EURO-JEWISH-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Re: [EURO-JEWISH-L] Josephus and Essene celibacy
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 12:18:04 EST

In a message dated 99-01-13 11:55:50 EST, writes:

<< I assume there is a doubt in the mind of a member about the
possibilities that another may have had a Essene as part of his
mishpocha, and a mention was made of the historian Josephus stating
that they were celebate. Josephus was not always accurate, and much of
his writings came from the words of others. So I suggest that there is
always a possibility of a link. >>

Yes, I know about Josephus, and I've heard theories that only the Essenes in
Jerusalem (or only the ones at Qumram--if that was an Essene settlement) were
celibate. However, I don't think the name and lineage of even one of the
Essenes is known to us. I doubt very much that any Essenes taken captive by
the Romans, or the few that may have escaped into the Caucasus, would have
retained their Essene identity. According to a private communication, it
appears that the connection with that Essenes is due to the similarity with a
Russian word. That's as much proof as expecting that the city of Essen was
founded by Essenes.

Essene offspring? Most unlikely. A chance otf proving their lineage? Zero.
My suggestion (and thre consensus among genealogists) is to start with the
present and work back. If we can get back two hundred years we're doing
great. Suggestions of some earlier connections are interesting, sometimes
worth exploring, but we must bear in mind the limited odds that we can trace
our ancestry back to any historical name or sect or person of 2000 years ago
unless there are some VERY well documented and well regarded family histories
(e,g, those of Rashi) --and even those are shrouded in some doubt.

Michael Bernet, New York
*******************************
seeking:

BERNET, BERNAT, BAERNET, BERNERTH etc from Frensdorf, Bamberg, Nurnberg
KONIGSHOFER: Welbhausen, Konigshofen, Furth; JONDORF, Bavaria
ALTMANN: Kattowitz, Breslau, Poznan, Beuthen--Upper Silesia/Poland
WOLF: Frankfurt (Aron Wolf m. Babette Goldschmidt ca 1860) also in Wurzburg,
also Sali WOLF, Rotterdam

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• [EURO-JEWISH-L] Josephus and Essene celibacy by Shelby Peck< >

  • Re: [EURO-JEWISH-L] Josephus and Essene celibacy by <>