Noahide Community Faith and Practice
Who Are Noahides?
A Noahide, also called a “Ben Noach” (Child of Noah), is a non-Jew who chooses to live by the Seven Universal Laws that the Torah teaches were given by God to all humanity through Noah after the Flood. These laws are a moral foundation meant for every person, regardless of background, culture, or nation, and are seen in Jewish tradition as the basis for a righteous and civilized world.
The Seven Noahide Laws are simple yet profound: to believe in one God and avoid idolatry, to honor and not blaspheme God’s Name, to respect human life and not murder, to respect the property of others and not steal, to uphold family integrity by avoiding adultery and sexual immorality, to respect God’s creation by not eating the limb of a living animal, and to establish courts of justice to ensure fairness and uphold these principles in society.
A person who accepts these commandments and lives by them is recognized in Judaism as a “Righteous Among the Nations.” Unlike Jews, who are bound by the 613 commandments of the Torah, Noahides are called to live by these seven laws as their covenant with God. There is no conversion process to become a Noahide—it is a matter of commitment and faith.
In modern times, Noahide communities have begun to organize around the world, often studying the Torah with guidance from Jewish teachers to better understand how to live by these principles. Alongside personal observance, Noahides are encouraged to engage in community outreach and good works—helping neighbors, supporting fairness, and working toward social justice—as a way of making the world a better place.
Ultimately, being a Noahide means choosing a path of ethical responsibility, reverence for God, and service to humanity. It represents a universal spiritual identity rooted in justice, morality, and the pursuit of peace for all.
The 13 Principles of Faith
From the Writings of Maimonides
1. Belief in the existence of the Creator, who is perfect in every manner of existence and is the Primary Cause of all that exists.
2. The belief in G‑d's absolute and unparalleled unity.
3. The belief in G‑d's non-corporeality, nor that He will be affected by any physical occurrences, such as movement, or rest, or dwelling.
4. The belief in G‑d's eternity.
5. The imperative to worship G‑d exclusively and no foreign false gods.
6. The belief that G‑d communicates with man through prophecy.
7. The belief in the primacy of the prophecy of Moses our teacher.
8. The belief in the divine origin of the Torah.
9. The belief in the immutability of the Torah.
10. The belief in G‑d's omniscience and providence.
11. The belief in divine reward and retribution.
12. The belief in the arrival of the Messiah and the messianic era.
13. The belief in the resurrection of the dead.