Judaism in the face of modernisation processes: the case of the Karaites in 19th century Russia

Abstract

One of the most significant events in the history of the Karaites in Eastern Europe was the granting by the tsarist authorities in 1863 of civil rights to this commu­nity that had previously been enjoyed only by the upper classes of the native Christian population. These rights included access to Russian higher education and the ability to pursue careers in government administration. This was a unique event. From a cogni­tive perspective, the event is particularly interesting because it resulted from deliberate actions by the leaders of the Karaite community, driven by obvious economic and social considerations. Moreover, it occurred in the context of the social and economic trans­formations associated with the formation of the modern Russian state. The period of the second half of the nineteenth century, from the 1860s onward, was characterized by the modernization of the Russian state, administrative reform, industrial development, railway construction, and the abolition of serfdom. This article addresses the following question: How did this transformation, which involved the incorporation of the Karaite community into the Russian socio-political landscape of the period, affect the religious practices and beliefs of the Karaites, who had previously been a traditional, Orthodox, isolated Jewish community?