Khazar conversion to judaism Pritsak, Khazarian Hebrew Documents of the Tenth Century The letter states that in the early days after Khazars' conversion to Judaism, some Alanians already practised Judaism, to a degree that Alania came to save Khazaria from its enemies (lines 52–53). • Why Judaism? Read: [King] Joseph [on the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism] • The conversion There is no doubt that the Caucasian and other Oriental Jews had lived and carried on business with the Chazars long before the arrival of the Jewish fugitives from Greece, who escaped (723) from the mania for conversion which possessed the Byzantine emperor Leo the Isaurian. The Khazar conversion to Judaism had a profound impact on the Jewish world. Many of the nobles and commoners did likewise shortly thereafter. This event, which occurred during the 8th or 9th century, set the Khazars apart from their predominantly Christian, Muslim, and pagan neighbors. He was a prolific writer of both Arabic and Hebrew poetry. Aug 29, 2017 · While the theory that Jews are descended from Khazars has been discredited, many historians think that the aristocracy of the Khazar empire did in fact convert to Judaism in seventh-century C. The kingdom of Khazaria long served as a buffer between the Christian Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates. 2: AD 600 to 1450, eds. A set of historical sources known as the Khazar Yehudah Halevi’s The Kuzari describes how a wise Khazar king convened representatives of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism to pub-licly debate the merits of their respective religions. The claims which connected the Khazar government system to the Turkic one were based “The Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism”, in The World of the Khazars New Perspectives Selected Papers from the Jerusalem 1999 International Khazar Colloquium hosted by the Ben Zvi Institute, Brill, 2007. While it seems that some kind of Judaism became the religion of Khazar elites and possibly some of the larger population of Khazaria in the eighth century, the debate over the extent of the conversions, their timing, May 25, 2023 · After the year 1088, Khazars no longer exist and the Jewish presence disappears from the steppes, leaving Semien as the only Jewish realm in the game for later periods. The absence of distinct references to the Judaism of the Khazars in the biographies of St. His wife, Serakh, is Notable figures such as Hasdai ibn Shaprut, a Jewish diplomat and physician in the Iberian Peninsula, played a crucial role in promoting Jewish culture and connecting the Khazar Empire with the wider Jewish diaspora. After their conversion, the Khazars were ruled by a succession of Jewish kings and began to adopt the hallmarks of Jewish civilization, including the Torah and Talmud, the Hebrew script, and Mar 29, 2015 · For part of this time the royal line and leading Khazars, as well as a segment of the Khazar citizenry, renounced their Tengri animism and observed Judaism. Here, David Matsievich tells us the background to the Khazars, how the European Jewish state came into being, and how it ended. Indeed, conversion to Judaism (or Christianity or Islam) would hardly have encouraged the creation of a sacral, semi-divine ruler. In The History of the Jewish Khazars, for instance, D. " In Great Events in Religion: An Encyclopedia of Pivotal Events in Religious History, vol. And that leads to one of the two ideas of, the fact that it was so separate from everything else and it seems like there’s very little connection, means that whatever Judaism was being practiced probably looked and felt very, very different from the Judaism that was being practiced elsewhere in Europe. Golb and O. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2017. It is pretty far away. The history of conversion reflects the ebb and flow in the relationship between the Jewish people and the cultures in which they have lived. Conversion of Khazars Encourages Sense of Jewish Mission. Mar 29, 2020 · 8 Zuckerman, On the Date of the Khazars‛ Conversion to Judaism 246; Brook, The Jews of Khazaria 94–107. K \ c N Y R c, What Does Historical Numismatics Suggest About the Though there was a confirmed presence of Jews in the kingdom and the existence of Khazar gerim, notably a diaspora community in Spain after the fall of the Khazars, [77] there is no confirmed evidence of mass conversion to Judaism. 124 125 126 Golden, “The Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism”, p. The founders of Israel had absolutely nothing to do with them neither genetically nor culturally speaking. This article critically examines the Khazar conversion's historical, spiritual, and cultural dimensions, addressing its impact on Jewish identity, the Talmud’s influence on Rabbinical Talmudism, and the evolving narratives surrounding Zionism. 142. Golden, "Khazaria and Ju 1. [10] [11] The conversion did not seem to have impacted most of the population in the Khazar Khaganate: paganism remained as the religion of the majority of the population, and there were also notable Christian and Muslim groups. The The eastward male-driven migrations from Europe to Khazaria solidified the exotic Southern European ancestry in the Khazarian gene pool , and increased the genetic heterogeneity of the Judeo–Khazars. On the Khazar conversion to Judaism, see Peter B. R \ [á-T N ` (eds. Jun 26, 2014 · Stampfer, an expert in Jewish history, analyzed material from various fields, but found no reliable source for the claim that the Khazars – a multiethnic kingdom that included Iranians, Turks Sep 12, 2023 · The origin of coins found in Sweden with the words “There is no God but Allah and Moses is his envoy,” used to link Khazars to a conception of Judaism, are still under debate among academics. Apr 1, 2013 · REB 53 1995 France p. Zuckerman, On the Date of the Khazars' Conversion lo Judaism and the Chronology of the Kings of the Bus Oleg and Igor. His name means "elk" in Old Turkic. 422-423. Jun 26, 2014 · But following an exhaustive analysis of the evidence, Hebrew University of Jerusalem researcher Prof. The Khazars would have no doubt encountered both Christianity and Islam through their interaction with the Byzantines and Arabs, as well as their dealings with merchants. 19, no. In modern Turkish, it means "the one who finds". Additionally, the Khazars’ adoption of kabbalistic doctrines has had a lasting impact on Jewish faith and practice. 860, should not be pressed as proof that the conversion to Judaism took place only later (cf. Discover the world's research. After reviewing medieval documentation, archeological evidence, and modern scholarship, Brook concludes that Judaism was not limited to the upper classes or to a small stratum, but was widespread among the masses. Apr 29, 2015 · Khazars were descendants of the Turkic tribe, known as the Huns or Hun, that invaded and savaged Europe from Asia around AD 450. These insane wars devastated the whole region with the size of Western Europe and gave the Russians a perfect opportunity to smash the Khazar state and to expand their state further. Pritsak, Khazarian Hebrew Documents of the Tenth Century The books on this topic : A. Freedman has claimed -- and other historians confirmed -- that the "primitive" Khazars engaged in extremely immoral forms of religious practices, among them phallic Mar 21, 2025 · The conversion of the Khazars to Judaism is a subject of intense scholarly debate, and historical accounts offer varied perspectives. The advance of Jewish technology through Russia, Silesia, and Transylvania by alliance with the Khazars, and the Byzantine destruction of the Khazar empire. This conversion was likely motivated by political considerations, as the Khazars were seeking to create a buffer between themselves and the Islamic world. Ann Arbor: Univ. N. The conversion of the Khazars to Judaism is an emotionally charged topic in Israel, [note 69] and two scholars, Moshe Gil (2011) and Shaul Stampfer, (2013) have challenged the authenticity of the medieval Hebrew documents and argue that the conversion of the Khazar elite to Judaism never happened. However, a new article concludes that the conversion never took place. Many conferences have been conducted on the topic as new research keeps pouring in. Khazars (Turkish: Hazarlar, Tatar: Xäzärlär, Hebrew: כוזרים (Kuzarim),Arabic: خزر‎ (khazar), Russian: Хазары, Persian: خزر‎, Greek: Χάζαροι, Latin: Gazari/Cosri/Gasani) were a semi-nomadic Turkic people who created what for its May 14, 2020 · "Archaeological evidence for conversion, on the other hand, remains elusive, and may reflect either the incompleteness of excavations, or that the stratum of actual adherents was thin. 294 charged with political-religious ideology tied to Jewish, Khazar and Turkic identity”. Eldad the Danite - 9th century; 2) Anonymous author of the Schechter Letter - 10th century; 3) Hasdai In the 9th century, the Khazarian royalty and nobility as well as a significant portion of the Khazarian Turkic population embraced the Jewish religion. Yet, this matter still remains disputed and it is hard to draw a concrete conclusion. Conversions occurred more frequently in the areas that were contiguous to Christian or Muslim rule, suggesting that conversion was, in part at least, a political strategy to resist the religious intrusion of Christianity or Islam. Joseph is the only Khazar ruler whose reign is relatively well recorded, and that's because he's the one who responded to Hasdai ibn Shaprut's correspondence between 950 and the mid 960s, before Svyatoslav of Kyiv's invasion. According to King Joseph’s letter, one of Bulan’s descendants, Obadiah, built synagogues and yeshivot in the Khazar Khaganate and invited Jewish scholars from Baghdad and Constantinople to come live and teach there. One of his primary argu Rabbi Yehudah Halevi would tell you their conversion was the result of profound theological thought, I don't think Rabbi Judah HaLevi was trying to represent the historical narrative of the conversations that lead the Khazar king to convert to Judaism. Another author who triggered Tolochko’s ire is Michael (Menashe) Goldelman. Khazar conversion to Judaism and Judaic/Khazar trade and industry. The historicity of this event is debated. 25+ million members; 160+ million publication pages; 2. In spite of that, the Khazars did not adopt either faith. The view that some or all of the Khazars, a central Asian people, converted to Judaism at some point during the ninth or tenth century is widely accepted. Other Khazars melded into incoming Turkic nomadic peoples. The religious conversion of the Khazars encompassed most of the empire’s citizens and subordinate tribes and lasted for the next 400 years Jan 2, 2024 · The most famous of these are the Jewish-Khazar correspondence from the mid-tenth century (the letter of the Khazar king Joseph about the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism), the “Risale” by Ahmed ibn Fadlan on the conversion of the Volga Bulgars to Islam in the 920s, and the “Russian Primary chronicle” (RPC), known as “The Tale of The Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism, in: H. Remarkably, the Khazars responded to the dual courtship of the Christian and Islamic empires by making the strategic decision to adopt neither of their religions but convert to Judaism instead. a heavenly Jan 30, 2024 · The legacy of the Khazar conversion to Judaism can still be seen today. For perspective, see especially Omeljan Pritsak, “The Khazar Kingdom’s Conversion to Judaism,” Harvard Ukrainian Studies, 1978, 2; and Norman Golb and Omeljan Pritsak, Khazarian Hebrew Documents of the Tenth Century (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1982). Nov 11, 2015 · As Shaul Stampfer of Hebrew University has argued, the sources that mention the alleged conversion are highly problematic from a historical point of view. 239). See Omeljan Pritsak, “The Khazar Kingdom’s Conversion to Judaism,” Harvard Ukrainian Studies, 1978, 2; and Norman Golb and Omeljan Pritsak, Khazarian Hebrew Documents of the Tenth Century (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1982). Pritsak, Omeljan Yósypovych. Jun 26, 2014 · It has long been believed that the Khazars, a central Asian people, converted to Judaism in the ninth or tenth century. Dec 14, 2024 · The Khazar Kingdom's conversion to Talmudism under King Bulan is a unique and pivotal moment in religious history. Views of this conversion vary wildly, between viewing the narrative as entirely fiction to a mass conversion of Khazar society to the conversion of elements of the upper social echelons of Khazar society. The books on this topic : A. 3 Although the implementation of the order seemed to have been rather ineffective, it led to the flight of a Jun 29, 2014 · “There never was a conversion by the Khazar king or the Khazar elite,” he said. The Kuzari's References to the Khazar Conversion to Judaism At least some of the Khazar elite apparently converted to Judaism, [9] but this might not have included Kabars. Eldad the Danite - 9th century Anonymous author of the Schechter Letter - 10th century Hasdai ibn Shaprut - 10th century King Joseph of the Khazars - 10th century Yehuda HaLevi - 12th century Jan 22, 2025 · Investigate the historical sources and scholarly studies surrounding the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism, including the Khazarian Correspondence, The Khazars: Between the Caspian and the Black Seas, The Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism, and The Schechter Letter. Oct 18, 2023 · According to the medieval Jewish historians Judah Halevi and Abraham ibn Daud, the khaganate’s ruling elite converted to Judaism in the 700s. Jan 14, 2025 · In the 8th or 9th century, many Khazars converted to Judaism as a strategic move to position themselves between the Christian Byzantine Empire and Islamic Caliphates. In a new article at Haaretz, you can read why Stampfer claims that Ashkenazi Jews did not descend from the Khazars. Abo of Tiflis, who was in Khazaria c. and trade patterns (including visits of the Jewish Radhanite merchants), be-fore turning to the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism. The Kuzari takes place during a conversion of some Khazar nobility to Judaism. Howard-Johnston, “Byzantine Sources for Khazar History”, pp. B. Florin Curta and Andrew Holt, pp. This is the only evidence corroborating the record of Benjamin of Tudela about Judaism in Alania. G \ Y Q R [, A. No Khazar paid taxes to the central government. 9 Zuckerman, On the Date of the Khazars‛ Conversion to Judaism 246. The Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism, in: H. Apr 30, 2024 · The dates are based on a small number of sources from the period, while the Wikipedia version is more conjecture. The Khazars had a dual monarchy. A few Khazars did indeed convert to Judaism in the 8th century. I haven't payed any attention to what the Khazars do in games that I start in 867. Shaul Stampfer has concluded that such a conversion, "while a splendid story," never The Khazars, a prominent Turkic people who established a powerful empire in the region between the Black and Caspian Seas during the early medieval period, notably converted to Judaism in the 9th century under King Bulan. Nevertheless, the Caliphs could not adequately garrison Khazaria, and within a few years the Khazars were once again independent. 128-144. Converting to Islam meant submission to the Caliph. ON THE DATE OF THE KHAZARS' CONVERSION TO JUDAISM AND THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE KINGS OF THE RUS OLEG AND IGOR A Study oΖ the AnonyΝous Khazar Letter ΖroΝ the Genizah oΖ Cairo Constantine ZUCKERMAN An anonyΝous HeΒrew Μetter ΖroΝ the Genizah oΖ Cairo, now in CaΝΒridΗe, desΓriΒes a reΓent raid Βy the Rus1 on the Byzantine territory whiΓh reseΝΒΜes in detaiΜ the weΜΜ-known Khazars (disputed [22] [23] [24] – American rapper and music producer, raised Muslim but converted to Christianity before converting to Judaism. Poliak, Khazaria : the History of a Jewish State in Europe (Hebrew), Tel Aviv, 1951 ; A. 93; Golden, “The Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism”, p. " Or even: "Other scholars have concluded that the conversion of the Khazar elite to Judaism never happened. Other Jewish communities that developed in the region undoubtedly absorbed Khazar Jews and Judaized Khazars. Bulan was a Khazar king who led the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism. Nor is it settled whether Bulan was the Bek or the Khagan of the Khazars. The conversion of Khazar to Judaism has been a point of debate among renowned scholars. THE CONVERSION OF THE KHAZARS TO JUDAISM Peter B. Brook, The Jews of Khazaria (Northvale, NJ: Ja son Aronson, 1999), and Douglas M. K \ c N Y R c, What Does Historical Numismatics Suggest About the Conversion. Aug 9, 2010 · I read an interesting story on this topic once The Khazar ruler decided his people should convert to a monotheistic religion, so he called in a Christian priest and a Muslim qadi. The major Khazar Jewish documents from that period were written in the Hebrew language. Around the 8th century, Judaism began to spread amongst the Khazars, as a Feb 4, 2015 · Bulan was a Khazar king who led the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism. Judaized Khazars may have been one of the components of what Apr 1, 2009 · The Radhanites, a guild of medieval Jewish merchants, had a trade route that ran through Khazaria, and may have been instrumental in the Khazars' conversion to Judaism. (2) R. of Michigan Press 2005. Feb 16, 2021 · From time to time—most recently in 2013—spurious theories have popped up that the Khazars are the real ancestors of the majority of Ashkenazi Jews. It's sometimes hypothesized that the Khazars formed a substantial In Jewish history, the Khazar Empire holds unique significance, predominantly due to its elite's unprecedented conversion to Judaism. Jan 16, 2013 · The rival explanation, the Khazarian Hypothesis, states that the Jewish-convert Khazars -- a confederation of Turkic, Iranian, and Mongol tribes who lived in what is now Southern Russia, north of Apr 11, 2025 · Textual witnesses dating from the 9th and 10th centuries claim the Khazars adopted Judaism in the 8th century. I. The Ukrainian professor Omeljan Pritsak estimated that there were as many as 30,000 Jews in Khazaria by the 10th century. " Dec 7, 2024 · If you have not watched episode 1 and 2, I suggest you watch those episodes first before this one so you may understand the full context. Eldad the Danite - 9th century Anonymous author of the Schechter Letter - 10th century Hasdai ibn Shaprut - 10th century King Joseph of the Khazars - 10th century Yehuda HaLevi - 12th century Here is a list of Jewish sources that preserve knowledge of the Khazars' conversion to Judaism: Elchanan the Merchant a. The Khazar- Jewish dynasty turns out to be shorter than one has previously believed. Hasdai, a noteworthy figure we’ll explore in subsequent discussions, was intrigued by the Khazar conversion story and dispatched emissaries to learn about the Khazars’ Jewish identity. Many historians argue that the Khazar conversion to Judaism involved large segments of the population, not just the nobility. and of Constantine (Cyril), who was there c. The unicorn was an emblem known from the Sakae region east of the Caspian Sea. Episode 1: https://y May 12, 2025 · He was born circa 1080 in Toledo, Spain, while it was under Islamic rule. Golden published The conversion of the khazars to judaism | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate A post falsely claiming “the real Jewish homeland” is Khazaria and not Ancient Israel. The classical sources about them are mostly Muslim descriptions of the region which reference the Khazar's Judaism, and the Jewish work Kitaab al-Khazari (also known by the title of its Hebrew translation "Sefer haKuzari", or by the Arabic-Hebrew mashup "Kitab al There's some evidence that a portion of the Khazars converted to Judaism. The Khazars’ conversion to Judaism had far-reaching consequences. Three kings occupy the Khazar throne in the first half of the tenth century. The first Khazar king to accept Judaism was named Bulan whose name means “unicorn” or “elk” (Altheim, GDH vol. The date of the actual conversion to Judaism is a matter of some controversy. Thus Leo III, who ruled during the two decades immediately preceding the Khazar conversion to Judaism, "attempted to end the anomaly [of the tolerated status of Jews] at one blow, by ordering all his Jewish subjects to be baptized". The role of the Khazars in the shaping of East European Ashkenazic Jewry is periodically the subject of speculation. The eminent scholar Shaul Stampfer, meanwhile, has concluded that not only are these claims unfounded, but that the Khazar conversion is itself a myth. Four kings, Hezekiah, Menasheh, Isaac and another Menasheh, reign from the 860s to ca 900. ’ Schwab: Yes, exactly. Feb 6, 2010 · Al-Masudi would have us believe that the conversion took place sometime between 786 and 809. eventual continuation after the tenth century, conversion, problems of migration westward, and the origin of Eastern European Jewry. He asked the Christian: "suppose I do not choose to convert to Christianity, which would you rather see me Khazar coin, the so called ‘Moses coin. k. , “The Khazars and the World of Islam”, in The World of the Khazars New Perspectives A Moslem Text concerning the Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism M S. By the 8th or 9th century, antisemitic conspiracy theories began forming around the Khazars’ reported conversion to Judaism. Revenue came from a 10% levy on goods transiting through the region, and from tribute paid by subject nations. 1575 of the Sehid Ali Pasha collection at the Suleymaniye in Mv1 Istanbul, contains the text of Kitdb Tathbit Dald'il Nubuwwat Sayyidind Muhammad (The Book of the Establishment of Proofs with regard to our Master Muhammad's being a Prophet), written by the well-known Mu'tazilite author and Chief Qaid 'Abd alJabbar Ibn A Moslem Text concerning the Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism M S. Dunlop, The History of the Jewish Khazars (New York: Schocken, 1967). The king was so convinced by the arguments of the Jews that he and his court con-verted to Judaism. “s the religion was offered to the Khazar people the king made sure that the proper institutions were in place for a Jewish education by hiring According to Benjamin Freedman the Khazars' conversion to Judaism was first precipitated by their monarch's abhorrence of the moral climate into which his kingdom had descended. 11 The letter of King Joseph uses the same “message”: he described the land of Khazars, the conversion to Judaism and the informed Hasdai that he is an heir of the Turkic leader Bulan who adopted Judaism. The Khazar Empire, a medieval power in Eastern Europe, embraced Judaism, making the Khazar conversion a pivotal event. Al-Khazar and aṣ-Ṣaqâliba: Contacts and Conflicts? Some observations on the Nov 12, 2022 · In the early 8th century, the Khazar ruler, Bulan, converted to Judaism. Some authors question the Khazar conversion story The conversion of the Khazars to Judaism is an exceptional event in history, primarily motivated by political considerations. The Khazars didn't definitely convert, but there's a decent chance they did. Various writers, some of them of an anti-Semitic bent, have made much of this idea, claiming that modern eastern European Jewry primarily traces back to these Asiatic peoples rather than to a Semitic/Abrahamic lineage. Artamonov, Istoriya Khazar, 332–3). Analyze the theories, interpretations, and evidence presented in these works, which range from primary source accounts to This is following is a selection of contemporary references to the practice of rabbinical Judaism among the Khazars. B R [-S U N Z Z N V, P. 3 (Spring/Summer 2013): 1–72. Prof. also M. These texts are not without problems, however, and lack of archaeological or other physical evidence indicating a mass conversion has called both the extent and historicity of this conversion into doubt. The broadest of these was the conversion of the nomadic, steppe peoples to one or another of the universal religious systems (Judaism, Christianity, Man- Bulan (meaning "elk" [1] or "hart" in Old Turkic) was a Khazar ruler, and the founder of the Bulanid dynasty. 1. e. The reason that the Khazars converted to Judaism was to avoid converting to a major religion that had strings attached to it. While small traces of Khazar lineage could be present in some Jewish communities, most data points to Near Eastern origins consistent with the Biblical and Second Temple diaspora timelines. Rather, it seems to have been an internal development, perhaps the result of the longevity of the dynasty which, in the Türk tradition, had emphasized its possession of qut (heavenly good fortune, i. This conversion was likely due to the influence of the Jewish community in the Khazar capital, Atil. “There never was a conversion by the Khazar king or the Khazar elite,” he said. 10 Golden, The Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism 156; Noonan, Some Observations on the Economy of the Khazar Chaganate 233–240; Brook, The Jews of Khazaria 107–108. Khazaria = The conversion of Khazars to Judaism though unusual, was not unique. 2- Wasserstein, D. The Khazar conversion to Judaism underscores the dynamic nature of religious identity in medieval Eurasia. Golden The Khazar conversion to Judaism, an unusual, but not unique occur-rence, must be viewed within several larger contexts. The date of his reign is unknown, as the date of the conversion is hotly disputed, though it is certain that Bulan reigned some time between the mid-700s and the mid-800s. Golden, "Khazaria and Ju khazar conversion to judaism Excerpts from CHAPTER 1: I was asked to state what arguments and replies I could bring to bear against the attacks of philosophers and followers of other religions, and also against [Jewish] sectarians who attacked the rest of Israel. 1575 of the Sehid Ali Pasha collection at the Suleymaniye in Mv1 Istanbul, contains the text of Kitdb Tathbit Dald'il Nubuwwat Sayyidind Muhammad (The Book of the Establishment of Proofs with regard to our Master Muhammad's being a Prophet), written by the well-known Mu'tazilite author and Chief Qaid 'Abd alJabbar Ibn ;xistence of Khazar Karaites speaking a Turkish dialect at a later period in Eastern Europe. Approximately 300 years before the Khazar conversion story, the correspondence of Hasdai ibn Shaprut becomes a significant point of interest. (See Stampfer, “Did the Khazars Convert to Judaism?,” Jewish Social Studies: His- tory, Culture, Society n. During the early eighth century, the Khazar Empire found itself sandwiched between the dominant superpowers of Christianity and Islam, each vying for influence. 1 p. 10 An assessment of the available sources is a common feature of the secondary literature on the Khazar conversion, and the reader is advised to consult Dunlop, The History of the Jewish Khazars; Zuckerman, “On the Date of the Khazars’ Conversion”; Golden, “The Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism”; and the relevant historiographical articles in the World of the Khazars collection. Dunlop, The History of the Jewish Khazars, New York 1954 ; N. Sometime around the year 740 CE, the king and the ruling class, followed by members of the general population, decided to convert to Judaism. The Khazars' conversion is a focal point in Arthur Koestler's "The Jan 29, 2021 · The Khazar Qaghan is said by Judah Halevy to have converted in 740 to Judaism, but Halevy’s work, The Book of Khuzari, is a purely polemical and philosophical work and the date he sets for the Mar 13, 2023 · The extent of conversion to Judaism within the Khazar realm is debated. Here is a list of Jewish sources that preserve knowledge of the Khazars' conversion to Judaism: 1) Elchanan the Merchant a. Jun 26, 2014 · Stampfer, an expert in Jewish history, analyzed material from various fields, but found no reliable source for the claim that the Khazars – a multiethnic kingdom that included Iranians, Turks, Slavs and Circassians – converted to Judaism. The Khazars’ conversion to Judaism played an important role in strengthening Jewish identity and helping to shape Jewish culture and tradition. E. A careful examination of the sources, however, shows that some of them are pseudepigraphic, and the rest are of questionable reliability. From 1120 to 1140, ha-Levi wrote the famous 5-chapter book known as The Kuzari, which bases its storyline upon the Khazars' conversion to Judaism. Historical Significance and Lessons. After their conversion, the Khazars were ruled by a succession of Jewish kings that began to adopt the hallmarks of Jewish civilization, including the Torah and Talmud, the Hebrew script, and the observance of Jewish holidays. "The Khazar Kingdom's Conversion to Judaism. In 1941 Polak published the article "The Khazars' Conversion to Judaism". Jun 2, 2024 · The conversion to Judaism by the Khazars is one of the most striking aspects of the Khazar Empire’s history, both in its boldness and its uniqueness. Aug 1, 2021 · The Khazar Khaganate was a state based around modern day Ukraine from the 7th to 10th centuries AD. But according to Constantine Zuckerman of the Collège de France (Paris), the Khazars' conversion to Judaism probably took place in the 9th century rather than in the 8th century. We have very little firm documentation of the Khazars. The state was formed from a Turkic tribe, but it had one very unique aspect – it adopted Judaism. May 5, 2014 · Shaul Stampfer, a historian at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, recently published his research about the Khazar conversion in the journal Jewish Social Studies. 145. Instead, much of the connection between Khazars and Judaism comes from medieval documents originating from outside of Khazar lands. 3+ billion citations; Join for free. However, no firm evidence exists for these conclusions and some of Tolstov's details Bulan was a Khazar king who led the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism. On the Khazars in general, see Kevin A. Apr 27, 2022 · Khazar scholars sometimes refer to the king who led the Khazar conversion to Judaism as "Bulan Sabriel", though it is conceivable that they may have been different people. Some sources claim that the dual monarchy arose in the Khazar Khanate as a result of the conversion of the nobility to Judaism, while others claim that it was inherited from Turkic tradition. Joseph gives an account of his people’s practice of Judaism and the line of rulers leading to him. Dunlop examined (and ultimately rejected) the theory of other scholars that Sabriel in fact referred to Obadiah. The Khazars were ruled by a khagan who The main source for Khazar Judaism is the “Khazar Correspondence”, purportedly a series of 10th century letters between Hasdai ibn Shaprut, a Jewish scholar in the Umayyad court, and a ruler of the Khazars named Joseph. 780 C. Baron, on the other hand, contends that the Khazars, in fact, accepted a watered-down syncretistic Judaism — not Karaism — which simply resulted from an ignorance of Talmudic law. This decision suggests that the Khazars’ strategic thinking extended well beyond geography and trade. Oct 23, 2020 · The evidence is against them on that which is why they are in the minority on that but the evidence does point to that only the Royal house and its chief officers converting to Judaism, most likely to avoid favoring one of the three main religions of the population as the evidence points to the population of the Khazar's realm being divided Dec 4, 2018 · 2. “The conversion of the Khazars is a myth with no factual basis. He is usually identified as being the same with Sabriel, the king who led the khazar conversion to Judaism, and thus he is sometimes referred to as Bulan Sabriel. The famous conversion to Judaism seems to have occurred about this time. Jan 1, 2007 · The conversion of the khazars to judaism Byzantine sources for Khazar history. The Khazar hypothesis of Ashkenazi ancestry, often called the Khazar myth by its critics, [1] [2] is a largely abandoned historical hypothesis that postulated that Ashkenazi Jews were primarily, or to a large extent, descended from converts to Judaism among the Khazars, a multi-ethnic conglomerate of mostly Turkic peoples who formed a semi-nomadic khanate in and Jan 1, 2007 · A discussion of the context of the Khazar conversion to Judaism. a. 170–171. Koestler, The Thirteenth Tribe : The Khazar Empire and Its Heritage, New York, 1976 ; D. Selected Papers from the Jerusalem 1999 International Khazar Colloquium (Leiden: Brill, 2007) 123–162. SCHECHTER, Jewish Theological Seminary of America INTRODUCTION ONE of the most interesting episodes in Jewish history is the story of the conversion of the Khazars to the faith of Israel, which, according to some au-thorities, took place some time about the middle of the eighth century, according to others, early Khazar Jews, and together with them show that Khazarian Judaism was not limited to the rulers but, rather, was well rooted in the territories of Khazaria, reaching even to its border city of Kiev. Note: You can play as Khazaria without the Sons of Abraham DLC if you have the Horse Lords DLC, as non-Christian nomads are playable without the need for religion DLCs. In 2002, the Swedish numismatist Gert Rispling discovered a Khazar Jewish coin. — This study dwells on several key issues Oct 22, 2018 · 1. I think it was a legend that he used as a device for dialogue. Sometime during the 8th or 9th century, the ruling elite of the Khazar Empire made the unprecedented decision to adopt Judaism, an event that holds significant weight in the narrative offered by The conversion of Khazar to Judaism has been a point of debate among renowned scholars. In the 8th century, the Khazars converted to Judaism. The refugees were responsible not only for the Khazar conversion to Judaism but also, through setting aside the original Khazar khāqān and making their chief, *Būlān, the real ruler of Khazaria, responsible for the establishment of the Khazar dual kingship. It was only then that the long and difficult 123 Dunlop, The History of the Jewish Khazars, p. The continuing existence of Khazar Jewish communities, however, may be seen in the account of the Rus’ chronicles of the series of religious interrogations conducted by the ruler of Kiev, Vladimir I, in 986 who declined Volga Bulğar Muslim, Khazar Jewish and German Catholic invitations to accept their faiths before converting to Orthodox Khazar Khaganate, 650–850. M. Did the Khazars Convert to Judaism? - JSTOR Week 6 (September 27-October 1): The Khazar conversion to Judaism • The Khazars Read: Florin Curta, Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages (500-1300), Brill's Companions to European History, 19 (Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2019), pp. The article, ‘Did the Khazars Convert to Judaism?’ appears in the latest issue of Jewish Social Studies. The conversion of the Khazars to Judaism was preceded by a Disputation amongst members of different religions. Golden, "Khazaria and Ju AN UNKNOWN KHAZAR DOCUMENT1 BY S. [9] Up until then, the culture of the Khazars was outside the scope of Polak's research but evidently, this article led him to delve deeper into this topic and in 1943 he published his book Khazaria: History of a Jewish Kingdom in Europe . His name means "elk" or "hart" in Old Turkic. com Apr 11, 2025 · Textual witnesses dating from the 9th and 10th centuries claim the Khazars adopted Judaism in the 8th century. There are three different sources describing conversion of the Khazars to Judaism: Letter of Joseph ben Aaron, one of the last Khazar rulers to Hasdai ibn Shaprut, a Jewish scholar from Cordoba Caliphate. The key religious figure appears to have been a Phallic Symbol that were, according to the Khazar Hebrew conversion stories, were driven out. [ 10 ] Feb 24, 2023 · The Khazars were a people who inhabited the steppes of Central Asia in the early Middle Ages. . The date of his reign is unknown, as the date of the conversion is hotly disputed, though it is certain that Bulan reigned some time between the mid-8th and the mid-9th centuries. There is some evidence that when Jews have felt strong and self-confident, a universalistic impulse — which holds that the Jewish people has a religious obligation to offer Judaism to the world and welcome converts — has impelled them to share their The Khazar state died because of the sectarian wars, which broke out after the conversion to Judaism. Historians and researchers often turn to academic resources such as Did the Khazars Convert to Judaism? by Peter Golden, Haggai Ben-Shammai attempts to sway the Khazars. ” Read entire article at Forward. Mas ʿ ūdī states The Khazars' conversion to Judaism can be dated ca 861. Mar 10, 2015 · Ancestor worship was observed. Dec 29, 2018 · The Khazars’ Conversion to Judaism. The Khazar Correspondence, along with other historical documents, are said to indicate a conversion of the Khazar nobility to Judaism. "Conversion of the Khazars to Judaism (9th Century). This spurred antisemitic beliefs that they were building a secret empire which sought widespread control through financial gains. s. Prieto-Domínguez, Óscar. That’s when Bulan realized what the “best” of the three faiths was. K. ). ), The World of the Khazars: New Perspectives. 237-270 C. " On the larger question of the Khazar conversion (which is not touched on in the Kievan letter, but is treated in detail in the Schechter letter), While small traces of Khazar lineage could be present in some Jewish communities, most data points to Near Eastern origins consistent with the Biblical and Second Temple diaspora timelines. [9] The Khazar Hebrew correspondence of the mid-tenth century (an exchange of letters between the Khazar ruler, Joseph, and the Jewish courtier of the Spanish Umayyads, Ḥasdai ibn Shaprūṭ and the “Letter of an Unknown Khazar Jew,” probably from the same era but preserved only in a twelfth-century copy from the Cairo Geniza) presents the century that led to the conversion of the Khazar king and then the remainder of his people to Judaism. While sources are scarce, some historians speculate that descendants of the Khazars who had converted to Judaism later migrated to eastern Europe, the Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, and Lithuania and contributed to Jewish populations already settled in those places. According to it, Bulan was the first Khazar king (kagan) who converted to Judaism. The Khazar Empire's conversion to Judaism had a lasting impact on its political and cultural landscape. May 21, 2018 · The conversion of the Khazars to Judaism continues to intrigue historians. Jul 7, 2024 · The Khazar Correspondence⁚ A collection of letters and documents, including the famous “Letter of the Khazar King,” purportedly written by Khazar rulers to Jewish scholars in the 10th century․ These letters provide detailed accounts of the Khazar conversion, but their authenticity has been questioned by some scholars․ Jun 26, 2014 · The popular notion that the Khazars converted to Judaism in the 9th century CE is a widespread common assumption. But this time the emphasis is also on several additional angles such as: the visibility, or lack of it, in Jewish sources of the connection between Khazars and Judaism or Jews, the application of the history of According to Ha Levi s account, the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism was a gradual one, radiating outward from the king to his associates, filtering down from there to the rest of the Khazars II . Here is a list of Jewish sources that preserve knowledge of the Khazars' conversion to Judaism: Elchanan the Merchant a. is there an actual reason this is controversial or did I miss something? Jan 1, 2007 · Request PDF | On Jan 1, 2007, Peter B. yzdek fbcqnsfgu wls dkapdm whlgz ngkmaf mnpp jncs lkyq dnzftnm