JERUSALEM — Hapoel Jerusalem initially announced it would provide the advertising space for the coming season as a gesture of support for a local business. The club stated its original intention was to support a small business denied freedom of operation and to send the message that Jerusalem is an open and diverse city.

Club spokesperson Matan Avrina addressed the reversal in a statement regarding the sponsorship decision. "Our original intention was simply to support a small business that was being denied its freedom of operation, and we still believe in that principle," Avrina said. He added that the organization had to reconsider its position based on new information about the cafe's ownership.

"However, we also realized that this specific story is more complex than we initially knew," Avrina said. The retraction came after public scrutiny revealed the direct organizational link between the cafe and the missionary group.

Cafe Basimta opened in the Nahlaot neighborhood of central Jerusalem at the end of May. Yoel Ben David is the operator of the cafe and serves as Jews for Jesus’ top official in Jerusalem. Jews for Jesus owns both the building and the cafe, establishing the business as an official project of the organization.

Jews for Jesus is an organization within the Messianic Judaism movement. Messianic Judaism believes in the divinity of Jesus while claiming to practice Judaism. No denomination across the Jewish world accepts Messianic Judaism as compatible with Judaism.

The Israeli branch of Jews for Jesus reported roughly $6 million in revenue in 2024. The branch supports a local staff of 60 employees. In 2024, the organization appointed a CEO with an Israeli background for the first time, signaling an increased local presence.

Or LeAchim, a haredi anti-missionary organization, exposed Cafe Basimta's connections to Jews for Jesus in early July. The group began organizing protests against the cafe after exposing its affiliations. Or LeAchim also placed public billboards in the neighborhood denouncing the establishment.

On July 4, 2026, dozens of haredi demonstrators surrounded Cafe Basimta, banged on its windows, and overturned tables. Israeli police cordoned off protesters to prevent them from approaching the cafe during a Saturday demonstration. The cafe was facing harassment from haredi Orthodox protesters who wanted it to close on Shabbat.

Binyamin Klugger, an Or LeAchim worker, described the motivations behind the demonstrations. "People went to demonstrate because it was open on Shabbos," Klugger said. He stated that many participants were unaware of the missionary connection at the start of the protests.

"They did not know that it was a missionary place," he said. He noted that the initial protests were driven by Sabbath observance concerns rather than anti-missionary sentiment. He added that continued demonstrations by those aware of the affiliation were less effective for the group's goals.

Ben David acknowledged the accusations leveled against his business. "Everyone accuses us of that," Ben David said. He addressed the religious objectives of the organization while discussing the cafe's primary function as a food service establishment.

"The Jesus goal is not completely out, but it’s not front and center," he said. He expressed a desire for the controversy to subside and for the business to operate without constant protest. "We’d all love it to just chill out," he said.

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Adir Schwartz commented on the tensions surrounding the cafe and the broader community dynamics. "I understand they hate Jews for Jesus, and I understand what they hate them for," Schwartz said. He referenced his own family history to contextualize the concerns of the haredi community.

"My father was a rabbi abroad, and I get that they feel they are protecting Jewish continuity," he said. He framed the issue as one of communal coexistence within the city's diverse population. "But this is about belonging in our shared city," he said.

A 2025 survey by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 46% of Jews in Jerusalem identify as haredi. The same survey found that 13% of Jews in Jerusalem identify as secular. These demographics reflect the social context in which the controversy unfolded.

Local residents expressed mixed reactions to the unfolding situation. One resident, identified as Gabriel, noted the complexity of the ownership revelation. "I don’t know if it changes my desire to drink their coffee, but it definitely complicates things," Gabriel said.

"It’s one layer deeper than I thought," he said. Ben David acknowledged the financial benefits of the attention but noted the personal toll on his team. "Even though financially, it’s great, me and the staff, we don’t love it," he said.

The retraction of the sponsorship shows the intersection of commercial activity, religious identity, and public space in Jerusalem. Hapoel Jerusalem, a professional football club established in 1926, has a history of supporting local community initiatives and promoting inclusivity. The club faced similar backlash in 2022 when it sponsored a local LGBTQ+ event, leading to internal debate over its public stance on social issues.

Or LeAchim has previously organized protests against other missionary groups in Jerusalem, including a 2023 campaign against a Christian-based youth organization. Jews for Jesus has a documented history of organizing public outreach events, including food distribution and cultural gatherings, in several cities across Israel. The controversy reflects the demographic and religious tensions in a city where haredi and secular populations coexist.