[Updated: 2023.09.29]
"Behold, I have given My Word in your mouth. See, I have conscripted you as Pâ•qidꞋ today, over the goy•imꞋ and over kingdoms; to uproot or sentence to be lost, to overthrow, or to build, or to transplant." (Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu 1.9-10)
Achievement Genealogically documented |
Helm jouster with crest plume on an escutcheon sable, with |
Ordinaries: fess ōr and pale ōr in honor point and chief, between Charges: Three (standard six-rayed) estoile ōr – 3 Gold Royal Stars of Tzi•yonꞋ (Beit-Dâ•widꞋ), each in its own Field of sable |
Device: For Livery Tinctures: sable and ōr |
Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ Pâ•qidꞋ 16 The Honorable Pâ•qidꞋ of the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ; Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu Bën-Dâ•widꞋ, ha-Tza•diqꞋ at the |
Pâ•qidꞋ YirmᵊyâhꞋu, né Clint Van Nest (1943), descended from his great-x6 grandfather, Pieter Pieterse Van Nest, who immigrated to New Amsterdam—before there was a New York or United States—in 1647, just 27 years after the pilgrims in the Mayflower. Pieter Pieterse Van Nest had been living in New Amsterdam 9 years before George Washington's grandfather came to the New World!
He is a member of Mensa and a former Baptist minister, who attended Hampden DuBose Academy (the elite private Christian boarding school attended by Billy Graham's daughter). Part of his learning experience included a short period attending a "charismatic" megachurch in Winter Park, pastored by the future father-in-law of Benny Hin.
He is also an American vet – intelligence analyst spook – of the United States Air Force Air Intelligence Agency (6901st Spec Comm Group, Zweibrucken, Germany; '64-66; security clearance: Top Secret, Crypto, Codeword), having attended Syracuse University and served in Germany, where he lived for 2½ years. He was honorably discharged after a 4-year tour of duty, during which time he was also the keyboard player for the Forerunners rock band.
The Lovin' Machine (1967-68, Univ. of Florida) winner: Gainesville Battle of the Bands, with Doors' hit: "Baby, Light My Fire" |
Returning to the University of Florida under the GI Bill, Clint started a new rock band to play for fraternity parties to help pay the bills – winning a Gainesville radio station city-wide "Battle of the Bands" with the Doors' hit: "Baby, Light My Fire" featuring the keyboard intro.
Clint joined the Delta Sigs and earned a B.Sc. in Business Administration (majoring in Quantitative Methods, minoring in Management and Economics – and offered honors in Logic) from the University of Fla. (Gainesville) in 1968. He entered the UF Graduate School M.B.A. program but was unable to attend due to personal circumstances.
Upon graduating, he worked as a Safety Engineer (member of A.S.S.E.) for a large insurance company in New England and Toronto, Canada, consulting for some of the largest corporations, in a multitude of diverse industries, in Ontario and Quebec provinces.
Moving back to Florida around 1970, he worked as Personnel & Safety Director for Earl Leiffer Trucking & Construction in Central Florida, reporting directly to the owner.
Clint(on) Van Nest III (1st class picture 2 years later, 1953—5th grade), different classroom, mostly same class. Rio Grande Elementary, NJ. |
As a country boy in Rio Grande, New Jersey, by age 8, Clint had already recognized and announced to his entire 2nd grade school class (being roundly laughed at ) that the stars we see in the sky aren't really there, explaining: eons of light years ago they had been there when they emitted that light, but the light was only then (1951) reaching our eyes. Therefore, all of those stars had long since moved and aren't where we see them. In fact, many they see every night have long ceased to exist and simply aren't there! It follows, he had also realized (to himself, to avoid being laughed at further), the world's perception of the universe (particularly all unscientific clergies), being derived from misconceptions of reality, had strayed similarly off-course into superstition and animism in their misperceptions of the universe's (reality's) OmniScient Creator—in science-speak: the "Prime Cause" of the "Big Bang".
As he grew up, he realized that there were intractable contradictions between the teachings of the clergy of his religious upbringing versus the logic of relating to the Supremely Logical Creator of the universe. For Clint, it was, therefore, logical that he commit his life to the latter, not his religious upbringing. This eventually led him (and, by then, his wife) to convert into Orthodox Judaism (legally changing his name to Yirmeyahu Ben-David)—and now to investigate and correct the failures of rabbis (yet again spurning education and knowledge to revert back to the Late Bronze Age mindset) to advance the knowledge of Avᵊrã•hãmꞋ and Mōsh•ëhꞋ instead of ossifying their accumulated Babylonian, post-Ἀντίοχος 4th ὁ Ἐπιφανής and Christian-era assimilation strayings—i.e.modern rabbinic "religious" traditions.
While working as a Personnel Director in the trucking & construction industry in Central Florida, a girl unlike any other person Clint had ever met, male or female, converged on his path. His dental hygienist, Karen, turned out to be the only person he’s ever met who shares his unflagging and relentless resolve to learn about and serve the Omniscient Creator-Singularity of the universe.
”Give me liberty or give me death!” Karen’s maternal (& Patrick’s) Henry Family Crest (motto in photo ©2019 by Karen Ben-David) |
Like Clint, Karen had also found that there were no intelligent answers in any of the numerous Christian denominational, evangelical or charismatic folds.
Their shared quest to learn about and serve the Omniscient Creator-Singularity of the universe brought them together as a team. In 1974, they married with the determination to pursue their life quest together.
Karen bears the maternal line of the Scottish Henry family crest. Her genealogy traces back to her great^4-grandfather Robert (1705-1768) in Va, who was an uncle of American patriot Patrick Henry. The motto of this branch of the Henry family is preserved exclusively in an original color drawing of the family crest (likely from a childhood memory by her maternal aunt, who was an artist) inherited from Karen’s mother—and perhaps the sole extant documentation of the correct crest of this branch of the Henry family.
Around 1976—after years of research together as a team (results summarized in Who Are The Nᵊtzarim? Live-LinkT (WAN)), they realized that the pristine Truths of the Omniscient Creator were first recognized by Av•râ•hâmꞋ, Yitz•khâqꞋ and Ya•a•qovꞋ, culminated in the compilation of Tor•âhꞋ by Mosh•ëhꞋ at Har Sin•aiꞋ and all of the Original Principles set forth in the Ta•na"khꞋ.
Accordingly they began to study Hebrew and Aramaic where they learned to love and keep Tor•âhꞋ. This led, in 1983, to legally changing their names, seeking greater closeness to the religion, culture of Tor•âhꞋ, Mosh•ëhꞋ, Av•râ•hâmꞋ, Yitz•khâqꞋ and Ya•a•qovꞋ and the people of the Bible: Yi•sᵊ•râ•eilꞋ. To forestall any misunderstandings, Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu promptly informed the head of the local (Central Florida) Jewish Community Center, Paul Jeser, and a prominent local rabbi, Rabbi Rudy Adler, explaining the reasons they had changed their name.
All during this time, Karen worked as a dental hygienist to support them so he could do the research. In addition, in the evenings, after her "work" day cleaning teeth at the dental office, and doing her matchless homemaking, she did the brunt of much of the onerous detail work as he translated the entirety of the Christian New Testament from all of the earliest extant Greek source mss. (which culminated in the 2-volume, nearly thousand page with documentation and notes, "The Nᵊtzârim Reconstruction of Hebrew Matitᵊyâhu (NHM, in English)"), freeing him to progress faster in his research. In the many years since, she has continued working so that he can now make this information accessible to others. She is a true אֵשֶׁת-חַיִל.
After a considerable period interacting with the local Jewish community, openly professing his position as a follower of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa as the Mâ•shiꞋakh within the definitions of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ, concealing nothing, they were astounded that most of the Jewish community, including many of the leaders, even though they don't agree that RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa was the Mâ•shiꞋakh, nevertheless recognize that the true, historical RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa was a good, Tor•âhꞋ-teaching Pᵊrush•iꞋ RibꞋi. Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ does not, and cannot, prohibit a Jew from believing that any good,
Yirmᵊyâhu's & Karen's Orthodox conversions by Orthodox Rabbi, Dean and Prof. Dr. Reuben Lucken, זצוק''ל |
Orthodox Rabbi Dean Prof. Dr. Reuben Lucken's ordination by Beit Din of America President Rabbi Max Felshin, זצוק''ל (Luckn1, Luckn2, Luckn3, Luckn4; Felshn1 Felshn2, Felshn3) |
By complying with the same Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ taught by the 1st century Pᵊrush•imꞋ (today's Orthodox), including RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa and his original Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ Jewish followers (including submitting to an Orthodox Beit Din and conversion), Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu and Karen became the first legitimate and authentic followers of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa since the 15th Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ Pâ•qidꞋ, Yᵊhud•âhꞋ ha-Tza•diqꞋ, was forcibly ousted and expelled from Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim by the original, first, Christian (Hellenist Roman) gentile ἐπίσκοπος (the historical first pope) Markus, in 135 C.E.
"Even a geir who was not examined, or who was not informed of the
mi•tzᵊw•otꞋ and their punishments, and was circumcised and immersed in the presence of three הִדְיוֹטוֹת – still indeed, he is a geir. Even if it is known that he converted for some ulterior motive, inasmuch as he has been circumcised and immersed, he has made the exodus from the generalgoy•imꞋ , and we are concerned for him until histzi•dᵊq•utꞋ is clarified. Even if he reverted and worshiped idols, indeed, he is like an apostate ofYi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ . If he makes קִדּוּשִׁין, they are קִדּוּשִׁין, and themi•tzᵊwâhꞋ to return an article he lost applies to him. After having immersed, he has become likeYi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ ." (Maimonides,Mi•shᵊn•ëhꞋ Tor•âhꞋ , קדושה [Holiness], הלכות איסורי ביאה [Laws of Forbidden Sexual Relations], 13.17).
There is no one today with authority to overturn the
"You shall not taunt or oppress a geir, for you were geir•imꞋ in Egypt. You shall not cause pain to any widow or orphan. If you dare cause any [of these] pain, if he shall cry out to Me, I shall absolutely hear his outcry. My wrath shall blaze and I shall kill you by the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children orphans." (
Shᵊm•otꞋ 22.12)."You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk" (
Shᵊm•otꞋ 23.19; 34.26;Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 14.21).
Entering graduate school at the University of Central Florida to prepare for a•liy•âhꞋ, he earned most of the credits (short only 2-3 courses) toward a MSc in Computer Science (Software Engineering and Databases), becoming a member of I.E.E.E. and A.C.M. While studying Computer Science at UCF, he became one of the early contributors to the internet (1983)—the man who originally and successfully argued that Judaism be moved from a subcategory of Christianity in the internet, where it then resided, to its own independent category under religion.
In 1985, Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu and Karen Bën-Dâ•widꞋ made a•liy•âhꞋ to Israel under the Law of Return (which only Jews can do); receiving the obligatory imprimatur of the Israeli Interior Ministry—then under the undisputed control of the Ultra-Orthodox Khareid•imꞋ Sha"s rabbis, under the personal and direct supervision of Rav Yitz•khâqꞋ PërꞋëtz, who later became Chief Rabbi of Ra•a•nanꞋâ(h). All of the Ultra-Orthodox khareid•imꞋ Sha"s rabbis were (and are), in turn, under the supervision of former Chief Rabbi of Israel Rav Ovad•yâhꞋ Yo•seiphꞋ.
Thus, during the period 1984.12.24 – 1987.01.06, every person who made a•liy•âhꞋ under the Law of Return simultaneously received confirmation of their status as a Jew with the imprimatur of the Ultra-Orthodox khareid•imꞋ Sha"s rabbis who, as Minister of the Interior, exercised undisputed control over the Interior Ministry during this period (1984.12.24–1987.01.01), under the supervision of Rav Yitz•khâqꞋ PërꞋëtz, who later became Chief Rabbi of Ra•a•nanꞋâ(h), and former Chief Rabbi of Israel Rav Ovad•yâhꞋ Yo•seiphꞋ. According to Rav Yitz•khâqꞋ PërꞋëtz' own declaration to Israel Radio, as quoted in The New York Times (1987.01.01), 2 years after he signed for our conversions (in 1985.04):
As a Jew and a rabbi loyal to the tradition and Bible of Israel, I have declared and declare again that my hand will never ever sign for a fraudulent conversion that was not conducted according to the Halakha.
Q.E.D.
Initially, Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu worked as a computer Artificial Intelligence (AI) scientist in the AI lab of the Computer Science Dept. at Tel Aviv University, designing a feasibility project for the SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative). His project demonstrated the complete dependency on obtaining real-time Sigint, and AI recognition, of missile light-up; as well as the necessity for pre-staging intercept – two absolutes of every successful anti-missile system today, American and Israeli.
After the SDI project, he worked as an entrepreneur, designing a general medical office AI program that would (if venture capitalists had been able to grasp it) still be considered "tomorrow technology" even today — as would his AI design, back in 1986, for a pilotless (later called UAV) squadron of AI fighter planes that could implement advanced AI coordinated combat tactics together at light speed, and perform maneuvers beyond human "G" limitations. But, they didn't feel comfortable issuing an Israeli security clearance to a former American spook who had held an American Top Secret, Crypto, Comint clearance and refused to divulge anything about that. So, they're still struggling with the gnarly issues.
Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu also served in the Israel Defense Forces reserves and, being a graduate of an American police academy and martial arts expert, volunteered in the Israeli police reserves.
Letter from then-Chief Rabbi Mordekhai Eliyahu Extending His Blessing to Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu Bën-Dâ•vidꞋ |
In 1986, י--ה blessed them with a daughter, Yâ•eilꞋ, born in K'far Saba (near Ra•a•nanꞋâ(h)). Later that year they settled in Ra•a•nanꞋâ(h) (a small city about 12 km north of Teil Ä•vivꞋ). In 1990.07, The Jerusalem Post Magazine published a feature article about Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu. As he had done in Florida, in 1992.05, Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu made sure the rabbis knew exactly what he was doing and sought their advice in a letter to then-Chief Rabbi of Israel, Eliyahu Mordekhai, z"l, setting forth his beliefs in full, concealing nothing. The Chief Rabbi's reply is published in Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu's book, Who Are The Nᵊtzarim? Live-LinkT (WAN) (click on the digitized copy of his letter to enlarge).
Having thoroughly searched all over Israel for any remnant of the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ, Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu found that there were none for he and Karen to join. Until Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu began writing about the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ in 1974 as a result of his reasearch, no one in the modern world have even heard of the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ. (Beware of the many phony poseurs who have since plagiarized his work and pirate his copyrighted CDs.) Yet, Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ requires that every community must have a Beit Din. Inescapably, י--ה had arranged that Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu was the first and only candidate in the legitimate Jewish community since 135 C.E. whom He required by Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ to fill the position of the 16th Pâ•qidꞋ and restore the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ Beit Din that the Roman Hellenists had eradicated in 135 C.E.
16th Pâ•qidꞋ YirmᵊyâhꞋu ha-Tza•diqꞋ had long recognized a gaping and glaring lacuna: While The Nᵊtzârim Reconstruction of Hebrew Matitᵊyâhu (NHM, in English) had demonstrated that the structural framework of the life and teachings of historical RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa was Tor•âhꞋ, the Judaic literature had preserved very few clues about his interpretations of Oral Law (and the Christian-redacted, Hellenized Greek literature was apostate and misleading). The Judaic literature tells us primarily that he was a RibꞋi. Therefore he was a Pᵊrush•iꞋ and Dead Sea Scroll 4Q MMT then demonstrates that
he taught that Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ (rather than the Qum•rânꞋ Ma•as•ëhꞋ or the Hellenist Tzᵊdoq•iꞋ Χειρογραφον τοις Δογμασιν) was the authoritative Oral Law and
his teachings, recorded in NHM, demonstrate that he was of the school of Beit Hi•leilꞋ.
The lacuna, of course, is that many subsets of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ have subsequently evolved in the various Diaspora countries through assimilation (Ash•kᵊnazꞋi, Sᵊphârâd•iꞋ, Mi•zᵊrakhꞋi, etc.). The lacuna could only be restored authentically by retrieving and adopting the correct–most pristine–version of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ to fill the lacuna! This became his next project.
In 1998, while researching ancient Judaic music, Pâ•qidꞋ YirmᵊyâhꞋu discovered that the one Jewish community least affected and influenced by the outside world since the 1st century C.E., preserving the most pristine tradition of reciting Tor•âhꞋ and the most pristine reflection of 1st century Pᵊrush•iꞋ Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ, are the Tei•mân•imꞋ. Pâ•qidꞋ YirmᵊyâhꞋu immediately determined to switch from the Ash•kᵊnazꞋim synagogues where he had been praying and searched for a Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët Tei•mân•iꞋ, finding Beit ha-KᵊnësꞋët Mo•rëshꞋët Âv•otꞋ Yad Nâ•âm•iꞋ only a block from his home! How wondrously י--ה had worked! Pâ•qidꞋ YirmᵊyâhꞋu immediately applied for membership. After a meeting with their וַעַד during which he straightforwardly explained his positions, just as he had in Florida and to the Chief Rabbi. He was accepted and became a member of the עֲמֻתָּה. He and his family have prayed there regularly until 2012.
Meanwhile, Yâ•eilꞋ, progressed from an Orthodox gan, through Ariel Orthodox elementary school (also winning a silver medal in a regional judo competition during this time). In 2003 she made the Israel Debate team to the European championship but, due to conflicts in her schedule, wasn't able to go to the competition. That summer, she completed a science project at The Technion in Haifa. She also made the finals in the 2004 Young Israel Scientists Fair and, during the summer, participated in a science project at M.I.T. in Boston, Massachussetts. In her senior year of high school, she was president of the 2004 student council, on the yearbook committee, graduating from the Orthodox AMIT Renanim Jr. and Sr. Science and Technology High School for Girls in Ra•a•nanꞋâ.
She then served as an officer in the TzaꞋha"l, represented Israel on the Tel Aviv University debating team at the European International Debating competition in Istanbul and went on to earn her B.Sc. in Life Sciences (Biology, 2007) at TAU (Tel Aviv University), thereafter earning her M.Sc. in Biological Research, also at TAU. After taking archeology courses at Hebrew University, she began working on her Doctorate in Chemical Science (applied to archeology) at The Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science, Scientific Archaeology Unit, The Weizmann Institute of Science, RᵊkhōvꞋōt, Israel.