Noahide World Center Opens First Global Congress in Jerusalem
Delegates from 70 countries gather to establish international courts and unified educational standards for non-Jews following the Seven Laws of Noah.
By Julia Wang ·
More than 70 countries are represented at the First International Congress of Noahides, a five-day assembly opening Monday at the Seven Arches Hotel on the Mount of Olives. The gathering marks the first time these scattered communities have convened to build permanent global governing bodies. The event is organized by the Jerusalem-based Noahide World Center, also known as Brit Olam, under the leadership of President Rabbi Oury Cherki.
Noahides are non-Jews who observe the Seven Laws of Noah. These moral imperatives, derived from the Torah, prohibit idolatry, blasphemy, murder, theft, sexual immorality, and cruelty to animals. They also mandate the establishment of a legal system. Unlike proselytizing traditions, Judaism does not seek to convert non-Jews. Instead, it offers an autonomous spiritual path rooted in ancient biblical covenants. Noahides look to the Torah and rabbinical authorities for guidance on ethical monotheism.
The assembly functions as a founding body rather than a standard conference. Participants are engaged in working sessions to create shared institutional frameworks. These efforts include establishing the first international Beit Din, a rabbinical court of guidance. Rabbi Cherki will serve as Chief Justice alongside senior and regional judges. The group is also developing foundational texts, including the Brit Shalom legal codex and a universal prayer book called the Brit Olam siddur.
Additional sessions focus on drafting a unified educational syllabus and organizing six continental regional councils. A three-arm financial funding model is being established under a signed Founding Charter. Alongside the work, delegates are taking guided heritage tours of ancient Jerusalem and Shilo. Shilo is the site where the historical Tabernacle once stood.
Rabbi Tovia Singer, founder of Outreach Judaism, opened the congress. Singer is a public speaker and counter-missionary who responds to groups targeting Jews for conversion. His media work has reached a broad non-Jewish audience, leading many to study his materials and adopt the Noahide path. Singer noted that the hotel was built in 1964 when Jewish access to East Jerusalem was restricted. He told delegates that the return of these groups fulfills biblical prophecy, stating, "This hotel was completed in 1964.. the people who built it never dreamed that the Jews would ever return here."
Chabad Rabbi Manis Friedman blessed the gathering, stating that humanity is reaching a tipping point where individuals across cultures recognize the reality of God. He emphasized that serving the Creator through everyday actions makes every human being a partner in creation. Rabbi Yehuda HaKohen, head of Brit Olam's English-language division, framed the event as a step toward a universal vision. He told The Jerusalem Post, "Until now we’ve been focused on protecting ourselves from external threats, but we’ve reached a point in our development where we need to formulate a universalist orientation."
Critics, including conservative evangelical commentators, have raised concerns online. Some argue that establishing international rabbinical courts for non-Jews parallels apocalyptic prophecies concerning a single world religion. Critics point to traditional rulings, such as those by Maimonides, which classify Trinitarian Christian worship as idolatry under Noahide law. Rabbi Chaim Goldberg, CEO of the Noahide World Center, said the movement is moving from scattered individuals to a covenantal structure. Rod Bryant, a Texas-based Noahide leader, stated that the congress has given new life to international leaders who have previously worked in isolation.
The congress concludes with two ceremonial milestones. The group will sign a founding document and hold a formal reception at Beit HaNasi, the official residence of the President of the State of Israel, on Thursday. Rabbi Oury Cherki said that after the declaration is signed, a Noahide in Manila or Texas will no longer stand alone. He added, "We are moving from scattered individuals to a covenantal structure, and that is the difference between a sentiment and a civilization."
