Donmeh West
Encyclopedia
Dönmeh West is a non-sectarian, international organization which promotes an original reformulation of Sabbatean and Frankist kabbalah
by its founder and leader, Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain
. Its website has over 100,000 international visitors to date, and is one of the most-viewed Kabbalah-related websites on the Internet.
Donmeh West was founded in 1972 by the Kabbalist, religious philosopher and poet
Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain
, a descendant of Turkish Sabbateans
. Both he and Donmeh West have been widely credited with initiating and leading a world-wide revival in Neo-Sabbatian Kabbalah over the past 40 years.
In light of this, the popular Israel
i newspaper Maariv
published an extensive interview with Reb Yakov Leib (an expanded English version of which can be found on the Donmeh West website) and has begun translating and publishing his writings as feature articles in the Culture and Religion section of their newspaper.
Donmeh West and its founding by Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain are noted and discussed by Prof. Matt Goldish in the introduction to his book, The Sabbatean Prophets, published by Harvard University Press, as well as by Prof. Wendelin von Winckelstein in his study, Die Odyssee des Aristoteles, where he writes “Eine nachfolgeorganisation existiert heute noch unter dem namen Donmeh West” (“Today a successor organization [to that of Sabbatai Zevi’s original Donmeh] still exists under the name of Donmeh West").
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
by its founder and leader, Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain
Yakov Leib HaKohain
Yakov Leib HaKohain is a kabbalist, religious philosopher, poet and founder of Donmeh West, a "Virtual Community for the Study and Practice of Neo-Sabbatian Kabbalah"....
. Its website has over 100,000 international visitors to date, and is one of the most-viewed Kabbalah-related websites on the Internet.
Donmeh West was founded in 1972 by the Kabbalist, religious philosopher and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain
Yakov Leib HaKohain
Yakov Leib HaKohain is a kabbalist, religious philosopher, poet and founder of Donmeh West, a "Virtual Community for the Study and Practice of Neo-Sabbatian Kabbalah"....
, a descendant of Turkish Sabbateans
Donmeh
Note: Most Sabbateans during and after Sabbatai Zevi were Jews and practiced only Judaism, whereas the Dönmeh officially practice/d Islam and are not regarded as Jews....
. Both he and Donmeh West have been widely credited with initiating and leading a world-wide revival in Neo-Sabbatian Kabbalah over the past 40 years.
In light of this, the popular Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i newspaper Maariv
Maariv
Maariv is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. It is second in sales after Yedioth Ahronoth and third in readership after Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel HaYom. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Maariv saw its market share fall slightly...
published an extensive interview with Reb Yakov Leib (an expanded English version of which can be found on the Donmeh West website) and has begun translating and publishing his writings as feature articles in the Culture and Religion section of their newspaper.
Donmeh West and its founding by Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain are noted and discussed by Prof. Matt Goldish in the introduction to his book, The Sabbatean Prophets, published by Harvard University Press, as well as by Prof. Wendelin von Winckelstein in his study, Die Odyssee des Aristoteles, where he writes “Eine nachfolgeorganisation existiert heute noch unter dem namen Donmeh West” (“Today a successor organization [to that of Sabbatai Zevi’s original Donmeh] still exists under the name of Donmeh West").
See also
- DonmehDonmehNote: Most Sabbateans during and after Sabbatai Zevi were Jews and practiced only Judaism, whereas the Dönmeh officially practice/d Islam and are not regarded as Jews....
- Dönmeh West and the Neo-Sabbatian revival
- Jacob FrankJacob FrankJacob Frank was an 18th century Jewish religious leader who claimed to be the reincarnation of the self-proclaimed messiah Sabbatai Zevi and also of the biblical patriarch Jacob...
- Sabbatai ZeviSabbatai ZeviSabbatai Zevi, , was a Sephardic Rabbi and kabbalist who claimed to be the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. He was the founder of the Jewish Sabbatean movement...
- Yakov Leib HaKohainYakov Leib HaKohainYakov Leib HaKohain is a kabbalist, religious philosopher, poet and founder of Donmeh West, a "Virtual Community for the Study and Practice of Neo-Sabbatian Kabbalah"....