[ChicagoHebrew]

My childhood rabbi (who trained me for my Bar Mitzvah) was the last Rabbi of Calcutta, India. His family was part of the mainstream Indian Jewish community, having coming from Baghdad 300 years ago. He knows the Bnei Menashe quite well (he's still alive, although he's in his 90s).

He told me that the Bnei Menahse story is bunk. He thinks they are a native tribe that once had some connection to Islam (which most of "Jewish" rituals come from) and was converted to Christianity this century. According to him, the Missionaries told them wild stories about them being a lost tribe as part of a tactic to deceive them into Christinaity (i.e. you are a Jewish tribe, Jesus was a Jew -- one of you -- and is your messiah, etc.).

That being said, these are people who fervently believe in Judaism now. I have no problem having them convert and move to Israel.

[missyme]

Good to hear from you...

SO do you believe that there are people through-out the world that can claim they are part of one of the 12 lost tribes of Israel?

[Cronos]

He told me that the Bnei Menahse story is bunk. He thinks they are a native tribe that once had some connection to Islam (which most of "Jewish" rituals come from) and was converted to Christianity this century

The Manipuris being in contact withIslam? I thought that portion of your argument would be more in line with what's happened with the Pathans. However, your rabbi's line of reasoning seems quite right and it does make sense to view these "lost tribe" discoveries with more than a pinch of salt.