Angus And Batya - A Saga

It all started innocently enough in the early Seventies. We became Believers in the Messiah of Israel and almost immediately were surrounded by a phenomenon--a handful of "Jewish Believers."

Together with our mostly new-found friends, we were discovering that Jesus is "Jewish" (as in First Century "Judaism"), that His Hebrew name is Yeshua, that He kept the Feasts of Israel, and that He loves the Jewish people.

On and on went our list of exciting discoveries. We all were inspired and wanted to get the word out, because so few knew, so few understood.

Ultimately, it came to be that Angus felt led to put up the "seed" money to help support the first "Messianic Jewish" radio program. And, because we eventually sat on the Board of Directors of that ministry, I often read the mail--so I could better understand how the people were responding to our collective efforts.

The gist of the mail seemed to be a "Where can I get..." list. Everyone was looking for materials. So, I got the bright idea that a catalog would help get the mostly unavailable, yet necessary books, music and materials into the hands of the Believers being awakened to these same life-changing truths. And, since I owned an antique/gift shop, and knew something about marketing--and since Angus said he would provide the necessary funds from the oil business he was in at the time--it was jointly decided by all that I should create the catalog. Thus, the House of David Catalogue was born.

This venture also needed seed funding because there were so few of us at the time, and, for most of Christianity, interest in the subject matter was marginal at best. Some even reacted to it with hostility.

Still, little did we realize that providing materials for the budding "Messianic Jewish Movement" would be like creating a catalog exclusively for one-armed, red-haired, paperhangers.

Nonetheless, all the "paperhanging," "Jewish-loving," people that we did manage to find, well, they thought our little catalog was the greatest thing since pre-pasted paper.

Our "Messianic Manna" in paper form ultimately grew into 48 pages of Passover plates, shofars, mezuzzahs, talits, jewelry, gifts, bumper stickers, imports from Israel, Messianic music, and lots and lots of books.

Yes, I remember now. Things began to change because of all those books I had to read. And also, because of one of the reasons for the "hostility"...

Even as we did not realize the repercussions of creating a catalog for these "chosen few," so we did not realize that I--unlettered wife, mother, and shopkeeper--would have to read, that I might possibly write descriptions for, hundreds of books about "Israel."

Unwittingly, the quandary in which I soon found myself was that I began to feel a certain accountability for the books I put before the people. Also, I had to decide which ones we should, and should not, offer. And the more I read, the heavier that feeling of responsibility became.

I soon realized that "Israel" was a title both coveted and cursed; that Christians and Jews both laid claim to it; and because of their opposing claims, they have been at odds with one another for almost two thousand years. No, if truth be told, their hostility is even older than that.

After much research, I concluded that most books about Israel essentially fell into one of three categories:

1. "The Church has replaced Israel" hypothesis.
2. "The Church is 'Spiritual Israel' and the Jews are 'Physical Israel'" theory.
3. "The Church and Israel are separate entities and never this side of heaven the twain shall meet" doctrine.

The more we studied, the more Angus and I saw that the fabric of each of these teachings, when examined, proved to be full of holes. When held up to the light of Scripture, each theory appeared flawed.

Together, we clearly saw that there was a problem, but we could not find the Scriptural solution. We knew that our Father loved the Jewish people, and we knew that He also loved the non-Jew. But where and how did both fit into the "Israel" plan? This haunting dilemma led me to cry out to my Heavenly Father. It brought me to a place where I literally begged Him, "Please make me understand!"

"Who is Israel?"

It is a question that, for years, never left me. I thought about it on my way to work, where I managed my growing Messianic Catalogue. I prayed about it when I lay on my bed at night, having been responsible for sending books all over the globe--books that helped shape people's opinions about "Israel." I considered the consequences of having people believe the erroneous theories I was beginning to find in those books. And I talked to my Heavenly Father about it all the time, because it truly concerned me.

At the time, Angus also was troubled about the situation we were in--albeit his approach to the matter was different. (But isn't that the way it usually is with husbands and wives?)

Ultimately, the Chernoff family of Pennsylvania began to host a "Messiah Conference" in Grantham, PA, under the auspices of the "Messianic Jewish Alliance of America." And, we began our House of David Catalogue. Naturally, we rented tables at the conference and made the materials and our catalog available to everyone there.

During this time, our concern over the place of the "non-Jews" in the movement began to grow. We felt people were being "hurt" in various ways by what they were being taught. Most important, we felt these hurtful teachings could not be confirmed in Scripture.

For the sake of brevity, let us say that, at the time, "Messianic Jewish heritage" was based on one having "visible" Jewish parent(s) when one became involved in the movement (or one could simply be married to someone who met the requirement). Having accepted Messiah, these "physical Jews" also were deemed to be "spiritual Jews." By comparison, "Gentiles" who joined the movement were, at most, thought to be only "spiritual" heirs. (If a non-Jew later "found a Jewish grandmother" or whatever, they were often labeled with a certain derogatory "'Wannabe' Jewish" label.)

This conflicted standard resulted in two classes of citizenship--which soon caused problems. Many non-Jews began to complain that they were made to feel like "second-class citizens."

Seeking to resolve the problem, Angus appealed to the leadership to establish a "conversion procedure" that would consider everyone equal--both "physically" and "spiritually."

As Angus says, "Not only was this proposal unacceptable to the Messianic Jewish leadership, it was also unacceptable to my wife."

Though I did momentarily entertain the idea of "conversion," after praying about it, I rejected it. I felt that, while "all must repent," if afterward, one also had to "convert," then one must have been "born wrong"--must have been a "mistake." Besides, a declaration made by a mere mortal would not, could not, change the facts of ones background. Further, what I really wanted to know was, "Who are these people to the Father?" If they were "Gentiles" who were to forever be set-apart from the people of "Israel," then I wanted to know that and to encourage all to live according to that rule. However, if not, then I wanted to know exactly what was their place.

The more I read, the more I felt I could not find a place for this "separation" of peoples in Scripture.

One other important point. I began to see that, whether realized or not, almost everyone defines "Israel" based on some idea of physical descent--regardless of how abstract or vague their definition. Perceived physical descent from the patriarchs--at some point, on some level--was, and still is, a primary factor in everyone's "Israel decision." Further, this "universal standard" is foisted on all who seek to know the truth about Israel.

It is a "Catch 22" situation: If you want to understand "Israel," you find that everyone is making their decisions based on "biology." However, if one addresses the issues, very often, those who do not want others to be part of "Israel" label those who seek to understand Israel" as being "racist"--because they question the above "biology" standard--even though the latter were not the ones who set it in the first place.

We must question and even contest this misconceived standard.

Returning to our saga, this need to understand the Scriptural role of the non-Jew within the confines of "Israel"--which people were in essence being rejected by those of Messianic Judaism based on a "biologically related standard"--coupled with the challenge of finding Scriptural books (for our Catalogue) that would encourage support for "Israel," led me to cry out from the depths of my being to the Father. I literally begged Him to tell me, "Who is Israel?"

In the late Seventies and early Eighties, following almost a decade of declaring the rich Jewish/Israelite heritage of Christianity, the Father began to broaden our vision. Through study of the Scriptures we began to see that, while all Jews are Israelites, not all Israelites are Jews. We saw that in Scripture there were, and there still are two Houses of Israel. We saw the "stick of Judah and the sons of Israel his companions," which speaks of the Jewish people, and "Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions," which speaks of the non-Jewish Believers (Genesis 48:19; Isaiah 8:14; Ezekiel 37:15-28).

At the same time, we came to a crossroads:

Our accountant warned us that, because we had lost so much money in our House of David "business" the IRS might demand that we retroactively pay taxes on that money. But by this time, we were in the now infamous "oil-crunch" of the Eighties and were having a hard time holding on financially. Our accountant advised us to donate our "business" to a non-profit organization.

We looked for someone to whom we could literally give House of David. But everywhere we looked we only found more of the less than equitable standards we had been dealing with, and we did not want to further aid that errant standard.

We went back to our accountant and he suggested we start our own non-profit organization. So, our "profit-less business" became an official "non-profit 501(c)3 ministry" (in 1982). This change, not only in status but also in focus, led to our publishing a monthly Newsletter called the House of David Herald.

This project took off with a bang. Soon we had eight employees and were distributing more than 40,000 Heralds a month. But I still had that gnawing thing in my gut about the role of the non-Jew. And we were, without any encouragement from others, seeing that the non-Jews were the other house of Israel--"Ephraim."

It was an issue that needed to be addressed, but I had a certain fear and trepidation about publishing anything that dealt with the subject. I wanted more confirmation first.

During this time, as we discussed "Israel" with anyone who would talk to us about it, some suggested we read the writings of those involved with what most called "British Israelism."

When so counseled, I felt strongly constrained by the Holy Spirit not to read such writings. I felt the Father wanted me to draw my conclusions about "Israel" based solely on His Inspired Word.

So, I took a brand new Bible and began reading in the Book of Beginnings (Genesis). I underlined every verse that spoke of "Judah" (and their "Southern Kingdom") in blue and every verse that spoke of "Ephraim" (and their "Northern Kingdom of Israel") in brown. And so I came up with a brown and blue Bible that I could understand. I clearly saw "Ephraim and Judah"--I saw the "whole house of Israel."

I have not been the same since.

Knowing full well that there were no books on the subject that I felt I could draw from, in 1983 we dared print a Newsletter entitled, Is The Church Ephraim?

The letters written to us based on that Newsletter made us know that the people wanted and needed more. For the seeker of truth about Israel, it offered a ray of light in an otherwise dark place.

This time also marked another season in our lives. My husband was going through a gut-wrenching experience in his oil business. We did not realize it at the time but Father was taking us out of business and into full-time ministry.

We only knew that we wanted to be very careful about what we taught, so we put House of David in neutral, and I went home to write my first book, In Search of Israel. I thought the project would take six months to complete, but first and last, it took four years.

During this time, Angus and I endlessly discussed "Ephraim and Judah" in minute detail. I submitted my manuscript to any friend who would read it. We were looking for wise council.

Also, we met long-time friends, Ephraim and Rimona Frank. During a visit to the Land, we were sharing with friend and author, David Bivin (Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus). David could not "grasp" what we were saying, but said he had some friends in the Land whom he felt were "trying to explain the same thing to him" and he felt we should meet them.

We met two Israelis and none of us could stop talking! We were all seeing the same thing--albeit from different perspectives! Each of us were greatly encouraged by the other!

Ultimately, Ephraim and Rimona came to our home in New York for an extended visit, and we went over my manuscript, line by line. What a blessing! I had a botanist who kept pushing me to understand what he called "the seed principle," and I had a Hebrew Editor who was confirming my every definition! (She is still doing the same! Thank you, Rimona!)

Seeking any possible correction, I submitted my manuscript to many of my Messianic Jewish friends. And, while most of them did not like what we were saying, we found they would not quote me in context and then correct me with the Word. Instead, they would (errantly) reinterpret what I said, and then begin to correct themselves.

Angus and I carefully weighed the complaints, sought more council, concluded that none of the objections were Scriptural, and that the Father wanted us to go ahead and publish my first book--which we did in 1988.

Before leaving New York, we hosted a "conference." It turned out to be a real case of "despise not small beginnings." At this event, we had representatives of both Ephraim and Judah present. On Saturday night we lit a Havdallah candle that was unlike any other. We had Ephraimites take one of the Shabbat candles, and Judahites take the other, and together they used their candles to light the one candle--which we dubbed the "one stick of Ezekiel" (Ezekiel 37:15-28).

I will forever feel honored in that I got to hold that "one stick" in my hand as it was being lit that night. I held that flame up to my Father in Heaven and told Him that I believed His Word with all my heart. I told Him, and all the world for that matter, that, no matter what people said or did, I believed with all my being that He wanted to restore "both the houses of Israel." And that we, Angus and Batya, were applying for the job!

I think we made every demon in hell angry that night. But more important, I felt the smile of my Heavenly Abba.

With our oil business and our money gone, we moved back to Virginia. There, the Father allowed us to have four years on the Chesapeake Bay. They are years that will always be most precious to me. We lived on a shoe string, but somehow, thanks to the help of many (may each of you be forever blessed), we managed to revive and once more begin to publish a monthly Herald Newsletter.

Month after month, year after year, we addressed the issue of restoring both the houses of Israel. We came at it from every direction. And we grew in our ability to articulate what the Father had shown us.

We also held conferences in White Stone, Virginia--a beautiful little dot on the map that is not on the way to anywhere. There, where the Rappahannock River meets the Chesapeake Bay, we built a Sukka on the Beach; we had morning teaching sessions and evening celebrations; and people were forever changed.

We found that the people who were beginning to see the same thing in Scripture needed to be able to come together with those of like mind. We also saw that, once they did so, they were empowered, emboldened in their faith.

There, day after day, as Angus and I walked beautiful raw beaches that man had never touched, we knew in our hearts that this era of our lives too would one day come to an end.

Times were often very hard for us then. And I must admit that I have the capacity to grumble. That is why the Father gave me to Angus. My husband does not complain. He is always positive.

I felt like we worked and we worked and we worked, and "For what?" I would ask. Angus would always tell me that he felt the Father wanted us to write during this season of our lives, because, a time was coming when we would not have time to write.

One thing that always encouraged us during these times were the many wonderful phone calls we got from all over the country. We spent multiplied hundreds of hours on the phone. People were so excited when they began to see Ephraim and Judah in Scripture, but then the "I feel so alone" complaint always followed. So, we tried to "network" people, and we held conferences.

Then one day we got a call from a lady named Lori. She was upbeat and positive and we talked fairly often. One day she called and asked if Angus and I would come to their fellowship in Brandon, Florida and put on a Passover celebration.

"I don't do Passovers," I told her--meaning the standard Messianic Jewish Passover as we both knew it. "However," I said, "for a long time I have wanted to do a 'different' kind of Passover."

I then explained my idea to have a celebration that depicted what we called "The Four Passovers" of Scripture (see the Herald by that name).

I went into great detail about this production that I had only been able to dream about, and then--I heard on the phone this cheery little, "We can do that!"

And do it we did! We soon found ourselves in Florida surrounded by some of the nicest, most helpful, loving people I have ever met in my life.

We came to know and love Randy and Lori Dryer--as well as their family and many friends.

Then, Angus said, "It is time. If we are going to do what the Father wants us to do, we have to move now." Again and again he had to tell me that he felt we were to move to Florida--which I did not want to do.

Worse yet, as much as we loved the people in Brandon, we felt we were not to move there, but instead were to encourage Randy and Lori in their call, and that we were to move to "Orlando."

Over the years, I have seen my husband call more and more shots right, and so, with blinding tears in my eyes, one last time I drove across the bridge over the Rappahannock River--following a van to Orlando.

In Florida, the Dryers had a large home fellowship, and they often hosted special celebrations wherein we taught the people. Ultimately, to one of these meetings there came a certain "Jewish Duo."

I instantly liked Lenny and Varda. I especially appreciated the "international" feel of their music and told them I "wished they had a tape available" because I love to listen to music while I work. And work was really piling up.

The pace was really beginning to quicken. Sometimes I felt we were drowning in work. We just could not do it all anymore. We needed help.

By now, we had developed a web site and had begun posting our Heralds (old and new) on it. And, longtime friends, John and Starr Powell came to work, filling orders and answering phones. And soon, we got another eventful phone call. This time it was a Jewish Believer named Moshe on the line.

In the summer of 1998, Moshe Koniuchowsky contacted us. He had just read an article in the Messianic Home Magazine which was written by yet another friend, Scott Diffenderfer. In the article, Scott thanked us for teaching him about "Ephraim and Judah." He also graciously printed an advertisement about us in his Magazine. So Moshe called and we talked. He told us that he wanted to read everything we had written--which at the time numbered more than ninety Heralds and five books. We sent him copies of everything. He devoured them and was back on the phone. He wanted to meet us. Moshe wanted to expose those in his congregation and ministry, "Your Arms to Israel," to the same understanding. He shared the truth with those in his congregation and it changed their lives as well as his. Moshe saw the difference the truth made in the non-Jew.

At one meeting with he and his wife, Rivka, Moshe suggested we post a Directory of all the Messianic Israelites that were on our various lists. Angus told him that he had tried to put together a directory a few years earlier with limited success. He also told Moshe that we had well over a hundred names that included both groups and people whom Angus thought could put a group together.

Moshe suggested that if we would underwrite his efforts for a season--providing phone and some minimal compensation, so he could be freed from his part tine job--he would personally call the people on our list, as well as some from his ministry, about participating in a directory.

The rest is history. In a little over a month we had eighty groups of various sizes. Today, what was once meant to merely be a tool that would help people of like faith to meet others of like faith has grown dramatically in size and scope.

Moshe brought something special to the table. With all due respect, I say, "Moshe is a true New York Jew." Moshe has moxy. He knew what we were saying about the two houses was true and dared to stand up for it. He too has taken rejection on the chin because he took a stand for the truth. (I forever applaud you for that my friend!)

Moshe's bold "Jewish presence" helped move us into another realm. While we can talk about putting the two sticks together, we need Judah's presence to actually have it be a reality.

Soon, Moshe found himself writing a refutation of the complaints of our Messianic Jewish detractors called, The Truth About ALL Israel. (We did the same years earlier [The Report], but found that those who do not want to hear will not hear.)

But let me go back to another important Jewish presence. When my book, Who Is Israel? And Why you Need To Know came out--especially timed for Yom Teruah, Randy and Lori hosted a celebration in honor of the event. Lenny and Varda were the musicians. Lenny thought it would be nice if he could "write a song about the two houses for Batya." And one day, out of the blue, while strolling on the beach, the Father gave Lenny a special song about "Ephraim and Judah."

They wanted it to be a surprise at the Yom Teruah celebration. And what a surprise! I was blessed beyond! My favorite duo singing about my favorite subject!

But there was more to it than that. Our Father was at work in the hearts of men.

I really felt in my heart that Lenny and Varda were to meet two other long-time friends of ours, Mike and Joan Ann Arnold, because I knew Mike also had a song in his heart.

The songs kept coming. They came from others, they came directly to Lenny and Varda. Because they wanted to bless someone with a song, our Father blessed them with lots of songs.

Lenny and Varda recorded their first CD, Adonai Echad and that led to their latest CD, Renah--which is surely music sent from above to lead all Israel into a season of renaissance, revival and restoration! (Be sure to get a copy!)

One "thing" that has caused dramatic growth of late is not a "thing" at all, but rather another wonderful family. For, not too long after Moshe's call, we got yet another call, this time from a man named Mark Huey. He has since come to work full time as the Messianic Israel Alliance Administrator. His wife, Margaret, and their children John, Jane and even little Maggie all were likewise put to work.

What can I say about Mark? We wonder if he ever sleeps! So much energy! And, he is a visionary! He saw in his mind Angus distributing his newly finished book, Restoring Israel's Kingdom. Every time he got around us he cracked his "Where is it?" whip," and now my beloved's book is in print.

By the way, Angus also is a visionary. So if you want even more encouragement and inspiration, be sure to read Restoring Israel's Kingdom!

Mark also saw a Magazine, a copy of which you now hold in your hand. And, he envisions a life-changing eventful tour/conference in the Land, which is advertised in this Magazine.

Let me not forget to mention David and Natalie Pavlik and family and the wonderful connections the Father is making through them with a Jewish Settlement in the Land, Elon Moreh. Also, let us thank Natalie for the beauty and inspiration her hand-made banners bring to our conferences.

We also thank Elizabeth Janicki and Susan Miller from High Places Judaica in Estes Park, CO. They dared promote this vision at their store and so have been a blessing to many.

We thank artist, Crystal Lenhart, and her brother Hale Harris from Montana (and their families), who have once more made our book covers possible. We are encouraged to know there are wonderful people out there in far off Montana!

We also remember Ralph and Maureen Messer, and the exciting Simchat Torah/Messianic Israel Alliance Correspondence Studies courses they are now offering. The Father is causing Ralph to see how the writers of the Brit haDoshah were teaching the two house message from Torah!

You don't want to miss those courses!

There are so many precious people who rightfully deserved to be mentioned that, if I did so, this story would turn into a tome. My prayer is that all the unmentioned ones might be openly and richly rewarded from on High for their efforts.

And now, let me come to you, the reader.

Let me tell you what I hope and pray I can write about you for next year.

To succeed in restoring the whole house of Israel, it is imperative that we treat each house with absolute equity. We cannot have mercy for one house and none for the other. If we are going to restore the eternal truths of Torah to our people it will happen only if people see us walking a walk and not just talking a talk. We cannot be legalistic nor self-righteous as we take forth this end-time truth. Instead, we must be a people who walk in humility and mercy: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8).

What happens next is largely in your hands.

So, make yours a story that brings greater reunion to our Father's house. To this end, I pray that you might be empowered from on High to bring glory to our Father's Holy Name, and that yours might prove to be a story that causes the one just told to pale in comparison.

Even now, in your heart, won't you dedicate yourself to this matchless cause?

Blessings in the Name of Yeshua,

However, we do want to encourage the distribution of Biblical truths, and in this vein, House of David Heralds may be reproduced, but only in their entirety, for free distribution to friends, participants in a Bible study, etc