Nehemia Gordon
Encyclopedia
Nehemia Gordon is a well known Karaite
Jew Hakham
. He was born to an Orthodox Jewish
family with a long line of Rabbis, but rejected the Talmud
and became a Karaite Jew as a teenager. Nehemia is a native of Chicago
but has lived in Jerusalem, Israel
since making Aliyah
in 1993.
Gordon is considered a Hakham, a religious leader of the Karaite Jewish communities, and until recently served on Universal Karaite Judaism's "Religious Council" (which represents Israeli Karaites), and on the Board of Directors of the ancient Karaite synagogue in Jerusalem. He is also a co-founder of the World Karaite Movement, a Karaite revival group. He coordinates Aviv searches each year and releases information on the crescent new moon sightings in Israel
. From 2007 to 2008, Nehemia Gordon served in the position of Provost
of the Karaite Jewish University.
Gordon holds a Master's degree in Biblical Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He translated texts contained in the "Dead Sea Scrolls
Reader", was an assistant on the Dead Sea Scrolls
Publication project coordinated by Emanuel Tov
, and worked as a researcher on the Hebrew University Bible Project
under the auspices of Shemaryahu Talmon
.
Gordon was recently a guest on Zola Levitt Ministries Television, a Messianic Jewish
group, where he was interviewed about his religious beliefs. Gordon also appeared in an ESPN
special broadcast before the 39th Super Bowl talking about his time as the Hebrew teacher of the late NFL star, Reggie White
. Gordon subsequently spoke about White's spiritual journey in an episode of ESPN SportsCentury. In 2007 a Jerusalem Post article on Karaite Judaism
included a feature about Gordon.
Karaite Judaism
Karaite Judaism or Karaism is a Jewish movement characterized by the recognition of the Tanakh alone as its supreme legal authority in Halakhah, as well as in theology...
Jew Hakham
Hakham
Hakham is a term from Judaism, meaning a wise or skillful man; it often refers to someone who is a great Torah scholar. The word is generally used to designate a cultured and learned person: "He who says a wise thing is called a wise man ["hakham"], even if he be not a Jew"...
. He was born to an Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
family with a long line of Rabbis, but rejected the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
and became a Karaite Jew as a teenager. Nehemia is a native of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
but has lived in Jerusalem, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
since making Aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
in 1993.
Gordon is considered a Hakham, a religious leader of the Karaite Jewish communities, and until recently served on Universal Karaite Judaism's "Religious Council" (which represents Israeli Karaites), and on the Board of Directors of the ancient Karaite synagogue in Jerusalem. He is also a co-founder of the World Karaite Movement, a Karaite revival group. He coordinates Aviv searches each year and releases information on the crescent new moon sightings in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. From 2007 to 2008, Nehemia Gordon served in the position of Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of the Karaite Jewish University.
Gordon holds a Master's degree in Biblical Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He translated texts contained in the "Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
Reader", was an assistant on the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
Publication project coordinated by Emanuel Tov
Emanuel Tov
Emanuel Tov is Professor in the Department of Bible at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, corresponding to Fellow of the British Academy , since 2006.-Biography:...
, and worked as a researcher on the Hebrew University Bible Project
Hebrew University Bible Project
The Hebrew University Bible Project is a project to create the first edition of the Hebrew Bible that reproduces the text of the Aleppo Codex and includes a thorough critical apparatus....
under the auspices of Shemaryahu Talmon
Shemaryahu Talmon
Shemaryahu Talmon was J. L. Magnes Professor of Bible at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He died the morning of December 15, 2010....
.
Gordon was recently a guest on Zola Levitt Ministries Television, a Messianic Jewish
Messianic Judaism
Messianic Judaism is a syncretic religious movement that arose in the 1960s and 70s. It blends evangelical Christian theology with elements of Jewish terminology and ritual....
group, where he was interviewed about his religious beliefs. Gordon also appeared in an ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
special broadcast before the 39th Super Bowl talking about his time as the Hebrew teacher of the late NFL star, Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
. Gordon subsequently spoke about White's spiritual journey in an episode of ESPN SportsCentury. In 2007 a Jerusalem Post article on Karaite Judaism
Karaite Judaism
Karaite Judaism or Karaism is a Jewish movement characterized by the recognition of the Tanakh alone as its supreme legal authority in Halakhah, as well as in theology...
included a feature about Gordon.