Posted on 08/19/2004 7:11:00 PM PDT by missyme
A team of senior Israeli rabbis is due to rule soon on whether thousands of Indians who say they are members of one of the lost tribes of Israel can settle there.
Only 5,000 of the Benei Menashes have converted to Judaism Shlomo Amar recently led a delegation of rabbis to the north-eastern Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram where members of the Benei Menashe tribe live and practise Judaism.
At the Beith-el Synagogue in the Manipur capital, Imphal, nine men wearing knitted skull caps read silently from the Old Testament.
Four others stand on a wooden platform in the centre of the room as a young man reads from the holy book under the supervision of an elderly priest.
These people claim to be one of the lost tribes of Israel.
Recent discovery
Tongkhohao Aviel Hangshing is the leader of the Benei Menashes in Imphal.
We found that the stories, the customs and practices of the Israeli people were very similar to ours
Tongkhohao Aviel Hangshing "We are Benei Menashe, because we belong to the Menashe tribe," he says.
"Menashe is the son of Joseph, who was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. So we are the lost tribe of Israel."
Mr Hangshing says for thousands of years they did not know they were lost.
"We found out only 27 years ago," he says.
"When the Bible was translated into our language, in 1970s, we studied it.
"And we found that the stories, the customs and practices of the Israeli people were very similar to ours. So we thought that we must be one of the lost tribes."
Saturdays are observed by Jews the world over as the Sabbath, the day of rest, and the members of the Benei Menashe community meet for morning prayers at the synagogue in Imphal.
A lamb-skin scroll of the Torah, is unrolled and then rolled up again as each reader finishes his part.
Hope
There are more than 300,000 Benei Menashes in Manipur but most of them follow Christianity.
Only about 5,000 have converted to Judaism, most of them during the 1970s.
Mr Hangshing says although India has treated them quite well, they do not consider it their home.
Lucy Vaiphei (right) is hoping to join her family in Israel The recent visit by a delegation of rabbis from Israel has given new hope to the members of this community.
Caleb, a 24-year-old college student, wants to go to Israel because he says it is the land of his forefathers.
Amram is studying to be a lawyer. He says Israel is the promised land, for him and the others too.
"In Israel it will be easier for us to practise our religion."
In a chamber partitioned from the main prayer hall, about a dozen women join in the Sabbath prayers.
Lucy Vaiphei is the caretaker of the synagogue.
Her parents and six siblings have emigrated to Israel in the last few years and she is now looking forward to making the move herself.
Michael Freund, director of Amishav - an organisation that helps Jews move to Israel - says he firmly believes that Menashe is one of the lost tribes of Israel.
"We have brought over 800 of them to Israel," he says, "and the remaining people also want to emigrate".
Mr Freund says that last year the new Israeli interior minister, Avraham Poraz, suddenly declared his opposition to bringing the Benei Menashes into Israel.
"But I'm confident that if the chief rabbi issues a ruling saying that the Benei Menashes are indeed descendents of the Jewish people and should be allowed back home, then he will have no choice but to let them in."
So while the rabbis in Israel take a decision on whether or not to grant the right to emigrate to Israel to the Benei Menashes, this community here is waiting with bated breath - and praying.
There is nothing more insufferable than an ignorant person who believes they possess wisdom. The internet magnifies this attribute in your case.
That's nice, I am so grateful for your wisdom...
Your my new best friend....
I don't believe they have identified anyone from the lost tribe of Israel through DNA?
The only DNA test that I know of is for a particular marker that is supposed to represent a descendant of Aaron, the brother of Moses, since the Cohanim were subject to special restrictions to maintain their family line.
This same DNA marker has also been found among a tribe of Africans called the Lemba. So are the Lemba Jews or even Cohanim? The Bible says that if a Cohen intermarries a non-Jewish woman or a convert to Judaism or even a Jewish woman who has been divorced, their children become unfit to perform the Temple rituals. So does this mean their DNA changes in some way?
Sheesh. Should be: "You're my new best friend..."
he likes you...it's obvious.
I was asking if through DNA markings a person or group of people could claim that they are a decendant of one of the 12 lost tribes of Israel? and if they could would that give them a right to return to Israel if they were not practicing the original faith of Judaism?
we are not supposed to admit here that we may inadvertantly see something on Public Television of merit...lol
but no, I missed it.
I watched that old rerun from the 60s on NPT the other nite where the guy built his place in the Alaskan wilderness by himself and lived there 35 years.
absolutely enthralling.
I agree....Pharmboy has a big time crush!
Thanks...the NY Times did a front page story on the Lemba when it broke. Fascinating stuff.
You might look up the stories on the immigration of part of the Tribe of Benjamin back to Israel from Africa. I haven't read the account in some time; but, you may find something useful in that to tell you for certain. But I would also recommend the video "Quest for the lost tribes", which presents more evidence into the backgrounds of these claims including Museums full of Israeli garb, scrolls, silver, coins, etc. It goes into some specifics on customs observed down to the garments they wear, the holidays and religious observances and the oral traditions which match old testament stories of the exodus, etc.
Many groups like Manasseh have applied to immigrate back to Israel and their petitions are being heard and taken very seriously after representatives from Israel have personally interviewed these folks and checked them out. I won't say *if* but rather *when* Menasseh is allowed to immigrate, hold on to your behind cause the ride gets real bumpy after that according to prophecy ;)
The first generations of Christians were Jewish. But very quickly they intermarried with non-Jews who adopted Christianity. Their descendents became part of the Christian population, and ceased to be part of the Jewish population.
The Jewish genetic markers identified by the studies are also found in non-Jewish populations, to a very small degree -- highlighting certain individuals as being partially of Jewish descent. Most of the "markers" are found on the paternal Y chronomose. I don't have the statistics in front of me, but I seem to recall that the Jewish markers are found on close to 90% of Jews, and roughly 3% of non-Jewish Europeans. That 3% would represent individuals who had a paternal male ancestor who was Israelite -- whether it was 100 years ago, or 1000 years ago.
I watch "MASTERPIECE THEATRE" and it's of value to me.Anyone who has a problem with that can Terry Kerry! LOL
Menasseh is allowed to immigrate, hold on to your behind cause the ride gets real bumpy after that according to prophecy ;) Who are they?
Although, I must be partly Israelite cause I damn sure had an informal BRIS early on. I'll swear on a stack of Bibles...and my two wee sons will as well. So there.
Aloutte,
In recent years there have been studies (referenced above in post #17 that show ALL Jewish populations, and not just Cohanim, share genetic markers on the Y chromosone. All Sephardim are one population group, while they differ from Ashkenazim only insignificantly.
But the 90% of Jews that have the same markings would that be of different races like Asians, Indians Pacific Islanders or does that matter?
I'm not sure.A few years ago,there was a DNA study of a black African tribe's "priests"/rabbis,And yes,they shared the same DNA as men whose last names,all over the world,are Cohen,Kohn,and other variations.These men are all descendants of the "priestly class",from ancient times.
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