Kenessa
Kenessa (from the Aramaic word for “assembly”, Hebrew beit knesset ) is called the synagogue of the Karaites and Persian Jews .
Furnishing
Kenessas are set up similarly to the synagogues of rabbinic Judaism . They are often stored in a north-south direction. Starting from the north entrance, a kenessa includes:
- the anteroom (azar) , in which the worshipers take off their shoes, as it is not allowed to wear shoes during worship
- Moshav zeḳenim (מושב זקנים, old benches ) - wooden benches for the elderly and mourners, usually under a gallery whose upper section - the women's reserved - hidden men looks.
- Shulchan (שולחן) - main nave, where men and boys kneel down to attend the service. Traditionally these rooms were covered with carpets, more modern kenessas also have benches
- Gekhan , altar (היחל)
Got Kenessas
There were 20 Kenessas on the territory of the former Soviet Union , nine of them in Crimea (two were added in 1918). Existing kenessas are - often dilapidated - memorials, others like the kenessa of Sevastopol are in foreign hands. In the most important Karaic place of prayer in Ukraine, in Evpatoria in Crimea, there are two independent kenessas, which were reopened in 2005 and 1999. The Kenessa in Kiev is also noteworthy .
In Lithuania, Kenessas were established in the 14th century in Trakai , Biržai , Kėdainiai , Panevėžys and Vilnius . The Kenessas in Trakai and Vilnius have been in operation since the beginning of the 20th century.
There are several Karaite synagogues in Israel, including the 15th-century Anan ben David Synagogue in Jerusalem's Old City .
swell
- (Russian): Альбом "Комплекс караимских кенасс в Евпатории и другие кенассы в мире", ред. В. В. Миреев, Симферополь, 2006 // Karean Kenesas in Eupatoria and other Kenesas in the world, ed. VV Mireev, Simferopol, 2006
Individual evidence
- ^ Max Küchler: Jerusalem: A handbook and study travel guide to the Holy City , publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; 2007, ISBN 978-3-525-50170-2 , p. 597