Ramla
Ramla is a small city (pop. 63,000) in central Israel. On Tuesday we went on a tiyul (trip) there with our English speaking club (AACI). There are three things that disinguish Ramla, it is the only city in Palestine that was founded de novo by the Muslims (i.e. not a previously inhabited site). It was built in 716 as their capital after the Muslim conquest and remained the Muslim capital through many wars of Ummayads, Abbasids, Mameluks and others until the 13th Century when Gaza became the capital. Note that the Muslims never made Jerusalem their capital.
Ramla was built at the intersection of the roads linking Jaffa on the coast to Jerusalem in the interior and the north (Syria) to the south (Egypt). It's name means "sand" in Arabic and it was a very important and famous city among Muslims, and the Ramblas in Barcelona is probably named after it.
The third reason why Ramla is interesting is that it contains a very mixed population, ostensibly living together in harmony. About 30% of its inhibitants are Arab, and a large proportion of them are Christian. Among the Jewish majority there is also a small minority of Karaites (more of that later).
Our first visit was to the Church of St. Joseph of Arimathea (since there was no such place name in Palestine it is thought that this is a corruption of a Hebrew name). The Church is Franciscan, and has the cross surrounded by four smaller crosses representing the four stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi (hands and feet). The Church was not very ornate inside and looked more like a Protestant rather than a Catholic Church.
From there we went to a much more ornate Greek Orthodox church, that of St. George, which was decorated with gold and silver icons, as well as the iconostatis (behind which only the priests can go, similar to the holy of holies in priestly Judaism). Note that the Byzantine Church ruled the area before the Muslim conquest. St. George was supposed to have been killed in nearby Lydda, and his remains are supposed to be buried there. He became not only the patron saint of England (his white cross on a red background is the English flag) but also of Georgia, which is named after him.
We then visited a Mosque, that is in fact a completely preserved 13th century Crusader Church, that has its nave pointed east-west, but the mithrab (cavity in the wall towards which Muslims pray) pointed south towards Mecca. We also visited the ruins of the huge White Mosque built in 716, that was the second largest in Palestine after that in Jerusalem, but it was destroyed during one of the many battles and/or earthquakes in the area. Next to the ruins of the White Mosque stands the White Tower, built by the Mamelukes in the 13th century. It is 27 m tall with 128 steps, and some of us climbed it. Somehow it has survived all these years, and it is said that in 1799 Napoleon used it as an observation post to watch his troops battle on the coastal plain, and Gen. Allenby used it in 1917 to monitor the Turks.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the visit was to the Karaite Synagogue, where a leading member of the community gave a talk (in Hebrew/translated into English) about their faith. Ramla is a center for them in Israel. In summary, the Karaites are a heretical sect of Judaism which does not accept the interpretations of the Rabbis, and their name derives from the Hebrew verb "likro", to read. They believe in a strict interpretation of the Tanach (Five Books of Moses) and reject the Talmud. They broke away from Rabbinic Judaism after the fall of the Temple when Rabbis reformed and controlled Judaism through the Yeshivot. The sect was formally founded in the 8th century in Baghdad. In many respects they are identical to other Jews, although they pray standing up (no chairs), they have only Hebrew in their prayer books (no Aramaic) and they do not use any electricity on Shabbat (they eat cold food). There are only 40,000 of them left in Israel, and maybe 20,000 in the rest of the world. One point of contention is that during WWII they claimed not to be Jews and were often spared by the Nazis, although some of them were killed and some collaborated. However, now they consider themselves loyal citizens of Israel.
Finally, we visited the city museum on the main road that showed the history of Ramla and how it was captured by the IDF in 1948 in Operation Danny, named after a fallen soldier. It was necessary that they capture it since it was an Arab stronghold that strategically sat astride the Israeli lines of communication. Altogether a very interesting visit.
Ramla was built at the intersection of the roads linking Jaffa on the coast to Jerusalem in the interior and the north (Syria) to the south (Egypt). It's name means "sand" in Arabic and it was a very important and famous city among Muslims, and the Ramblas in Barcelona is probably named after it.
The third reason why Ramla is interesting is that it contains a very mixed population, ostensibly living together in harmony. About 30% of its inhibitants are Arab, and a large proportion of them are Christian. Among the Jewish majority there is also a small minority of Karaites (more of that later).
Our first visit was to the Church of St. Joseph of Arimathea (since there was no such place name in Palestine it is thought that this is a corruption of a Hebrew name). The Church is Franciscan, and has the cross surrounded by four smaller crosses representing the four stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi (hands and feet). The Church was not very ornate inside and looked more like a Protestant rather than a Catholic Church.
From there we went to a much more ornate Greek Orthodox church, that of St. George, which was decorated with gold and silver icons, as well as the iconostatis (behind which only the priests can go, similar to the holy of holies in priestly Judaism). Note that the Byzantine Church ruled the area before the Muslim conquest. St. George was supposed to have been killed in nearby Lydda, and his remains are supposed to be buried there. He became not only the patron saint of England (his white cross on a red background is the English flag) but also of Georgia, which is named after him.
We then visited a Mosque, that is in fact a completely preserved 13th century Crusader Church, that has its nave pointed east-west, but the mithrab (cavity in the wall towards which Muslims pray) pointed south towards Mecca. We also visited the ruins of the huge White Mosque built in 716, that was the second largest in Palestine after that in Jerusalem, but it was destroyed during one of the many battles and/or earthquakes in the area. Next to the ruins of the White Mosque stands the White Tower, built by the Mamelukes in the 13th century. It is 27 m tall with 128 steps, and some of us climbed it. Somehow it has survived all these years, and it is said that in 1799 Napoleon used it as an observation post to watch his troops battle on the coastal plain, and Gen. Allenby used it in 1917 to monitor the Turks.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the visit was to the Karaite Synagogue, where a leading member of the community gave a talk (in Hebrew/translated into English) about their faith. Ramla is a center for them in Israel. In summary, the Karaites are a heretical sect of Judaism which does not accept the interpretations of the Rabbis, and their name derives from the Hebrew verb "likro", to read. They believe in a strict interpretation of the Tanach (Five Books of Moses) and reject the Talmud. They broke away from Rabbinic Judaism after the fall of the Temple when Rabbis reformed and controlled Judaism through the Yeshivot. The sect was formally founded in the 8th century in Baghdad. In many respects they are identical to other Jews, although they pray standing up (no chairs), they have only Hebrew in their prayer books (no Aramaic) and they do not use any electricity on Shabbat (they eat cold food). There are only 40,000 of them left in Israel, and maybe 20,000 in the rest of the world. One point of contention is that during WWII they claimed not to be Jews and were often spared by the Nazis, although some of them were killed and some collaborated. However, now they consider themselves loyal citizens of Israel.
Finally, we visited the city museum on the main road that showed the history of Ramla and how it was captured by the IDF in 1948 in Operation Danny, named after a fallen soldier. It was necessary that they capture it since it was an Arab stronghold that strategically sat astride the Israeli lines of communication. Altogether a very interesting visit.
posted by Jack Cohen at 5:40 PM
1 Comments:
Shalom,
I wish to correct the inaccuracies and errors in your reference to the Qaraite Jews.
1. That the rabbis consider Qaraites heretics is well known, but their opinion doesn't constitute objective fact and the rabbis have no monopoly on the truth. Furthermore, from the Qaraite p.o.v. the rabbis are the heretics.
For the sake of historical accuracy, please know it is a given among the scholarly community that the Pharisaic movement -- the proto-rabbinic current of Judaism -- originated between 200-150 BC. Back then they numbered *a few thousands* at most out of several *million* Jews across the known world and were considered heretics by everyone but themselevs and their ideological sympathizers.
Qaraite Judaism is a legitimate movement or denomination of Judaism, not a sect as known by the etimological meaning.
2. It's not that Qaraite Jews believe in a strict interpretation of the Tanakh. Rather, the belief is in its text's *plain meaning*, that is the manner in which the Children of Israel and the ancient Jews likely understood the commandments when they heard the Torah read aloud to them every 7th year at Sukkot as they gathered to Jerusalem in Release Years. Exegesis according to the plain meaning provides in some cases a stricter interpretation than the Rabbinic while in other cases interpretations are more lenient.
3. There's no known founding date or era for Qaraite Judaism. It was probably around already when `Ezra the Scribe sealed the Torah in the 5th century BC.
Anyway, it has been found and the fact is rather well known presently that Qaraism wasn't formally founded in the 8th century in Baghdad as still believed by many according to the previously prevalent opinion among historians. Rather, its various sub movements had the fortune to be endowed with a shrewd leader who successfully represented their joint interests as non-Rabbinic Jews to the Muslim rulers of the time.
4. Some seats are available by the back wall in Qaraite synagogues for the use of the elderly and infirm.
5. The bit about not using any electricity and eating only cold food on Shabbat is anacronistic.
For one thing, since the mid 15th century Qaraites in Turkey and Eastern Europe have been lighting fires somewhat before Shabbat's entry to warm up their food and keep a lit home for Shabbat on Friday nights.
For another, modern Qaraites use modern inventions like thermoses to keep certain foods and drinks warm during the Shabbat.
Moreover, many modern Qaraites have been using solar or battery powered electrical appliances for lighting and food heating purposes. Still other modern Qaraites have been using electicity from the grid for lighting purposes.
In Qaraism there's a plurality of interpretations and approaches, so Qaraites often vary in interpreting many commandments. Yet it is expected that all Qaraites reach their interpretations according to sound exegetical principles.
6. While indeed there are currently about 40,000 Qaraite Jews in Israel (and the Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs' website confirms this contention), this total is actually a vast improvement over past numbers. Four decades ago they numbered only 25,000 in Israel.
But I'm afraid you've provided too generous an estimate of their toll outside of Israel where they actually number only 3,500 to 10,000 since virtually all the Eastern European people presently known as "Karaites" actually profess beliefs in Jesus and Muhammad and adamantly distance themselves from both Jewish religion and peoplehood, claiming their religion is a Turkic faith and that they belong to a Turkic nation.
7. Those supposed Qaraite Jews who claimed during WWII not to be Jewish were the leadership of the formerly *Eastern European* Qaraite Jews. This had NOTHING to do with bonafide Qaraite Jews elsewhere.
The Qaraite Jews in Israel who indeed are loyal citizens of the State of Israel and hail from Egypt, Iraq and Turkey have and had nothing to do with what their former co-religionists in Eastern Europe did during WWII.
Hope my corrections will be approved for display on this webpage.
All the best,
Jay
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