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Answer 1
The Karaites are a small non-traditional group who came into existence about 1250 years ago in Iraq, when their founders broke away from Rabbinic (Traditional) Judaism and denied the authority of the Oral Torah. Today they number no more than one third of one percent of world Jewry.
There's currently a difference of opinion on their Jewish status. The accepted opinion had been that they are Jews whom we aren't permitted to marry (because they reject our form of traditional marriage and divorce). Recently, certain Ḥaredi scholars (Torah-authorities) have proclaimed that Karaites should be regarded as Gentiles in all respects, though this is not universally accepted.
Answer 2
If an analogy could be made, Karaites are to Judaism as Mormons are to Christianity.
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Can Karaites make aliyah to israel?
Karaites can immigrate to Israel, but they are not privy to the Law of Return of 1950 (which is the law under which Jews immediately become citizens of Israel). The Law of Return's applicability to any group of Jews or quasi-Jews is determined by the Orthodox Rabbinate of Israel based on how Halakhic or in Accordance with Jewish Religious Law, the group of Jews or quasi-Jews is. Since the Karaites chose to deny the validity of the Rabbis and the Oral Law, the version of the law that they follow is significantly different from proper Halakha or Jewish Religious Law. Therefore they are not considered to be Jews. This is the same issue that the Samaritans and other Jewish-like religions suffer. It should also be noted that there is a difference between immigration and Aliyah. Aliyah is so-called by Jews because there are a group of commandments that the Rabbis hold are only valid in the Land of Israel. Therefore a Jew "rises up", which is what "Aliyah" means, when he comes to Israel. Karaites do not believe that there are any commandments that are specifically bound the Land of Israel. As a result, there is no "Aliyah" for them in a spiritual sense. As a result, the Karaites could not perform "Aliyah" regardless of whether any Israeli law were to recognize them.
What sects of Judaism have been created over time?
A long list. Among them: the Netinim, the idolaters during the First Temple period, the Hellenizers, the Sadducees, the Baitusim (Boethusians), the Essenes, the apikursim and minim, the Karaites, the followers of Shabbetai Zevi and other false messiahs, Jewish communists (Yevsektsia), Yiddishists, Bundists, assimilationists, and more. The Samaritans may or may not have ever been halakhically Jewish in the distant past. Most of these breakaway groups were lost to history, while others (such as the Karaites) are moribund and remain only a shadow of their former selves.
Are there Jewish communities that do not celebrate Hanukkah?
First of all, Karaites (who have no Hanukkah) are not to be considered normative Jews in any sense.To answer your question, No. There are no complete Jewish communities that ignore Hanukkah. There are individual(non-religious) Jews who ignore Hanukkah, just like there are individual non-religious Jews who disobey any combination of the Torah's commands or those of our sages.
What did Karaites believe in?
The Karaites are a small group (about 0.3% of world Jewry), begun about 1250 years ago, that reject the Oral Torah and traditions of Judaism. They are thus forced into the conundrum of needing, in any case, to create their own interpretations of what brief Bible-verses mean. Example: not working on the Sabbath day (Exodus ch.20). Without a tradition, this could mean almost anything. Normative Judaism understands this command in terms of the tradition (Talmud, Shabbat 73b) which spells out exactlywhich activities are called "work." The Karaites have to come up with their own ideas concerning this and thousands of other examples.
Will Karaism replace Rabbinic Judaism?
Although the popularity of Karaism has waxed and waned, it was always a smaller population than the aggregate Pharisaic/Rabbinic community when the two co-existed. It is very unlikely that Karaism will replace or supersede Rabbinic Judaism.Answer:The Karaites, like the Samaritans, are a tiny group today, just a shadow of their former selves. It is Orthodox Jews who have the highest Jewish birthrate.
What are Poland's Ethnic Groups?
Jews, Germans, Ukrainians, Belorussians, Russians, Lithuanians, Slovaks, Armenians, Czechs, Roma (gypsies), Tartars, Lemkos, Kashubs (Kashubians), and Karaites.
What are Karaite Jews?
The Karaites are a small group (about 0.3% of world Jewry), begun about 1250 years ago, that reject the Oral Torah and original (Rabbinic) traditions of Judaism. They are thus forced into the conundrum of needing, in any case, to create their own interpretations of what the brief Torah-verses mean.
Was Michelangelo Jewish or part Jewish?
No, he was not Jewish or part Jewish.
What if one parent is Jewish?
According to halacha (Jewish law), if the mother is Jewish the child is Jewish. If the father is Jewish, the child is not Jewish.
Were Jewish children already Jewish if there parent was Jewish?
A child is born Jewish if the child's mother is Jewish.
What does culturely Jewish mean?
To be Jewish can mean you either practice the Jewish religion, or are from a Jewish decent. It is both a race and a religion. Someone that is culturally Jewish may not practice the religion, but has a Jewish heritage. Likewise, people that do practice the Jewish religion do not have to be culturally Jewish, or have Jewish ancestors.
Is it my mother or father that makes me Jewish?
According to Orthodox and Conservative law, you are only Jewish if your mother is Jewish. Reform Judaism recognizes you as Jewish if either parent is Jewish AND you were raised Jewish or have a Jewish identity.
