Beit Yona in Ashdod: Ebenezer Operation Exodus helps Jewish immigrants get settled in Israelf

In a recent interview from their home in Ashdod, Colin and Rosie Ross told Christian journalist Paul Calvert how their residential facility, part of Ebenezer Operation Exodus, supports new Jewish immigrants (olim) as they make aliyah (immigrate or 'go up') to the Jewish homeland.

Overlooking the Port of Ashdod in southern Israel, the "Ashdod House for Olim," which opened on Jan. 1, 2025, is what Colin referred to as “a place of welcome.” He explained that most guests come straight from the airport, weary from long flights and hours spent completing paperwork with the Department of Absorption.

The "Ashdod House" or Beit Yona in Ashdod offers lodging for small families and individuals, access to helpful resources, encouragement, and friendly tea times a few times a week while newcomers enroll in Hebrew classes (ulpan) and embark on job and permanent housing searches.

Rosie said she enjoys seeing the impact firsthand: “Yes, our first two olim were from the Ukraine, and it was so encouraging. Just a few days ago, I had a WhatsApp message from them wishing us a Happy New Year and saying how much it had meant to them to be welcomed at the house at Ashdod. So that was like a confirmation that we’re going in the right sort of direction.”

Another visitor, a Russian art teacher, led a creative workshop during her stay. She shared with the couple that being at the house had been the best time in her life – an incredible testimony of God’s goodness, according to the Rosses.

The couple traces their calling back to the Ebenezer organization’s founding in 1991, during the Gulf War, when believers sensed God urging them to help Jews return to Israel. They believe their calling as a couple is unfolding before their eyes, with Colin reflecting on God’s promise to “gather His people…never again to be uprooted.”

Their prayers capture urgency and hope amid rising global antisemitism.

“Prepare us, Lord, and move them. Help them to dislodge from their home communities before it’s too late, before it’s too difficult to travel…before highways get closed for whatever reason.”

Click here for a brief tour of Beit Yona in Ashdod.

To discover how biblical prophecy and compassion come together to serve new olim, listen to Calvert's full interview with Colin and Rosie Ross of Ebenezer Operation Exodus below.