For the past 8 years, I’ve dedicated much of my mission to spreading the beauty of Karaite music. It started with releasing Rotem Cohen’s recording of Ronnu Shamayim, arguably the most famous Karaite melody. Then I continued to work with Rotem on bringing out other traditional Karaite melodies, such as Kelil Yofi, my favorite song. Today, I want to share some of the behind the scenes discussions and work that went into producing the first Meditation Project we did.
Before I continue, I want to acknowledge that today is October 8, 2024, one year and one day since the horrific massacre that took place in Israel. I know this post seems rather insignificant compared to everything that Israel is going through and the rise in antisemitism worldwide. I’ve decided to start blogging again – not as a way to stick it to the haters nor even as a way to return to normalcy – but to get back in touch with a part of me that gave me so much joy: depicting what it is like to be a Karaite in the modern world. And along the way, I hope you’ll learn more about the shared tradition among Karaites, Rabbanites, Yudhganites, Issawites, Mishiwites, Essenes and everything in between and beyond.
Now back to the post and how the meditation came to be.
The Circle of Belief:
As far as I am aware, Nir Nissim conceived this idea. In 2018-2019 he was here in the U.S. volunteering for our community with his wife Priel, when he approached and said he wanted to create a meditation for Jews. I thought it was a terrible idea. Like really bad. Who needs a meditation?! Then on February 10, 2019, he sent me a recording of a meditation from India and asked me to sit alone in a dark room with my eyes closed and listen.
On February 11, Nir reached back out to me and asked what I thought. My response was kind of, well, frustrating: “You gave me too many requirements. I couldn’t comply so I didn’t listen.” When I eventually did listen I told Nir that I liked it. In truth I did like it. But I wasn’t sold on the project.
Around this time, Nir’s beloved grandfather passed away, and Nir told me that his grandfather was the one who taught him to love our Karaite tradition and to enjoy Shabbat. In my mind supporting the meditation project became a way to say thank you to Nir’s grandfather for investing in Nir so that he could invest in our community (and the community in Israel).
In any event, on March 3, 2019, Nir sent me a recording with traditional Middle-Eastern sounds to entice me to get excited about the meditation project. I liked it and soon thereafter we were off and running.
I had an idea for the meditation that I thought was genius. I told Nir, what if we start the meditation with the words “Mi Anokhi”- “Who am I”, from Mi Anokhi Afar Va’aefer. What a great way to start a meditation. Here is the voice message I left Nir about that:
Nir responded that he was a bit worried that if we use the entirety of the Mi Anokhi passage from our prayers it would turn people off. Because the words are “Who am I but dust and ashes, worm and maggot. . . ” I agreed and suggested maybe using “Mi Anokhi Afar Va’efer” (“Who am I but dust and ashes”).
At this point, I told Nir that I trust him and Rotem and that they could move the project forward without me. But I would constantly send Nir short sound-bites of me saying Mi Anokhi. It became kind of like a joke with me, Priel and Nir. Here is one of them:
In any event several months later, I heard the full and complete meditation for the first time on a day when I was going to be at the synagogue. So I went in the sanctuary (not on Shabbat) and played it. I was the only one there and I fell in love with it – especially the part where the congregation says “Odecha Ki Anitani”.
Here is the first message I sent Rotem and Nir thanking them for the meditation.
And here I am singing Odecha Ki Anitani over and over again the first day I heard the meditation.
Well, that’s it for now – also, I did an entire teaching on this mediation and how it fits in with the historical Karaite liturgy. I don’t think enough people watched it, so I am linking it here.
