Our Vision

“For I will gather you from all the countries into your own land. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” “For Messiah is our peace, who has made the two one, and broken down the middle wall of partition.” “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Messiah.”
(Ezekiel 36:24-26, Ephesians 2:14, Galatians 6:2)

Role of the congregation:

To be ambassadors of the Messiah and His light in the world;
To build up and equip those who are saved.
(Matt. 28:19-20, 2 Cor. 5:20, Eph. 4:12-13)

We endeavor, by God’s grace:

  1. To enable and encourage people to live by faith, here in Israel and specifically in the Galilee.
  2. To help new immigrants with their absorption in Israel and with putting down roots in the Land.
  3. To cooperate with other congregations and gospel-promoting organizations, both in Israel and abroad.

We seek to do this by:

  • Studying the Holy Scriptures – both “Old” and “New” Testaments – as the living Word of God and the guideline for our live.
  • Being involved in society while maintaining a holy lifestyle and being a testimony of the Messiah among our people.
  • Offering aid in various ways to those with special needs.
  • Encouraging our people through our teachings to adopt high moral and social values, to serve our country (army, social service), to get to know the Land, the customs and holidays in context of their biblical meaning.
  • Deepening the Messianic, Jewish and Israeli identity of the new immigrants among us.
  • Developing fellowship and reconciliation with our Arab brethren, especially in the Galilee.
  • Cooperating with and supporting congregations and organizations who serve the Body of Messiah in Israel (such as Be’ad Chaim, Lech Lecha, Ebenezer Home, etc).
  • Cooperating with and supporting congregations and organizations out side of Israel involved in evangelism.

          And more…

For the glory of God!

Background

“HaDerech” Congregation was established in April 1989 in Karmiel, Israel. Karmiel, (“God’s Vineyard” or “God’s Olive Grove” in Hebrew), is situated in the midst of lush olive groves in the valley lying between Lower and Upper Galilee, about halfway between the Mediterranean coast and the Sea of Galilee, and serves as the industrial, commercial and cultural center of this northern peripheral (underdeveloped) area. Over half of Karmiel’s 55,000 residents are immigrants (mainly from the former Soviet Union). The town is surrounded by large Arab villages and small Jewish communities.

The “Way” began

The Congregation started out as a group of ten people who met in Yossi’s rented apartment, and took the Lord’s Supper for the first time on Passover 1989. Yossi and Ronit (married in 1990) hosted the meetings in their home until 1997, and then a house was rented for the growing group. In 2005, when people were standing in the kitchen and hallways for lack of space, the congregation moved into a long-term rented facility in the industrial zone of the town. The 2nd Lebanese war in 2006 (which hit Karmiel hard) led, by God’s grace, to further growth of the Congregation. In October 2009, we planted another Congregation in the Jezreel Valley. After about 11 blessed years in the previous building we started to outgrow the facility, and at the end of May 2016 we left the building hoping to enter our new rented facility, but found ourselves wandering for a whole year before our new place was ready. Many volunteers, both from our Congregation and from around the world, helped build our new place. Our main hall can serve up to 250 people. The facility itself includes offices, children’s classrooms, a nursery and a kitchen, as well as a designated area for our young-adults’ ministry – “The Well”.

The “Way” continues

We continue to grow and in a regular Saturday service about 180 people gather together (including about 50 children). People from all over the Galilee come to our services and activities. Our Congregants include Israeli-born citizens, as well as new and older immigrants from all over the world (many of them are from the former USSR). Together we form an Israeli, Hebrew- speaking Messianic congregation, with the hope and prayer that even as Karmiel is “The Vineyard of the Lord”, so it will we be in our town and the surrounding area, as we declare His name and shine His light.
Our main meetings are held on Shabbat (Saturday) mornings, with worship, prayer and a teaching in Hebrew, which is translated into English and Russian through earphones. During the services, our children attend Bible classes. In addition to the main services, we have weekly and bi-weekly home group meetings in Hebrew, English, and Russian; Youth and Young Adult meetings; Women’s and Men’s meetings; “Pro Life” activities,
Prayer meetings, etc.

Our Vision is based on three main pillars:

1) Absorption of Immigrants. “For I will gather you out of all countries, into your own land. And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit.” (Ezek 36:24-26). We help New Immigrants with their absorption into Israel and with putting down roots in the Land.

2) Help to the Needy. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Messiah.” (Gal 6:2) Offering aid in various ways to those with special needs.

3) Partnership with our Arab Brethren. “For Messiah is our peace, who has made the two one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.” (Eph. 2:14) Developing fellowship and reconciliation with our Arab brethren, especially in Galilee.

The Well

The Well is our young-adults compound, which serves all the believing young adults in Karmiel, regardless of which congregation they attend. The young adults meet regularly at The Well for fellowship, worship, prayer, playing games and hanging out, as well as ministering to non-believing friends that they bring there. In addition, our young-adults group has developed strong bonds with the Arab young-adults group from the region of Nazereth and Kana and they often meet for joint activities.

The “Way” ahead

2019 marks the year of our 30-year anniversary celebrations, and we intend to give God all the honor and glory for the great things He has done so faithfully over the years, in our midst. We pray to increase the ways we reach out to our community and to continue serving Him faithfully.

The “Way’s” Leadership

Yossi Ovadia is the senior Pastor of “Ha Derech “Congregation. Yossi is married to Ronit, who has an active role in various ministries within our congregation, and both work full time in the ministry. Yossi and Ronit have three sons: Immanuel- 29 years old, Yedidia- 27 years old, and Aminadav- 25 years old .

In May 2013 we appointed Dr. Liron Shany as an associate Pastor. Liron is married to Karin, and they have four children: Enosh – 12 years old, Seth – 10 years old, Aviyah – 8 years old, and Shiloh – 5 years old. Liron is serving as a full time pastor.

We thank you for your interest in our ministry and in the works of the Lord in our midst. We invite you to keep in touch with us.

Yossi Ovadia

My name is Yossi (Joseph) Ovadia. I was born in Haifa, Israel in 1960 to an Orthodox Jewish family. My father worked in the Rabbinate which is the State’s official Jewish religion authority, as a Mohel (circumciser), a Cantor, a Bar Mitzvah teacher, etc.

My wife, Ronit, was born in Jerusalem in 1956 to a secular Jewish family, and grew up on a Kibbutz.

We both came to know the Lord as our Personal Savior separately in 1983 and were married in 1990. Since then The Lord has blessed us with three sons. Our oldest son, Immanuel (29), is a physics teacher in a high school in the north of Israel. Our second son, Yedidia (27), is studying in a Bible college in York, England. Our youngest, Aminadav (25), has just finished his military service.

In 1988, I received The Lord’s call to serve Him in Karmiel. (Karmiel is a city in the north, on the main route from Acre on the coast, to the Sea of Galilee.) A half year later I founded ‘Kehilat Haderech’ or in English ‘The Way Congregation’. Ronit came alongside me in 1990, and since then we have served Him together.

In the early years of my ministry I worked in a secular job as a civil engineer to support my family, and was also pastoring the congregation. By 2003 both areas had grown and I needed to choose where I would invest myself. I chose to resign from my job as an engineer in order to serve full time as the Pastor in the congregation. My wife continues to help and support me in the ministry, and currently my sons also serve in a variety of ministries in the congregation, and across the land.

As in wider Israeli society, our Congregation is comprised of Israelis who were born in The Land, and immigrants (Jews who have returned to the land) from about 15 different countries. Our main service is on Shabbat during which around 180 people assemble, including about 50 children.

In addition to Shabbat services we have home group meetings, women’s meetings, youth and young adult meetings. We also have a Pro-life ministry and other meetings.

Our vision is based on three main pillars:

  • Absorption of Immigrants. (Ezekial 36:24-26)
  • Help to the needy. (Gal 6:2)
  • Partnership with our Arab Brethren. (Eph.2:14)

I currently serve as the senior pastor at Kehilat HaDerech alongside co-Pastor Liron. I am also involved in efforts to strengthen the unity and partnership between Messianic Jews and Evangelical Arabs; and serve as one of the teachers at ‘Lech Lecha’ (‘Go Forth’) which is an Israeli discipleship course for young adults. I am also a member of the National Board of Messianic Pastors.

My email address is: yossi@kehilathaderech.org.
Our site is: www.kehilathaderech.org

May the blessings of the Lord Yeshua our Savior be upon you,
Yossi Ovadia