Does Jukai imply a student commitment to the preceptor?

I'm sitting with a bunch of people (and have been for quite a while now), and I want to deepen my practice. I want to make a commitment, primary to myself, to stay on track and want to take _Jukai_ (refuge). __Situation:__ Our group is quite heterogeneous and a mere "sitting group". Our common denominator is Soto-Style Zen, but we are lay, lay-ordained people, and monks. Some style themselves Buddhist, other Christian. We have no common teacher, head temple, center or any authority on site. That leaves me with a few options, all a few hours driving away from here, to commit to a master. - First there is the teacher of most/all of our lay-ordained members. Naturally, that would be the prominent choice, but that would be logistically the most challenging one. - Then there is a temple, which is nearer, but not so closely coupled to our group. That would be a more convenient choice. - Last there would be a main temple of the all over arcing organisation, the both former options are incorporated. But that one is a longer drive, again, and it is the most "unpersonal" option, since it is an higher organisation. __Personal Consideration:__ I want to make the commitment more for my self. From my point of view, my shanga is my local group. I would want to get to know a teacher quite well, before I would choose him for a monk ordination. But with Jukai, as a first step, I won't consider it that important. __Questions:__ - Who can actually gives Jukai? Who's entitled to? - What is the dogmatic consequence, exactly (link is sufficient)? - How deep are the bonds between the one giving Jukai and the one receiving it? - How to ask for Jukai? - How to prepare for that event? - Any other points, I may miss and should think about? __Edit 2015/10/30, after Andreis Answer:__ His answer moves into the direction of "taking refuge in the _three nobles truths_". I realize, that I'm already taking refuge on a regular basis by chanting the _Shigu seigan mon_ (The Four Bodhisattva Vows). Therefore I changed title and tag back to _Jukai_. I want to focus the question on Soto-Style Jukai as a __lay-ordination__ with committing to the 10 precepts to reinforce my practice. PS: I want to thank Chris for the proof-reading. English is not my first tongue and I am constantly make mistakes while writing, unable to see them myself.