Bnai Mitzvah for Beta-Gershomim

1. Interested in becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah?
Whether you identify as Jewish or Gentile,
there is a Covenant for you…

2. If you have Jewish & Gentile ancestry,
Beta-Gershom.org honors how you
self-identify.
We are offering three different Bnai
Mitzvah programs:
1. Bnai Mitzvah Israel, if you have Jewish ancestry
(no matter how remote) and identify as a Jew.
2. Bnai Mitzvah Noach, if you have at least one
Gentile parent and you identify as a Gentile.
3. Bnai Mitzvah GerToshav, if you are a Bnai
Noach living among the Jewish people.

3. About the Bnai Mitzvah Israel program
• Background: All nations that reach out to the Creator have a
valid Covenant and a place in the World-to-Come. The Sinai
Covenant is Israel’s Covenant.
• If you have Jewish ancestry (no mater how remote) and self-
identify as a Jew, the Bnai Mitzvah Israel program is for you.
•The program goal is no different than those offered by
normative Jewish denominations: to enable you in your goal to
affirm your commitment to being an observant member of the
Jewish people.

4. About the Bnai Mitzvah Noach program
• Background: All nations that reach out to the Creator have
a valid Covenant and a place in the World-to-Come.
• To each of these nations, God manifests differently and
each has its own, valid, Covenant. Yet, all nations have in
common the ethical laws given thru Noach after the Flood.
• The Bnai Mitzvah Noach program enables you to study
and declare your commitment to the Noachide laws and to
being part of the community of monotheistic nations.

5. About the Bnai Mitzvah GerToshav
program
• Background: a Ger Toshav is, literally, a Resident Alien.
• According to the Torah, Gentiles who reside among the
Jewish people, have a covenant consisting of most of the
Sinai Mitzvot.
• The Bnai Mitzvah GerToshav program enables study and
commitment to the Sinai Miztvot applicable to non-Jews who
live among the Jewish people or consider themselves as
spiritually “living among” the Jewish people.

6. How does it work? (pg 1 of 2)
Study course:
• Preparation for becoming Bnai Mitzvah is done by long-distance study, under the supervision
of ordained-with-semikha rabbi, Dr. Arthur Segal.
• The best way for rabbi Segal to teach long distance is to have classes of multiple students
each. Study assignments are provided weekly to the students (including via email).
• Duration, Tuition, and Textbook costs for each study course:
• Bnai Mitzvah Noach: six months. Tuition: US$399. Textbooks: US$85 + shipping.
• Bnai Mitzvah Ger Toshav: six months. Tuition: US$399. Textbooks: US$85 + shipping.
• Bnai Mitzvah Israel: twelve months. Tuition: US$599. Textbooks: US$85 + shipping.
• In addition, the student will need the following Biblical texts:
• Artscroll’s Chumash (Five books of Moses), Stone Edition
• Artscroll’s Sidur (prayer book) with Hebrew, English, and Hebrew Transliteration into
English
• Classes start in May 2013. Vacancies are limited, so register early!
To register, send a email to bnai-mitzvah@beta-gershom.org (no subject or text
necessary). You will receive a reply containing the link to the Registration web page. If you have
questions, you can also include them in your email.

7. How does it work? (pg 2 of 2)
Bnai Mitzvah ceremony:
• Arrangements and costs for Bnai Mitzvah ceremony are separate from the Study Course.
• For those who live near, or can travel to, rabbi Segal’s location (beautiful Hilton Head
Island, South Carolina, USA), the rabbi can organize a ceremony there. If there are a
number of students who live near each other, but far from rabbi Segal, the rabbi can travel
to them.
• Costs depend on location and number of students per ceremony.
• Private ceremonies are also an option (either at your location or in South Carolina).
• If there are travel constraints, other options will be made available.
• As a minimum, upon completion of the Study program, the student has the
opportunity to declare his/her commitment to the applicable Mitzvot in writing, and will
receive a certificate acknowledging the student’s completion of study and declaration
of commitment to the Commandments.

8. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (pg 1 of 5)
I have Jewish and Gentile ancestry. When you say that you honor how I self-identify, is that
compliant with Judaism ? Yes. Here’s why:
The different Jewish denominations disagree on the answer to “Who is born a Jew?”. They
interpret the relevant Torah passages (Deut 7:3-4 and Lev 24:10-16) differently.
•Orthodox and Conservative interpret these scriptures as saying that a person is born
Jewish only if the person’s mother was Jewish at time of the person’s birth.
• Karaite and Ethiopian Jewry interpret these scriptures as saying that a person is born
Jewish only if the person’s father was Jewish at time of the person’s birth.
• Reform in the US and Liberal Judaism around the world accept a person as Jewish-born
if one parent was Jewish at time of the person’s birth and the person has been raised
Jewishly.
The reason that the different denominations disagree is that the language in these scriptures is
not explicit in excluding or including a child of intermarriage, so each denomination interpreted
according to its historical situations, and perspectives.
However, Genesis 28:12-15 is very explicit in stating that the promise of Sinai is open to ALL
offspring of Jacob.
For more information see: www.beta-gershom.org/who_is_born_a_jew.shtml

9. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (pg 2 of 5)
I have Jewish and Gentile ancestry and I self-identify as a Jew. Once I complete my Bar/Bat
Mitzvah, will I be recognized as a Jew by any denominations that currently do not recognize
me as a Jew?
Only if you also undergo the rituals required of converts by the denomination that you would
like to be recognized by (and performed by a rabbi accredited by that denomination.)
The Bnai Mitzvah Israel study course will prepare you, not only for the Bnai Mitzvah
ceremony, but you will also have the necessary preparation to undergo (should you wish to do
so) the ritual and conversion ceremony necessary to be recognized as a Jew according to
Halakah (Traditional Jewish Law). People recognized as a Jew according to Halakah are also
recognized as a Jew by Reform and Conservative Judaism. (Note: Halakic conversion does
not automatically enable a person to immigrate to Israel).
Rabbi Segal is ordained and able to perform the Traditional ritual and ceremony as a addition
to the Bnai Mitzvah Israel ceremony. The Traditional ritual includes:
- immersion in running waters
- recitation of the Shema in Hebrew
- declaration of allegiance to the Jewish people and their G-d before a Beit Din (a Jewish
Court of three).
- circumcision (or if already circumcised, then symbolic circumcision via drawing of a drop of
blood from the penis, which is known as Hatafat Dam).

10. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (pg 3 of 5)
Can I be a Noahide and keep my ancestral religion ? To the extent that that religion
recognizes the One Creator of all Creation, and does not call other monotheistic faiths
“invalid” or “inferior”, yes. Here’s why:
After the Flood, God manifested to many different nations. Each of those nations received
and developed their own relationship and Covenant with God. The Sinai Covenant is Israel’s,
and other nations have their own. Now, to each nation, God manifests differently. However,
God is limitless, so no religion can claim exclusivity to how God should be addressed or
thought of. Each monotheistic nation’s way is valid for them (and them only), and none is
better than the other. For example:
• To Hindus, God is Generator, Organizer, Destroyer. And each of these can manifest thru
created beings or objects.
• To Israel, God has manifested in many ways (a voice from a burning bush, a visitor to
Abraham, a angel wrestling with Jacob, a presence within the Holy of Holies), however
God forbids Israel to reach out to God thru descriptions, images or created things.
• To Native Americans, there is a One Creator who manifests thru nature.
• To Christians, God manifests as a Transcendent Father, as a Son, and as a Holy Spirit.
• To Ishmael, God manifests as Just, Compassionate, yet never thru images or created
things.
Thus, a Noahide rejects any scriptures that condemn or evangelize other monotheistic faiths.

11. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (pg 4 of 5)
I do not feel that I am a Jew, however I have Jewish ancestry and Judaism is the only
ancestral religion that I feel close to. What Torah Covenant is right for me ?
Certainly the Noachide Covenant applies to all people. Additionally, if Judaism is the only
ancestral religion that you feel close to, as a offspring of Jacob you are a person that is
“among the Jewish people”, i.e. a “Ger Toshav” (literally “Resident Alien”).
The Torah recognizes that Non-Jews can live among the Jewish people, and for these
“Resident Aliens”, it provides a specific relationship (i.e. Covenant) based many aspects of
the Sinai Covenant.
The Bnai Mitzvah GerToshav program is offered to enable the Ger Toshav to declare his/her
commitment to the Commandments applicable to the Ger Toshav.
For a link to specific scriptural references to the Sinai Laws applicable to the Ger Toshav,
please see: www.beta-gershom.org/ger_toshav_laws.shtml

12. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (pg 5 of 5)
I was raised with two religions in the home. Can I belong to both ? No. Here’s why: Although
each monotheistic religion has a valid way to relate to God, that way is only valid for that
nation. Usually one nation’s way is incompatible with another’s.
For example, Israel and Ishmael’s religions are not allowed to think of, or reach out to, God
thru images, material objects or living beings. On the other hand, Christianity, Hinduism,
Native American religions, each see God as especially present in particular created things
(e.g. Christian Trinity including Jesus; Hindu Trinity including Krishna; to Native Americans, the
Great Spirit communicates thru sacred rivers and mountains).
Thus, a Christian or a Hindu can never claim to also be a Jew, and viceversa a Jew can never
claim to also be Hindu or Christian.
I can not be Jewish and Christian? What about the original followers of Jesus. Weren’t they
Jews? Yes. They were Jews and Gentile ‘God fearers’, but they were not Christians. They
understood Jesus’ message as God-inspired and not as a new religion. They never
worshipped him or considered him as God. They called themselves “Ebionim” (“The Poor”) and
“Ntzrim” and were led by Jesus’ brother James, after Jesus died. It is known that they clashed
with the Early Christians (led by Paul of Tarsus in Antioch of Syria, starting about 45CE) and
this is documented by Paul in Galatians, and by the author of Acts, and by Christian Church
fathers (e.g. Origen, Justin Martyr, Epiphanius of Salamis, etc.) hostile to the Ebionim.
Judaism and Noachism have no problem with Ebionism, since it is not a religion, but rather the
Nazrene Rabbi’s teaching on how to fulfill God’s Commandments.