Do I have to be Jewish to come to Israel?
1st message:
I have a question: Do you have a publication I might purchase to send to a JEWISH friend in Israel who has convinced himself that only Jews can make Aliyah, and that the other tribes must become Jews in order to live there? And he means by that that they must be converted by rabbis into Orthodox Judaism. Repentance and faithfully returning to the Covenant, according to him, is insufficient.
2nd Message.
Yair, I simply do not accept what you seem to be saying, that Jews have a superior claim on the Promised Land above their brother tribes, when the “Lost Ten Tribes” comprise the much larger part of the Whole House of Israel and figure prominently in prophecy, starting with Jacob’s blessing on Joseph’s sons Manassas and Ephraim. And prophecy is that the Lost Ten Tribes will return to their own Promised Land in the last days, at which time the state of Israel will be expanded to the full promise of land which God anciently made to the Whole House of Israel, all the way to the Euphrates, to accommodate that massive return.
What the Jews DO have, however, is sure knowledge of the tribe to which they belong. I can only speculate that I am Ephraimite because my ancestors came from Great Britain and Wales, and emigrated to the USA and were positive additions to the population in SE Virginia (Hancock and Johnson, mother’s side) and NE North Carolina (Dilday and Askew, father’s side). Daddy told me once that there had been a great exodus from Wales to the USA, though I never heard of that from any other source.
And now I have a problem with my brother tribe, Judah? Well, the truly prophesied messiah will surely straighten this out. And build the Third and Final Temple. In my day, I pray!
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Brit-Am Answer:
In principle your friend is right. For the present only the Jews have a clear Biblically-sanctioned claim to live in Israel. In the future this will change. Before enlarging on this however there are some points worth noting.
Ephraimite Criteria.
1. Scripture: Biblical Evidence predicting whereto the Lost Ten Tribes would go, what type of religion and government they would have, etc.This includes Blessings, and Physical Characteristics.
Rule Over OTHER Peoples:
Genesis 27:29 48:19 "A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS" (Hebrew: "Malo HaGoyim" i.e. Complete the Peoples, Onkelos: = Rule over the nations), Psalms 47:3
be Seafarers Isaiah 42:10
be Be the Dominant World Power Numbers 24:7-9 Micah 5:7-9
be the World Military Might: Deuteronomy 33:27 33:29 Jer. 51:20-21
be the enforcer of the peace and policeman of the globe The Battle-Axe of the Almighty or "Police-Man of the Globe"
Jeremiah 51:20, Zechariah 10:7
they would Defeat Edom (Germany and Europe) Ez. 25:14 Obad. 1:18
Number hundreds of Millions; Extemely Numerous: Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 24:60, 32:12, Numbers 23:10, Isaiah 10:22, 24:16, 26:15 Hos.1:10
Possess Agricultural Plenty: Gen 27:28 49:25 Deut 33:13-16 Hoshea 2:8
Control vast Mineral Resources Genesis 49:25 Deuteronomy 33:13, 15
rule over GATE(s) OF YOUR ENEMIES (International Strategic Points) Genesis 22:17 24:60
Ends of the Earth: Isaiah 24:16, 26:15, 41:8-9 43:6 49:6
Isles Isaiah 24:15 49:6 60:9 Jeremiah 31: 9-10
Thighs, Peninsulas, and Coasts: Jeremiah 31:8
Tarshish (Atlantic Ocean Area) Isaiah 60:9
Western Location: Isaiah 24:14, Hosea 1:10
Located to the Northwest of the Land of Israel: Isaiah 49:12
In the "North" Land: Jeremiah 3:18 31: 6-10
Australia ("Land of Sinim") and New Zealand Isaiah 49:12
See also Brit-Am Computer Codes on Australia and New Zealand
Zarephath, meaning France and Britain, Obadiah 1:20
Many Waters (Several Oceans) Numbers 24:7
2. Historical Feasibility. Groundwork: Archaeological, Linguistics, and Related Proofs showing paths of migration.
Familial Connections. part of a family related to each other.
Light to the Nations. Relative Enlightenment and Civilized Attitudes.
3. Judah: Affinity with the Jews. : This entails proven feelings of kinship and sympathy with the Jews and a Relative Lack of Anti-Semitism when compared with others. This holds true even though Prophecy (Isaiah 11:13) also indicates that a certain degree of tension would always exist almost to the end between "Ephraim" and Judah.
4. Light to the Nations. A Civilizing Influence.
5. Family Connection: The identified group should have proven "ethnic" links to at least one of the other identified groups so that the proofs of one may be applied to the other.
6. Tribal Affiliations: The Exiled Israelites were destined to settle in groups retaining much of their original Tribal cohesion or later through some kind of "homing" instinct members of the same Tribe tended to converge together. See Isaiah 11:12 and the Midrash. We should therefore be able to at least tentatively identify specific national groups with specific Israelite Tribes and show how the Tribal Characteristics came through.
Manasseh meaning the USA has a name connoting Responsible Representation whereas Ephraim (UK) symbolizes the principle of aristocracy. The name America comes from the Hebrew "Ha-Maciri" meaning belong to the Macir the first born son of Manasseh. Macir means "Right to Sell and Buy" i.e. the Concept of capitalism and Free Enterprise.
See:
Why the USA is Manasseh.
7. Israelite Self-Identification.
What do you notice about all the above?
They apply to the generality of the population. They are not pertinent to individuals!~
Even if a person is certain that the ethnic group they belong to are of Hebrew origin how can they be sure that they are part of it.
Perhaps not all of the people they belong to are Hebrew? Perhaps alien-foreigners intermixed among them?
Perhaps it does not apply to them.
Even if after learning the sources and immersing themselves in the subject they come to the conclusion that they too are Hebrews how can they expects others to agree with them?
Something more will be needed.
The Messiah son of Joseph who in the End Times will come to lead the Ten Tribes will supply this.
On what basis do you want to come to Israel and live there among the Jews?
Brit-Am Researches?
The findings of someone else?
Your own understanding?
The Ten Tribes lost awareness of their ancestry. This needs to be restored to them. They do not recognize themselves as Hebrews, why should others?
As we said,
In principle your friend is right. Jews who can come to Israel preferably should do so. They should also keep the Law according to how the Jewish Religion explains it.
Legally anyone who has a Jewish grandparent can become an Israeli citizen.
We have met non-Jews in Israel who pretended to be Jewish, or admitted they were not Jewish but asked for a special exemption, who also became citizens.
As a favor to Putin and in order to counter-balance the rising Ultra-Orthodox birthrate quite a few Russian Gentiles are also accepted.
Incidentally, see the recent remarks by former Presidential Candidate, Niki Haley, who on a visit to Israel said:
That the October 7 attacks on Israel were organized by Iran using Russian Intelligence reports and funding from China. China funds Iran.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQtnM9MfsY
Nevertheless, in our opinion only Jews who are Jewish according to Jewish law should be accepted. All Jews should keep the Law of Moses according to accepted Jewish standards.
Only 20 to 30% of the Jewish Population now in Israel would agree with this, however.
At all events, this is not what we are about.
Brit-Am/Hebrew Awareness is concerned with proving who the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel are and spreading that knowledge among them and also to the Jewish public.
Non-Jews from the Lost Ten Tribes should concentrate on confirming their Israelite ancestry and strengthening consciousness of it. Reading the Bible, studying it, leading a good positive life and prayer, are also required.
This may not be so simple since people need people.
Nevertheless, we all should try to do what we can.
The Messiah son of Joseph (who precedes the Messiah son of David) will come and help the Ten Tribes be conscious of who they are, renew the Covenant as a group, and return to the Holy Land settling in their tribal areas.
Messiah son of Joseph will also help the Jews return to the Land and build it up.
At first Britain and now America in a sense have been fulfilling the role of Messiah son of Joseph.
Before the Messiah son of Joseph comes lets the Ten Tribes known who they are and bring them together their Israelite ancestry will involve a degree of uncertainty.
Brit-Am in its own way is helping to prepare the way for Messiah son of Joseph. So too, with others.
If before the Messiah son of Joseph hastens the matter along then individuals amongst the Ten Tribes who want to go to Israel and live among the Jews should consider becoming Jewish and Keeping the Law.
The possibility exists in theory of non-Jews who beleive they descend from Israel creating an autonomous area of their own on the outskirts of Israel.
We then have the problem of deciding who will belong to it? and who will not?
Adherence to some kind of basic principals are obviously needed.
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Attributes.
We listed above 7 attributes that help us identify what nations descended from Israelites.
Ephraimite Criteria.
1. Scripture
2. Historical Feasibility. Groundwork
3. Judah: Affinity with the Jews.
4. Light to the Nations. A Civilizing Influence.
5. Family Connection: The identified group should have proven "ethnic" links to at least one of the other identified groups so that the proofs of one may be applied to the other.
6. Tribal Affiliations.
7. Israelite Self-Identification.
We have now decided to reduce the numbers by joining some of the 7 attributes together.
1. Scripture: Biblical Evidence predicting whereto the Lost Ten Tribes would go, what type of religion and government they would have, etc.This includes Blessings, and Physical Characteristics.
2, Historical feasibility. Groundwork: Archaeological, Linguistics, and Related Proofs showing paths of migration.
This includes. Familial Connections. part of a family related to each other.
3. Judah: Affinity with the Jews. : This entails proven feelings of kinship and sympathy with the Jews and a Relative Lack of Anti-Semitism when compared with others.
4. Light to the Nations. A Civilizing Influence.
5. Intrinsic Evidence. Characteristics that emanate from the 'soul" of the people.
This includes Israelite Self-Identification and/or Tribal Equation. Points in History where some kind of identification with the early Hebrews was asserted, OR in which Israelite tribes traits came to expression..
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Generality of the Hebrew Population/
The Traits listed in Ephraimite Criteria apply more to the generality of the population. They are less pertinent to individuals!
Even if a person is certain that the ethnic group they belong to are of Hebrew origin how can they be sure that they are part of it.
Perhaps not all of the people they belong to are Hebrew? Perhaps alien-foreigners intermixed among them?
Perhaps it does not apply to them?
We need a greater spread of Hebrew Awareness. This is in preparation for the Messiah son of Joseph who will enable Israelites to know who they are.
The Messiah son of Joseph represents both a national movement and an individual who shall appear.
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See More below:
The Land of Israel was promised to Israelites:
Exodus (NASB) 6:
4 I ALSO ESTABLISHED MY COVENANT WITH THEM, TO GIVE THEM THE LAND OF CANAAN, THE LAND IN WHICH THEY SOJOURNED.
1-Chronicles (NASB) 16:
17 HE ALSO CONFIRMED IT TO JACOB FOR A STATUTE,
TO ISRAEL AS AN EVERLASTING COVENANT,
18 SAYING, 'TO YOU I WILL GIVE THE LAND OF CANAAN,
AS THE PORTION OF YOUR INHERITANCE.'
Psalm (NASB) 105:
10 THEN HE CONFIRMED IT TO JACOB FOR A STATUTE,
TO ISRAEL AS AN EVERLASTING COVENANT,
11 SAYING, 'TO YOU I WILL GIVE THE LAND OF CANAAN
AS THE PORTION OF YOUR INHERITANCE.'
Deuteronomy 26:
9 HE GAVE US THIS LAND, A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY.
Deuteronomy 11:
12 IT IS A LAND THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD SEEKS OUT; THE EYES OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, ARE ALWAYS UPON IT, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE END OF THE YEAR.
Nevertheless, living in the Land was bound up with worshipping the God of Israel and keeping the Law. The Almighty gave the Land to the Israelites as their Inheritance, their Land. They also had to keep the Law.
Leviticus (NASB) 18:
26 BUT AS FOR YOU, YOU ARE TO KEEP MY STATUTES AND MY JUDGMENTS AND SHALL NOT DO ANY OF THESE ABOMINATIONS, NEITHER THE NATIVE, NOR THE ALIEN WHO SOJOURNS AMONG YOU...28 SO THAT THE LAND WILL NOT SPEW YOU OUT, SHOULD YOU DEFILE IT, AS IT HAS SPEWED OUT THE NATION WHICH HAS BEEN BEFORE YOU.
Leviticus (NASB) 20:
22 YOU ARE THEREFORE TO KEEP ALL MY STATUTES AND ALL MY ORDINANCES AND DO THEM, SO THAT THE LAND TO WHICH I AM BRINGING YOU TO LIVE WILL NOT SPEW YOU OUT.
The Israelites were also supposed to drive out the alien pagans who were there before them or who came in after them.
Numbers (NKJV) 33:
55 BUT IF YOU DO NOT DRIVE OUT THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND FROM BEFORE YOU, THEN IT SHALL BE THAT THOSE WHOM YOU LET REMAIN SHALL BE IRRITANTS IN YOUR EYES AND THORNS IN YOUR SIDES, AND THEY SHALL HARASS YOU IN THE LAND WHERE YOU DWELL. 56 MOREOVER IT SHALL BE THAT I WILL DO TO YOU AS I THOUGHT TO DO TO THEM.
In the End Times all the Israelites will return or at least significant portions of them.
Amos 9:
14 I WILL RETURN THE CAPTIVITY OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL, AND THEY WILL REBUILD DESOLATE CITIES AND SETTLE THEM.
Jeremiah 7:
4 YOU WILL YET PLANT VINEYARDS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SAMARIA.
Jeremiah 32:
37 BEHOLD, I WILL GATHER THEM OUT OF ALL COUNTRIES WHERE I HAVE DRIVEN THEM IN MY ANGER, IN MY FURY, AND IN GREAT WRATH; I WILL BRING THEM BACK TO THIS PLACE, AND I WILL CAUSE THEM TO DWELL SAFELY. 38 THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD; 39 THEN I WILL GIVE THEM ONE HEART AND ONE WAY, THAT THEY MAY FEAR ME FOREVER, FOR THE GOOD OF THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN AFTER THEM. 40 AND I WILL MAKE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH THEM, THAT I WILL NOT TURN AWAY FROM DOING THEM GOOD; BUT I WILL PUT MY FEAR IN THEIR HEARTS SO THAT THEY WILL NOT DEPART FROM ME. 41 YES, I WILL REJOICE OVER THEM TO DO THEM GOOD, AND I WILL ASSUREDLY PLANT THEM IN THIS LAND, WITH ALL MY HEART AND WITH ALL MY SOUL.
Isaiah (NKJV) 11:
12 HE WILL SET UP A BANNER FOR THE NATIONS,
AND WILL ASSEMBLE THE OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL,
AND GATHER TOGETHER THE DISPERSED OF JUDAH
FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH.
13 ALSO THE ENVY OF EPHRAIM SHALL DEPART,
AND THE ADVERSARIES OF JUDAH SHALL BE CUT OFF;
EPHRAIM SHALL NOT ENVY JUDAH,
AND JUDAH SHALL NOT HARASS EPHRAIM.
Ezekiel (NKJV) 37:
19 SAY TO THEM, 'THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: "SURELY I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF JOSEPH, WHICH IS IN THE HAND OF EPHRAIM, AND THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS; AND I WILL JOIN THEM WITH IT, WITH THE STICK OF JUDAH, AND MAKE THEM ONE STICK, AND THEY WILL BE ONE IN MY HAND." ' 20 AND THE STICKS ON WHICH YOU WRITE WILL BE IN YOUR HAND BEFORE THEIR EYES.
21 THEN SAY TO THEM, 'THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: "SURELY I WILL TAKE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM AMONG THE NATIONS, WHEREVER THEY HAVE GONE, AND WILL GATHER THEM FROM EVERY SIDE AND BRING THEM INTO THEIR OWN LAND; 22 AND I WILL MAKE THEM ONE NATION IN THE LAND, ON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL; AND ONE KING SHALL BE KING OVER THEM ALL; THEY SHALL NO LONGER BE TWO NATIONS, NOR SHALL THEY EVER BE DIVIDED INTO TWO KINGDOMS AGAIN.
Jeremiah (NKJV) 3:
18 IN THOSE DAYS THE HOUSE OF JUDAH SHALL WALK WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND THEY SHALL COME TOGETHER OUT OF THE LAND OF THE NORTH TO THE LAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN AS AN INHERITANCE TO YOUR FATHERS.
Jeremiah (NKJV) 30:
3 FOR BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, THAT I WILL BRING BACK FROM CAPTIVITY MY PEOPLE ISRAEL AND JUDAH, SAYS THE LORD. AND I WILL CAUSE THEM TO RETURN TO THE LAND THAT I GAVE TO THEIR FATHERS, AND THEY SHALL POSSESS IT.
Micah (CJB) 5:
12 IT IS A DAY, AND HE SHALL COME UP TO YOU: THOSE FROM ASSYRIA AND THE FORTIFIED CITIES, AND FROM THE FORTRESS UP TO THE RIVER AND THE SEA FROM THE WEST, AND THE DWELLERS OF THE MOUNTAIN.
13 AND THE LAND SHALL BECOME DESOLATE [TOGETHER] WITH ITS INHABITANTS BECAUSE OF THE FRUIT OF THEIR DEEDS.
14 LEAD YOUR PEOPLE WITH YOUR ROD-THE FLOCK OF YOUR INHERITANCE WHO DWELL ALONE, A FOREST IN THE MIDST OF A FRUITFUL FIELD-AND THEY SHALL GRAZE IN BASHAN AND GILEAD AS IN DAYS OF YORE.
15 AS IN THE DAYS OF YOUR EXODUS FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, I WILL SHOW HIM WONDERS.
Zechariah (CJB) 10:
6 AND I WILL STRENGTHEN THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, AND THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH I WILL SAVE. AND I WILL CAUSE THEM TO SETTLE, FOR I HAVE BESTOWED MERCY UPON THEM. AND THEY SHALL BE AS THOUGH I HAD NOT FORSAKEN THEM, FOR I AM THE LORD THEIR GOD, AND I WILL ANSWER THEM.
7 AND EPHRAIM SHALL BE LIKE A MIGHTY MAN, AND THEIR HEART SHALL REJOICE AS IF [WITH] WINE. AND THEIR CHILDREN SHALL SEE AND REJOICE; THEIR HEART SHALL BE JOYFUL WITH THE LORD.
8 I WILL WHISTLE TO THEM, AND I WILL GATHER THEM, FOR I HAVE REDEEMED THEM. AND THEY SHALL MULTIPLY AS THEY MULTIPLIED.
9 AND I WILL SOW THEM AMONG THE PEOPLES, AND IN THE DISTANT PLACES THEY SHALL REMEMBER ME. AND THEY SHALL LIVE WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND RETURN.
10 AND I WILL RETURN THEM FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, AND FROM ASSYRIA I WILL GATHER THEM. AND TO THE LAND OF GILEAD AND LEBANON I WILL BRING THEM, AND IT SHALL NOT SUFFICE FOR THEM.
11 AND TROUBLE SHALL PASS THROUGH THE SEA, AND HE SHALL STRIKE THE WAVES OF THE SEA AND DRY ALL THE DEPTHS OF THE RIVER. AND THE PRIDE OF ASSYRIA SHALL BE BROUGHT DOWN, AND THE ROD OF EGYPT SHALL TURN AWAY.
12 AND I WILL STRENGTHEN THEM BY THE LORD, AND BY HIS NAME THEY SHALL WALK, SAYS THE LORD.