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.
That was Shemp...nyuck,nyuck,nyuck.
Mostly the Kurds and Armenians, I think.
Promises,promises and never a follow through...*sigh*
Actually,you're doing quite well. :-)
Please for christsake...write readable sentences.
Did you mean to write:
Of course Israelis are racist. Not all of them, but some. Just like any other place in the world; racism has not boundary.
Let's NOT go there.........;^)
Isn't Funny how I NEVER follow you on threads but you seem to always follow me, story of my life everyone always
wants to be me *Sigh*
LOL. Well, there is nothing saying that the group which remained in Assyria as warriors didn't grow and move across Europe as legends suggest. I would generally like some historic data to back it up; but, given prophecy, it isn't unlikely. And some dogon interesting things start happening when you look at the name translations in the different languages of the region. Best evidence is archeological finds of things like grave markers. Hebrews largely mark their graves and leave a trail through time that is hard to miss when you happen upon it. But much has been done throughout history to deny Israelites a place in history in attempt to try and disown them of their chosen status and mock God. More is turned up every day. Eventually we'll all know ;)
I dated an Indian (Monsoon brand) who was a Brahmin caste when I lived in NW London.
She had a club in Whitehall between Parliament and TS. She was very pale....looked like a Spanish chick.
It was lovely but she told me right aways her folks expected her to marry another rich Indian kid. I had a high bred Castillian Colombian gal once whose daddy felt the exact same way.
alas...the forlorn gringo...rejected for my ethnicity....I shoulda sued em or filed a discrimination claim.
they were both really attractive...and the Indian gal spoke high English ...much better than my Deep South dialect...lol
I have a cousin in Galway....I don't know much about Gypsies but I can tell ya a load about what he called knackers in Ireland....not much of it good to be honest.
Love is a strange and wonderful thing.....
I meant to say what I said..I don't need anyone to speak for me...I will write and type the way I WANT TO...bottom line. Your not going to change me so you might as well give up...I am more stubborn than you could hope to be...
yes...it's been fun and I've learned a bit but I have neck traction at 8 so I'm crashing soon.
I missed that show,but have several books about Gypsies,in which that is proved. :-)
somebody mentioned Dravidians earlier....I forget who.
My understanding of the 144,000 concerning End Times Prophecy has to do with those 12 lost tribes of Israel...
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