Noahide Project seeks to create a world religion whose believers adore Israel
The Noahide Project has the support of Israel’s Chief Rabbinate and the Israeli government. Noahides are members of a new religion founded by rabbis from Israel, mainly from Chabad and the religious Zionist movement – a form of Zionist mission that seeks to create a world religion whose believers adore the Jewish people and the State of Israel… the first Noahide gathering took place in Texas in 1990 and was attended by Rabbi Meir Kahane…
“Our friends all over the world, the Noahides… You are the lucid persons in a perplex world. You are the hope of the world. Happy good day.” Thus, in somewhat broken English, Rabbi Oury Cherki, head of the Noahide World Center, greeted his followers in a video clip on the occasion of “Humanity Day,” the holiday of the Noahides (also known as Children of Noah), which was last celebrated on the 27th day of the Hebrew month of Marheshvan (Nov. 10, 2017). According to Jewish tradition, it was on that day that Noah and his family emerged from the ark and received the seven commandments that apply to all human beings, among them the prohibitions on idol worship, on murder and on eating flesh torn from a living animal. When Noah left the ark, he built an altar and made a sacrifice. Which is why the Noahides eat grilled meat on their holiday.
A new religion, subordinate to Judaism
But who are these Noahides? They are members of a new religion, subordinate to Judaism, founded by rabbis from Israel, mainly from Chabad and the religious Zionist movement. According to the World Center, there are dozens of Noahide communities across the world, with more than 20,000 believers. That’s a hefty number, given that the religion was only founded at the beginning of the decade. Small Noahide communities exist in various countries, with the largest one in the Philippines.
Cooperation between Israel and the Philippines is constantly growing, and this week reached new heights with the visit to Israel of the country’s president, Rodrigo Duterte. The Philippines are a key arena of Chabad activity, and one of the primary venues where the new religion is being disseminated. There are four Chabad centers in the country, and in addition to assisting Jews, they support 10 Noahide houses of prayer. The Hasidic emissaries view the Philippines community as the model for Noahide communities in other countries. A group from the community was brought to Israel two years ago, and its members met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has also sent his greetings to all the communities worldwide.
That there are countries in which groups and communities identify themselves as belonging to the Jewish people, or as descendants of the 10 lost tribes of Israel, is nothing new. Similarly, we’re familiar with Christians who admire Israel. But the Noahides are a theological phenomenon of very recent vintage. It’s a form of Zionist mission, which seeks to create a world religion whose believers adore the Jewish people and the State of Israel – without belonging to either. The believers are required to accept the supremacy of Judaism but are not accepted into the Jewish people and are even barred from upholding such commandments as Sabbath observance. Anyone who wishes to be a Noahide is called upon mainly to recognize the Jewish people and its state.
Last month, Nova Religio, a journal devoted to emergent and alternative religions, published an article by Rachel Z. Feldman, assistant professor of religious studies at Franklin and Marshall College, in Pennsylvania, titled “The Children of Noah: Has Messianic Zionism Created a New World Religion?” In the summer of 2017, Feldman visited Noahide communities on the Filipino island of Cebu, which are supervised by Chabad rabbis. Like most Noahides around the world, the members of the Cebu community came mostly from Protestant churches, but had abandoned their belief in the New Testament.
https://israelpalestinenews.org/haaretz-noahide-project-seeks-to-create-a-world-religion-whose-believers-adore-israel/