By day, Joe Pessah is a marketing applications manager for a tech company in California’s Silicon Valley. In his spare time, however, the 62-year-old Mountain View resident pursues a much more unusual vocation.
Pessah is the “acting rav” for America’s largest Karaite community, made up of members of a now-tiny Jewish sect that parted ways with rabbinic Judaism more than a millennium ago. While adhering to the Jewish Bible, the Tanakh, Karaites rejected claims of a divine origin for the Mishnah, or Oral Law, and the authority of the Talmud.
Karaites maintain many practices that set them apart from mainstream contemporary Jews (known to Karaites as “Rabbanites”). Hewing closely to what they see as the Tanakh’s plain meaning, Karaites do not extend the biblical prohibition against cooking a kid in its mother’s milk into a sweeping ban on mixing meat and dairy. (They’ll eat chicken and dairy together, and some will eat beef with dairy so long as they’re not from the same source.) On some matters though, the Karaites are more stringent than other Jews. For instance, they believe that the prohibition on kindling fires on the Sabbath bans cooking and electricity use. (That means hot plates and light timers are out.)
At one time, Karaites posed a vigorous challenge to rabbinic authority. Today, however, their global population is estimated at only about 30,000, most living in Israel, where they have a number of synagogues.
The Karaites’ only North American synagogue, Congregation B’nai Israel in the San Francisco suburb of Daly City, serves a population of immigrants from Egypt. Pessah says that the region’s 800 Karaites are widely dispersed, some driving as many as 60 miles to attend Saturday-morning services (despite the Karaite belief that driving on the Sabbath is forbidden). Many have quietly integrated into the larger Jewish community, participating in synagogue life, joining youth groups and enrolling in Hebrew and day schools. To preserve their own unique traditions, they have set up a summer camp experience to teach young Karaites about their heritage.
Pessah arrived in the Bay Area in 1970, having fled Egypt with his wife, Remy. Pessah’s exodus followed a three-year stint in a prison camp, where he was beaten and tortured as the Nasser regime stepped up its persecution of the country’s dwindling but ancient Jewish community.
He played a key role in reconstituting an organized Karaite community here in the United States in the 1980s. Since there are no Karaite rabbis in America, Pessah, who had sometimes led prayers as a youth in his native Cairo, has served as the community’s de facto spiritual leader. Prayer services were held first in private homes, then in a local Conservative shul and since 1994 in the Karaites’ own Daly City synagogue.
Last week, Pessah and San Francisco’s Karaite community made history: He presided at what is believed to be the first Karaite conversion ceremony since 1465. Under a new conversion policy approved earlier this year by Karaite religious authorities in Israel, 14 proselytes from around the world embraced Karaite Judaism in a July 31 ceremony at B’nai Israel.
Pessah spoke with the Forward about this recent milestone in Karaite history, his work as “acting rav” and the challenges of preserving Karaite identity in America.
What does being the San Francisco Karaite community’s “acting rav” entail?
Conducting the services, and officiating marriages, and officiating brit milah, and explaining the parsha and prayers.
You’re not a trained religious leader, correct?
Yes, I am not a trained leader.
How did you wind up in this position?
This is what has been the trend in recent years. We did not have any yeshivas, and whoever learned on his own and is recognized to be fit to conduct the service becomes a hazzan, and the leader of all the hazzans becomes a rabbi or a “rav.” “Rav” is a teacher and a rabbi, and there is in the United States no other formal learning or teaching.
What sort of preparation did you have so that you gained the level of knowledge in order to do this?
Constantly being on the job, every Saturday, and interfacing with people. They ask questions. We ask the rabbis of Israel, and I could be the focal point for that.
Do Karaites also take advantage of the resources of the larger non-Karaite San Francisco Jewish community, educational resources and such?
My children went to Hebrew day schools, and other children did the same thing. But when it comes to the bar mitzvah, we took them and trained them as hazzanim, able to conduct our prayers. At the same time, when there is a marriage between a Karaite and a Rabbanite, more than once the rabbis and I will be officiating the same wedding. So we have maintained good relations with all the community of the Jewish people — invited to weddings, bar mitzvahs, and celebrated holidays together.
Do you find that other Jews know much about Karaism?
No, they don’t know much about Karaism. We have been going to synagogues on leil Shabbat and giving lectures, all on invitation. They want to know how we practice our tradition, how we survive without being in the talmudic tradition, how our life was in Egypt, what happened to us historically. All this was a subject of interest.
Was it difficult to re-establish a Karaite community here?
At the beginning, people didn’t want to say that they are Karaite, because they don’t want to be persecuted anymore. They had enough in Egypt. And then when they found that the Rabbanites are so eager and interested in knowing the culture, it became a point of “Wow, we’re something special. So let’s tell them who we are.”
So you were well received by the local Jewish community?
Once they saw the dedication of our people to learn — and really coming from a difficult environment — our brothers, the Rabbanites, had compassion on us. And they helped us. They gave us a room in their synagogue, and then we prayed during Shabbat and the festivals. So it was a big brother helping the younger brother.
How has your community viewed the issue of marriage to non-Karaites?
The community in Egypt has roots of over 1,000 years. Even though the two Jewish quarters — the Karaite and the Rabbanite — were contiguous on the same street, and they lived together in Egypt harmoniously, marriages were not allowed except for very special cases. That’s started to change. At the beginning, when we first came to America, there was almost no intermarriage, because that generation was strongly decided not to intermarry. And then, once the community started to send their children to schools, and they told their children to marry Karaites, and they looked around and there were no Karaites around, it was impossible to follow. So the culture changed to be more accepting of marrying other Jews.
Are a lot of Karaites marrying non-Jews? Or are they marrying “Rabbanite” Jews?
Mostly Rabbanite.
So your community has been more welcoming to marriages with non-Karaite Jews?
Versus outside? Absolutely. Of course, because at least when there is Pesach, they will celebrate Pesach, when there is a feast, when there is a prayer, they will do it. You will make the decision at one time what is better: Lose your children to assimilation or integrate within the Jewish world. And the latter is more viable for continuing.
How did it feel to participate in the recent conversion ceremony?
It is an overwhelming feeling — that we are open. In my speech, I said that we had surrounded ourselves with a wall. No one enters, but anybody can go out.
Will Karaites proselytize now?
We do not have missions to convince people.
But when people come to you?
We have turned down many, many. As long as there is a process, and it’s not something that anybody can just do. They go through so much to become Jewish. Whoever in his state of mind has decided already, he should be encouraged.
Your synagogue has also adapted Karaite traditions in some ways to fit the modern American context, right, like driving to synagogue?
Driving to synagogue has been forced on us, otherwise there would be no prayer.
And a woman’s role in prayer, is that different than it was in Cairo?
The woman’s role remained the same. For the record, the woman can pray and sing in the synagogue chants, the shirim, but she cannot become a hazzan to conduct the prayers.
Has the style of worship changed?
No. But you see more chairs than we used to have in Egypt, or in Israel. Mostly the elders are occupying the chairs. We normally prostrate. So there is a change. So you see more people sitting, of course with no shoes. We enter the sanctuary with no shoes. And we prostrate, according to what is written in the Torah.
So the issue of driving on the Sabbath is the main accommodation that’s been made?
You ask me a very important question. Who makes the accommodation? Who allows it? I cannot tell the worshipers it’s okay to drive, because I know it’s not okay. So if they rely on my opinion to tell them, “Go ahead, we bless you, it’s okay” — it’s not correct. Someone will ask me, “Where is this written?” I will be immediately challenged. Everyone knows it is wrong, that it is a sin, and that’s the difference. No Karaite rabbi has the authority to allow it.
Do you drive to synagogue?
Yes. I’m 45 miles away.
But you think it’s a greater good to attend?
It’s great to attend, but I would rather not drive and still go to the synagogue, because I had the sweet flavor of doing that in Egypt. And it’s a different thing. When I go to Israel, and I go to the synagogue walking, it is just a great, blessed feeling.
Has life been good here in America, aside from having to drive to synagogue?
Yes, life is good in America, of course. But faith is less strong in America than it used to be in Egypt or in Israel.
Are you optimistic about Karaite Judaism’s future here?
I am looking at Karaism as an evolution. It will evolve, it will change, it will not be the same way exactly in the practice. But the idea will always continue to exist. The idea has existed from the very beginning, and Karaism at the very beginning may have been different. We are always probing in a very small window in history, while you and I are talking about what has changed from before and then what will change in the future. So we have to accept the change. One day all of Judaism will finally settle that only the word of the Tanakh is divine, and we should all go back to it.
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Having spent many years with the Karaite Jews in the northern Negev, I am a great admirer of your attitude to Torah and Judaism. I completed a MA degree based on your teachings and met up with Karaite communities in Israel and in Europe. As I am returning to US soon, I would like to know what I can do with regards to teaching (Judaism and Hebrew) within your group in Ca. Rabbi Arye el-Kudsi ben Yosef
I LIKE OUR LEADER RAV JOE PESSAH,SPECIAL WHEN HE LEADS OUR PRAYER... GOD BLESS HIM
Great article! But the so called "Karaite" tradition didn't start with the Karaites but existed already in the post-Babylonian era of the 2nd Commonwealth in form of Sadducees. I think there's a reference in the prophetic books to the "sons of Tzadok" who will be the righteous Cohanim in the days of Moshiach. Yishar Koach my brethren!
I am very thankful for the balanced treatment the press has given KJA in covering the story of the first Karaite Jewish conversions performed in many centuries. Karaite Judaism is not the functional equivalent of Tzedokim or Sadduccean Judaism which of course existed when the Temple stood, a functioning priesthood, sacrificial system and Monarchy were in place. If what the Talmud reports about the Sadducees is true then doctrinal differences would have existed between our branches of Judaism, in spite of the fact that we both rejected the devine authority of the Talmud. Although some historians have tried to link the beginnings of Karaite Judaism with the remnants of Tzedokim Judaism, modern historians have not been persuaded by this anaylsis.
Didn' the Karaites cooperate with the Nazi's during WW II?
Wrong, Gordon. That's a hugely overblown myth. The following article, though marred by two or three blemishes, clears up almost all misconceptions on the matter: http://karaite-korner.org/holocaust.htm. Just remember a miniscule percentage of bonafide Qaraite Jews existed in Eastern Europe throughout WWII, so ignore the author's assertion that no Qaraite Jews existed in Europe at the time of the Holocaust. So any real Qaraite Jews that may have cooperated with the Nazis would have been an even more miniscule percentage. Besides, don't forget the Jewish Kapos who weren't Qaraite at all. We need to stand on guard against hypocrisy and the application of double standards.
Nice and timely article, but several errors or misconceptions need to be corrected. So here goes: 1. The toll of 30,000 Qaraites worldwide is in dispute and by no means authoritative. While the Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs estimates the Qaraites to number 40,000 in Israel, the absolute minimum grand total of the Qaraite population in Israel stands at 25,000. In any event, outside of Israel live at least 2,500 authentic Qaraite Jews. 2. It is not accurate to label Qaraite Judaism a sect. By this appelation's underlying logic, also Orthodox Judaism may be dubbed a sect. 3. There are a few additional Qaraite communities in the US. For one, the Daly City community has a small branch of sorts in LA. Other small Qaraite communities exist in Chicago, the metropolitan NYC area, Albany NY and northern Texas. A synagogue without a building of its own exists in Albany NY. 4. The Mishna doesn't have and never had divine authority. Its contents are strictly the musings of rabbis, not God's words or thoughts. 5. It's inaccurate to say there's a biblical prohibition against cooking a calf in its mother’s milk. What the Torah actually commands in three different places in entirely identical wording is to not cook a KID in its mother's milk. A "kid" in biblical Hebrew means a suckling goat or sheep. 6. The article states that some Qaraites will eat beef with dairy so long as they’re not from the same source. But still others (Qaraites of non-Egyptian extraction) go even further and believe that according to the commandment THERE'S NO ISSUE EATING EVEN A KID IN ITS MOTHER'S MILK AS LONG AS THE KID WASN'T COOKED IN ANY OF ITS MOTHER'S MILK, SINCE THE PROHIBITION IS ONLY ON THE COOKING ITSELF. 7. While all Qaraites agree that all forms of work are prohibited on Shabbat (and in this context also by using electronic and electrical appliances), most Qaraites do not believe the prohibition on kindling fires during Shabbat causes a sweeping ban on the use of electricity. Opinions vary on the matter. Some think electricity from all sources is banned, others believe electricity may be used as long as it's from non-grid sources like solar power, wind power, and batteries. Still others accept solar and wind power but disapprove of using batteries. Others allow all sources of electricity on the condition no work be done with electrical and electronic appliances on Shabbat. Apart from the above points, please bear in mind that Joe Pessah speaks from a traditional Qaraite point of view that typifies Qaraites of Egyptian extraction. However, Qaraite Judaism has a progressive wing which I pretty much belong to that differs with traditional Qaraism on some matters of Scriptural interpretation, one of which I've referred to above. For those who want to learn much more about progressive Qaraism, see http://karaite-korner.org I thank the readers for taking the time to have the article's errors and misconceptions dispelled for themselves.
San Francisco’s Karaite Community and world wide movement parallel an interesting 400 + year old movement in the Christian community. Anabaptist believers have always denied the authority of man-made traditions - some going back to the Donatists of Augustine's day. Refusal to baptize their infants or participate in sacraments that were contrary to Biblical standards marked them for the same kind of horrendous persecution that Jews have experienced for many years. Fox's Book of Martyrs lists many. Most traditional Anabaptists have fallen into legalistic non-Biblical practices today, proving that the propensity for the pharisaical corruption of His Word is but human. The issue here is that when mankind takes the word of G_d and supplements it to suit his own power structure, G_d is not served. G_d blesses that which He ordains. A simple look at the spiritual health of both Jewish and Christian mainline institutions has confirmed my belief that Holy Writ must be obeyed as written or those establishments will not prosper. As Americans we owe a great deal to the Judeo-Christian ethical standards this country was built on and will prosper if we but maintain them. I encourage all Karaites to study His Word and have the courage to practice it faithfully. doc
Mr. Pessah seems an engaging and liberal spokesman for Karaism. Serious journalism would mandate at least a cursory review of the dark history of Jewish-Karaite conflict. Pure whitewash is never illuminating.
Mr. Wade, we already study The Word and practice it faithfully. I invite you to do the same.
I've got no idea what whitewash the above commenter had in mind, but to juxtapose the adjective "Qaraite" against "Jewish" is to engage in a logical fallacy which can't be excused by the fact it's popular and widespread. Qaraism has always been a Jewish movement. We should use instead nomenclature like Qaraite Jewish vs. Rabbinical Jewish (or Orthodox Jewish).
As one of those 14 converts my wife and i who live in Australia. and after 27 years looking into many many paths, there was only one that was true to Torah and that is why we have fosaken all other ways to worship our Creator as Torah tells all mankind to thank xxxx
It is interesting that in their freedom in the USA, the Karaite community has made accomodation to modernity, to a major extent in order to survive and thrive. However, the guilt and upset is apparent. Well here's to success. There's always room for anothers point of view. What a great history and survival story!
Harvey Silverman who failed to disclose his religious affiliation here is entitled to his opinions though I wonder what movement he belongs to and what kind of accomodations to modernity he's made to practrice Judaism, if he does at all.
Look a Man has 6 days a week to meet with other Karaites and talk about God. I strongly suggest staying in your Tent/Home on the Sabbath. There is no Commandment to gather for the Weekly Sabbath, only to Cease From Labor.
MOSES NEVER SAW THE MISHNAH.
I met another Karaite Jew who's very friendly and interesting person to talk to in charge of a private organization right here in Albany, NY. His name is Avraham I got to know who lives at 101 South Pearl Street, Apt. E9L, Albany NY. Will you please confirm whether or not that he is a valid member listed and/or part of your organization? I learned that he was willing to each other people about his religion, however. He and I have met last week on my way to visit my deaf friend who was also his neighbor at the same floor level as well. Thank you for your attention to this matter. SHALOM!
Joseph and Lilian Bendah are my ESTRANGED parents (as well as estranged sibling: Morris Bendah, David Bendah (felon), Golda Bendah (Sanders)3 counts of workman's comp fraud and Joshua Bendah). They are all Kariate Jews who have committed sins that they interpret as moral. I am Pnina, I stutter and have stuttered since the age of 4yrs old. I went through a divorce whereby estranged parents stole my child support, school loans and court documents containing attorney/client priviledges and SOLE CUSTODY AND FINANCIAL JUDGMENTS awarded to me; I was beaten up and choked severly by Joseph Bendah when I came to get my court boxes and property, in addition, they wrote FALSE RESTRAINING DECLARATIONS THAT I beat up Lily; filed it in a court out of jurisdiction and Joseph did the talking (Joe & Lily's Heart attacks etc is G-d's Wrath since I made sure the Judge swore them under OATH--it is funny, how they can give money to you for G-D TO HAVE MERCY ON THEM and not repay the $30K I gave Joe, being a broker to help buy me a home (he was going to throw in his points LOL)they ALSO owe me for working in their 99c store/Liquor store 1997-2001 in the amount of $40K...Is this what Karaite Jews do interpret the Talmud to suit their ill and evil acts? Morris even allowed them to enter my condo unlawfully during these bogus trips to SF so they can remove documents from my home to protect them from prison! David is a con, scam artist whom is being investigated in fact, Joseph Bendah was his Power of Attorney, which he falsely said he was NOT! embezzled money for his gambling and commodities etc and had his OWN SON David Bendah go to prison for RESTITUTION! ; Lilian Bendah, estranged mother stole my property awarded to me-24 pc fine china with complete completer sets, 18 sterling silver place settings with appetizer fork &spoon; another fine china set,jewelry, furniture and so forth--GRAND FELONY. To add to this Joseph Bendah has a philipino mistress whom he gave my jewelry to--Morris Bendah states that being a Kariate means that he did not commit adultry since back in those days Kariate had more than one wife. I AM HOMELESS AND JOBLESS SINCE IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET EMPLOYMENT, I stutter during interviews, always worked for family who took advantage of my selflessness, compassion and my strong family values Joe taught us when we were all young: "every child brings luck" is what Joe says now I know it's true meaning: every child brings him wealth when he reaps at any cost their successes.
Joe and Lily told me they did all this to me because: "you were dead to us from a long time ago; because of your stuttering you were a thorn on our side; you embarrassed us, you don't deserve nothing; why G-d gave you a rich husband and poor golda only got a small diamond-we made sure you divorced, Rachel will be divorced next, you will see; you are a good for nothing; even though you are a good mother, we are going to make sure we take your kids from you, you deserve nothing we hope G-d takes you from us" "Everything we take from you, do to you I don't know why G-d always has MERCY on you, G-d should take you from us" and if you go to the police I will get my gun and put you 6 feet under...there is more, there is the pain of my two children losing their mother-their only stable parent whom they are bonded to based on two psych eval for custody 93 & 2003-their father is a drug dealer and addict-estr parents stealing my "sole, physical primary custodial parent; children's school where mother resides" helped the courts take away all my rights! So the next time Joe sends you money to protect his evil soul (&Lilians etc etc) money to me to help me and my two children.....From my mouth to G-d's Ears those heart attacks, heart surgery was G-d's attempt to open their heart to Compassion and love instead of envy, greed--they are all sociopaths! Sincerely, Pnina Olsher I removed myself from the family tree-I Believe in G-d and follow the ten Commandments--have they!?
So the next time Joe sends you money to protect his evil soul (&Lilians etc etc) PLEASE FORWARD THIS MONEY TO ME to help me and my two children find peace, harmony and JUSTICE!.....From my mouth to G-d's Ears those heart attacks, heart surgery was G-d's attempt to open their heart to Compassion and love instead of envy, greed--they are all sociopaths! Sincerely, Pnina Olsher I removed myself from the family tree-I Believe in G-d and follow the ten Commandments--have they!? They only brainwashed us--how do you not trust parents who taught you the Ten Commandments and raised you Orthodocs!? Then again in Canada we were beaten for mentioning we were Karaite to our friends, school even their friends!! Hindsight is 20/20 they raised us Orthodocs so they did not have to take us anywhere on Saturdays and the kosher was that they did not have to take us out to eat...funny, how once we turn 18, they are no longer orthodocs..the brainwashing continued on me afterall..I was the stutterer, the good for nothing and "the weakest link in the family"....I want to know if all Karaite are sociopaths or if their is compassion!!
There are lots of interesting conversations going on at this forum site.
"Look a Man has 6 days a week to meet with other Karaites and talk about God. I strongly suggest staying in your Tent/Home on the Sabbath. There is no Commandment to gather for the Weekly Sabbath, only to Cease From Labor."
This comment seems to make lots of sense and I would have to agree with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W81TVsPfEao
There are lots of interesting conversations going on at this forum site.
"Look a Man has 6 days a week to meet with other Karaites and talk about God. I strongly suggest staying in your Tent/Home on the Sabbath. There is no Commandment to gather for the Weekly Sabbath, only to Cease From Labor."
This comment seems to make lots of sense and I would have to agree with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W81TVsPfEao
This is for Pnina Olsher (Maiden Name: BENDAH) Monday, May 11, 2009
Only if you are sincere in what you said about your family then and only then respond to meet your nephew Joshua Paul Rios. Yes, David's son born November 06, 1988. My son only knows my family and it would be nice for him to meet and get to know his Aunt Pnina, I have always remembered you being very nice to me, not like the rest of your family. Anyhow, please email us.
This is for Pnina Olsher (Maiden Name: BENDAH) Monday, May 11, 2009
Only if you are sincere in what you said about your family then and only then respond to meet your nephew Joshua Paul Rios. Yes, David's son born November 06, 1988. My son only knows my family and it would be nice for him to meet and get to know his Aunt Pnina, I have always remembered you being very nice to me, not like the rest of your family. Anyhow, please email us.