Category Archives: videos

Learning 3: A Karaite Perspective on the High Holidays

How many of these rituals are what the Torah intended?

May you reach the end of the holidays and rejoice for completing them. In case you were not able to join us for the live webinar, my latest learning has been posted to YouTube. And is also embedded below.

In this talk you’ll learn: 1) Whether we are commanded by the Torah’s text to blow a shofar; 2) What the Jewish sages said about the connection between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur; 3) What are we supposed to do with those “four species”, and 4) what Biblical holiday has Simhath Torah overshadowed.

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Filed under Daniel al-Kumisi, Holidays, Jacob ben Reuben, James Walker, Lithuania, My Talks, Shofar, Solomon ben Aaron, The Karaite Press, The Palanquin, videos, Yefet ben 'Ali, Yom Kippur, Yom Teruah

Prayer Customs of Karaite Jews (New Video – By Eli Shmuel)

Karaite Jewish LearningEli Shemuel is no longer in the U.S., but he keeps on trucking. Last night the Karaite Jews of America released another learning by Eli. This time, Eli is speaking about Karaite Jewish prayer customs.

I previously wrote a little about Karaite prayer customs here. Eli’s new video goes into more detail about removing our shoes, ritual purity, the structure of the Karaite prayer. Check out the beautiful music from the Karaite Jewish choir of Israel as well.

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Filed under Eli Shmuel, Full Prostration, Karaite Synagogues, Prayer, Ritual Purity, videos

Amazing Matzah, Truly Bitter Herbs and Other Passover Customs of Karaite Jews (New Video)

Library PresentationLast week, I gave a talk to the Jewish Community Library of San Francisco on the Passover customs of Karaite Jews.  The talk was recorded, and I’ve edited the portions that deal specifically with the Passover Seder and Hag HaMatzot.  Check it out after the jump.

The presentation includes a snippet of an interview with an Egyptian Karaite who has an incredibly unique Passover memory. And if you missed this week’s Washington Post article on Karaite Jewish Passover foods, here you go.

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Filed under Hametz, Passover, videos

The Karaite Jewish Renaissance in Israel (New Video)

Eli Shmuel crushes it in his talk about the future of Karaites in Israel.

Eli Shmuel crushes it in his talk about the future of Karaites in Israel.

On Sunday, February 23, 2014, Eli Shmuel gave a 15 minute talk to the Karaite Jews of America on the rejuvenation of the Karaite Jewish movement in Israel. It’s been just over a year since I pondered whether 2013 would be a Karaite tipping point and or whether Karaite Judaism would even survive another generation.

So let’s hear what Eli has to say about the issue . . .

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Filed under Eli Shmuel, State of the Movement, videos