ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Crimean Karaites

Crimean Karaites are a group of people who have their own religion and cultural traditions. They have a unique history and background.

Long ago, there were many different kinds of people living in different parts of the world. Some people had their own way of thinking about God and had their own religious practices.

The Crimean Karaites are one of these groups of people. They come from a place called Crimea, which is a peninsula in Europe near the Black Sea.

The Karaites believe in one God, just like many other religions. However, they believe in following the religious text closely and not adding any extra laws or practices. This is different from many other religions, which have added rules over time.

For example, the Karaites do not believe in following certain laws that are important to other religions, like the Sabbath laws. They believe in celebrating holidays based on the lunar calendar instead of the solar calendar.

The Karaites have their own language, Karaite language. They used to write it in Hebrew letters, but now they mostly use Russian letters.

The history of the Crimean Karaites is really interesting. They have been living in Crimea for hundreds of years, and their ancestors may have originally come from the Middle East. They have had to face persecution and discrimination over the years, especially during times when Crimea was under different rulers. But they have also had times of peace and prosperity.

Today, the Crimean Karaites are a small community, but they are proud of their heritage and continue to practice their unique beliefs and customs.