitorerut movement, and a City Council member since 2020, working toward a
vibrant, tolerant, and liberal Jerusalem for all its residents. Born and raised in Jerusalem, he became a social
and political activist at sixteen and later served as a commander in the IDF Paratroopers Brigade, including
during Operation Protective Edge.
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