Nehemia Gordon

Who is Nehemia Gordon?

Nehemia Gordon is a Karaite Jew. He was born to a Jewish family of rabbis. He rejected the idea that the Talmud has divine authority and became a Karaite. Nehemia is a native of Chicago but has lived in Jerusalem, Israel since making Aliyah in 1993.

Until recently Gordon served on Universal Karaite Judaism's "Religious Council", 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 assisted in the translation of 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 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.