Posted on 03/06/2010 5:29:06 AM PST by decimon
In many ways, the Lemba tribe of Zimbabwe and South Africa are just like their neighbours.
But in other ways their customs are remarkably similar to Jewish ones.
They do not eat pork, they practise male circumcision, they ritually slaughter their animals, some of their men wear skull caps and they put the Star of David on their gravestones.
Their oral traditions claim that their ancestors were Jews who fled the Holy Land about 2,500 years ago.
It may sound like another myth of a lost tribe of Israel, but British scientists have carried out DNA tests which confirm their Semitic origin.
These tests back up the group's belief that a group of perhaps seven men married African women and settled on the continent. The Lemba, who number perhaps 80,000, live in central Zimbabwe and the north of South Africa.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
The Cohen gene showed up among the Lemba, but was first identified among European Jews either with the related surname, or with family traditions of descent from Aaron. Pretty hot stuff. :’) There was of course an immediate kneejerk reactionary response to the finding, which reiterates every once in a while.
:’) I’m sure there were Nazis with (well-hidden, or completely unknown) Jewish ancestry. Himmler personally investigated Hitler’s ancestry at least three times.
& men is hardly a “lost tribe.” It does , however, provide the link.
7 men is hardly a “lost tribe.” It does , however, provide the link.
The Levitical Priesthood was assigned by God to Aaron, the brother of Moses.
Should have said to Aaron and his male descendants.
>> The DNA analysis is likely new. <<
Don’t think so. IIRC, the old PBS documentary presented DNA results.
But really no serious complaint from me. It’s good to see more publicity about DNA’s genealogical applications — even if it comes from the BBC!
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Not exactly found, but interesting none the less.
Thank YOU so much for posting this......wow
No, the DNA was done quite a long time ago too. US scientist did it. I don’t know why the Brits are doing it too now unless they doubt the original findings.
You joined FOUR days ago to make a post like that?
Uh...welcome to FR
Agree. I have seen that PBS documentary twice and it still gives me goosebumps.
Try this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2464658/posts
Obama's 'lemon socialism'.
Having sat in traffic trying to get through those rotaries, I agree.
Have you just re-joined FR under a new screen name or is there an error in your signup date? Not that it matters much but it’s fun to give noobies a hard time.
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Ladyjane, I was here for at least a decade since the beginning of what I consider to be the finest political website in America back in the Clinton 90's and early onto this particular new century.
God bless you, and thank you for your original welcome to FR.
I love FreeRepublic.
And what was your past screen name(s)?
I just hope the publicity didn't attract the attention of Mugabe's thugs. Always on the lookout to do evil.
.......... and what was yours?
Whereas you say you've been here a decade, but just signed up this week. So what was your previous screen name.
A former colleague who grew up in Harare did go to the “Jewish School” there. Who knew??? He’s a pasty-white Anglo, though, and a true “African-American”.
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