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.
No prob. I lurked on a pro-palestinian anti-semitic blog for a month.
I was trying to provide a moderate voice to help some of them change their minds.
It was pointless... So many Arabs are raised with a hatred for Jews.
I figure only the United States and Europe invading the Middle East and placing them under martial law for two or three generations would work. During that time period we could force civil interactions between the Arabs and Jews, and wait for their kids to form the necessary bonds to trounce the hatred their parents would try to instill.
Knocking them back to the stone age might also help.
And I'm only half-joking.
>>>
Not as long as the Arabs or Persians are Muhammadan Terrorist Death Cult, Inc. members...won't happen, they are born to drive Israel off the map in their hearts
and
Jews, Christians, moral traditionalists, etc.; (read ALL INFIDELS aka ALL WHO WON'T BOW 5 TIMES DAILY TO THE satanic MOON GOD) - into the head-cutter's hands, if not into ovens.
We are dealing with our generation's LITTLE HITLERS IN HEADSCARVES AND THEY MUST BE PUT DOWN IF THEY PERSIST.
Muhammadans have satan planted and growing in their hearts from a young age of 'worship' and 'learning' at the mosques and madrassas.
When THOSE are outlawed, then MAYBE...but, we're so infected by PC B.S. that no one seems to understand that while they're growing them 'overthere', we're seeing it OVER HERE.
No one will put America first, evidenced as I look to our 'sovereign' borders...and see JIHADISTS illegally invading our nation to MURDER our women, our children - and everyone else...this isn't the first bloody expansion of Muhammadanism...there were reasons for the Crusades to SMITE ISLAMICISTMUHAMMADANISM OFF THE PLANET!
I know that historical stuff,but yes,the Bible does say that.
Beyond my level...can't help you there.
Thank you. That's a side of me that doesn't get expressed much around here. Usually too busy being pummelled for something I said that didn't do someone elses political agenda any good rofl. I believe Chivalry isn't dead, it's just beatup, divorced and left drunk and for dead in a back alley somewhere waiting for help.
Most anymore are unimpressed by actual shows of affection, loyalty, etc and are too focused on other things to care much about us romantics. And I'm not much one to settle for just anything or anyone. I want to marry for life and will never ever consent to a divorce. So I'm waiting to find someone I can put up with and who can put up with me. And so far, all I've found is a lot of reasons to be a hermitt. LOL. I got over the drunk and left for dead in the back alley part when I was young. ;)
Yes,they did,unfortunately.
Younger than you. Your not a chick so I guess your an old bag...or a dude or a transvestite
Night ;)
That's garbage and you know it!
Night dear friend! :-)
its you're an old bag dang it! Not, your an old bag. I know you can learn that simple rule....
See...exactly...instead of laughing...you got all serious and defensive...let go a little...
Well you deserve someone very special....
You two behave. Put the claws away - please. I gotta hit the sack. Will hopefully see ya'll online tomorrow. Be good.
Maybe one day. We'll see. ;) Anyway, gotta hit it. Night.
I don't think you are younger than I am,since you say that you were married to someone who fought in Nam.Unless you married him when you were 12. >:-)
She's impossible and it isn't typos.
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