Posted on 04/03/2005 11:49:19 AM PDT by ChicagoHebrew
A special team of rabbis from Israel will soon be sent to the Indian-Myanmar (Burma) border in order to convert thousands of members of a local tribe who have been recognized as Jews by Israel's chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar, The Times of London has reported.
According to the report, the tribesmen have been defined as members of the lost tribe of Menashe. Once converted, they would be able to immigrate to Israel based on the Law of Return. The mission is reportedly funded by a group of Christian Evangelicals.
About 800 members of the 'Bnei Menashe' have been brought to Israel from northeast India over the last decade by a group called "Shavei Israel."
According to "Shavei Israel," there is ample evidence to show that the Bnei Menashe are of Jewish descent. Their customs, including mourning rites, hygiene and the use of a lunar calendar, closely mirror Jewish traditions.
According to scripture, during the reign of King Solomon, the tribes of Israel split into two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judea in south. In 723 B.C. the Assyrians conquered the kingdom of Israel and took 10 of the 12 biblical tribes into exile, where they dispersed among the nations.
The return of the "lost tribes" to their ancient homeland is viewed by some as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy and a herald of the Messiah.
The Bnei Menashe were animists when they were converted to Christianity by British missionaries in the 19th century. In 1953, a tribal leader named Mlanchala had a dream in which his people would return to Israel. The tribe then adopted or perhaps readopted Jewish traditions.
However, their links to the Jewish people could not be proved, so they were not deemed eligible to immigrate to Israel under Israeli law, which gives Jews the right to automatic citizenship.
We're getting closer to the end here folks.
Earthquakes, pope dies, an innocent woman is murdered before our eyes, tsnuamis, etc.
Hope Israel hands over a few Popeye standoff missiles to India to express their happiness!!!
Did they not do a DNA test on them as well and prove a link to the Kohanim in one of them? I thought I read that in a paper in Singapore.
Interesting.
Are these silk road residue?
Wonder what those folks who say that these tribes don't exist anymore think about this? I believe that there is a group in Ethiopia that claim descent from one of the lost tribes.
Christians converting tribes to Judaism... hope someone can see the irony here.
I seem to remember reading something like that as well, although I don't recall the details. In any case, they are formally converting.
Reading this gave me goose-bumps.
I see no irony here.
I see the gathering of God's chosen to their promised land.
Perhaps my love for the Jewish people has blinded me to something.
Would the formal conversion be supervised by Ashkenazim or Sephardim?
It sounds as if they have been working most closely with Sephardic rabbis, so that would be my guess. Ultimately, though, from the standpoint of Orthodox Judaism, it wouldn't make a difference.
Are you a Christian?
Oh, it gets better:
"The Bnei Menashe were animists when they were converted to Christianity by British missionaries in the 19th century."
So Christians are converting Christian tribes to Judaism. Talk about not understanding your mission. LOL.
A messianic jew is still a jew.
a messianic jew is still a jew.
There are Ethiopian jews in Israel.
I think you might be right...about the blinding that is.
May be that Israel might declare all residents of Compton California Jews if they can help re-populate Israel against all the Muslims that would want them dead.
DNA is a real good way to resolve this since some genetic history of Jews should be with these people. But even if not, even if the rumor of what they may be is at most a rumor, I am for whatever it takes to keep Israel strong and if these people convert to Judaism, they are still Jews I would think.
Peace and strength to Israel!
From a Catholic A CA Guy
Really? If that's the story here then I stand corrected. But I didn't think the state of Israel recognized Messianic Jews?
Definition4B. For the purposes of this Law, "Jew" means a person who was born of a Jewish mother or has become converted to Judaism and who is not a member of another religion."
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