“The Jerusalem District Court has ordered Moshav Yad Hashmonah, a community of Messianic Jews and Evangelical Christians, to pay compensation to two lesbians after it refused to host a same-sex wedding reception. ‘We knew we were breaking the law. Somebody needed to do it.’ says Ayelet Ronen, general secretary for the village. Judge Moshe Yoad Cohen upheld a lower court ruling that the Moshav violated a law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. During the trial, representatives of the Moshav quoted from both Old and New Testaments. ‘We do not hate homosexuals or lesbians. We love them. We simply told the court that it is God’s word in the Bible that calls homosexuality an abomination,’ Ronen told Israel Today. She continues: ‘As a faith-based community we need to be able to refuse events that blatantly oppose our religious beliefs.’... The lesbians’ lawyer accused members of Yad Hashmonah of ‘homophobia,’ pointing to an announcement published by the Moshav that ‘no homosexual or lesbian organization will be allowed to rent space for functions on our premises.’ That announcement came in response to a flood of requests for same-sex celebrations on the Moshav from gays and lesbians hoping to pass more court decisions requiring the Messianic community to pay out huge compensations. As a result, the Moshav was forced to shutter their events-hosting business, resulting in huge financial losses. ... In his ruling, the judge upheld the earlier verdict of the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, ordering Yad Hashmonah to pay the two lesbians damages of 60,000 shekels ($17,000) plus another 30,000 shekels for attorneys’ fees for both the original suit and the appeal.” (“Homosexuals Destroy Israeli Messianic Business,” Israel Today, June 27, 2014) Comments are closed.
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