KJA Releases Next Section of Mikdash Me’at

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Filed under Aviv, Elijah Baschyatchi, New Moon

Karaite Shechita: No Pregnant Animals Were Slaughtered For This Post

A Karaite Shochet's First Meal: Goat Pizza.  (Photo Courtesy of T. Wheeler.)

A Karaite Shochet’s First Meal: Goat Pizza.
(Photo Courtesy of T. Wheeler.)

By now, we all know that Karaites and Rabbanites have different traditions regarding kashrut (e.g.milk and meat and alyah). But the historical Karaite practice of slaughter (Hebrew: shechita) is also different from the Rabbinic practice.

Today, I catch up with Travis Wheeler, a Karaite schochet, and Eli Shmuel, a young Israeli Karaite, about the Karaite halakhic tradition regarding slaughter. Continue reading

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Filed under Eli Shmuel, Kashrut, Milk and Meat, Moshe Firrouz, Shechita, Travis Wheeler

A Taste of Karaite Judaism in 30 Minutes or Less (Part 2)

Taste of Karaite Well, if you haven’t seen it yet, here is the rest of that presentation. Some more interesting stuff in here and I hope you enjoy it.

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Filed under Karaite Synagogues, Shavuot, What is Karaite Judaism, Women in Karaism, Zionism

A Taste of Karaite Judaism In 30 Minutes or Less (Part 1)

Taste of KaraiteOn October 24, 2013, a group of 5-7th graders from a conservative synagogue visited Congregation B’nai Israel, the home of the Karaite Jews of America. This was my first presentation on Karaite Judaism in over a year. I was a bit rusty but it was good to get back in the saddle – even if my shirt collar was not behaving.

We recorded the presentation and it appears after the jump. Feel free to drop your comments below and let me know if there are things you’d want to see me incorporate into future presentations.

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Filed under Karaite Jews of America, Karaite Origins, Karaite Prayers & Melody, Karaite Synagogues, Karaites in Israel, Milk and Meat, My Talks, What is Karaite Judaism

Karaite Quote of the Week: Sahl Ben Matsliah (10th Century)

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Filed under Karaite Quote of the Week, Saul ben Mazliah

November Book Review & Give-Away: The Karaite Jews of Egypt

I don’t believe I’d ever met Mourad El-Kodsi (at least not when I was old enough to remember), but everyone says he had a special spirit. Despite his failing health, he worked tirelessly to finish the Second Edition of his magnum opus, The Karaite Jews of Egypt (1882-1986). He passed away just a few months after the book went to print, and today his work is a must have.

The Karaite Jews of America has generously donated 18 copies of the book’s Second Edition for A Blue Thread’s November 2013 give-away.

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Filed under Book Club, Karaite Jews of America, Karaite Rabbanite Relations, Karaite Synagogues

Save The Karaite Jewish Archive

What will be the fate of the Karaite Jewish archive? Pictured: Restoration of the Iraqi Jewish Archive Still Image Video: http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2013/nr13-96.html

What will be the fate of the Karaite Jewish Archive?
Pictured: Restoration of the Iraqi Jewish Archive
Still Image Video: http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2013/nr13-96.html

Saving rare Jewish manuscripts is all the rage these days, with the Jewish community’s attention rightly focused on the fate of the Iraqi Jewish Archive. The United States spent $3 million restoring the thousands of books and documents from the Jewish community in Iraq. Today, no Jewish community to speak of exists in Iraq; but Jews had resided there since Biblical times. (And there was a Karaite community in Iraq from the 10th century until at least 1951. [1.])

The Iraqi Jewish Archive was found in the basement of a flood-damaged Saddam Hussein intelligence building and the United States is planning to send this invaluable archive back to Iraq, much to the chagrin of Jews throughout the world.

But a lesser known Jewish archive also has experienced water and moisture damage and desperately needs your support. It is the Karaite Jewish Archive in Ramle, Israel, the headquarters of Universal Karaite Judaism.

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Filed under Karaite Jewish Archives