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The phrase Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappeared from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was totally destroyed, enslaved and exiled by ancient Assyria. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. The Tribe of Reuben ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was on the immediate east of the Dead Sea, reaching from the The Tribe of Simeon ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was in the southwest of Canaan, bordered on the east and south by In the Jewish tradition a Levite ( is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Judah ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height it was the leading tribe of the Kingdom of Judah, and occupied most of the territory of the kingdom Tribe of Dan was also a band from the mid 1990s The Tribe of Dan ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. The Tribe of Naphtali ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height Naphtali occupied the eastern side of The Galilee (on the immediate west of the Sea of The Tribe of Gad ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height Gad occupied a region to the east of the River Jordan, though the exact location is ambiguous The Tribe of Asher ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height Asher dwelled in western Galilee, a region with comparatively low temperature and much rainfall The Tribe of Issachar ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was immediately north of (the western half of Manasseh, and south The Tribe of Zebulun ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was at the southern end of The Galilee, with its eastern border being The Tribe of Joseph was one of the Tribes of Israel, though since Ephraim and Manasseh together traditionally constituted the tribe of Joseph it was often The Tribe of Menasheh ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. Together with the Tribe of Ephraim, Menasheh also formed the House of Joseph. The Tribe of Ephraim (} was one of the Tribes of Israel; together with the Tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph The Tribe of Benjamin ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was sandwiched between that of Ephraim to the north and Judah See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic The Kingdom of Israel ( ( KJV Israel in Samaria) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel' Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture [1] Many groups of Jews have doctrines concerning the continued hidden existence or future public return of these tribes. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Doctrine (Latin doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings quot or "instructions" taught principles or positions as the

This is a subject that is partially based upon authenticated and documented historical fact, partially upon written religious tradition and partially upon speculation. There is a vast amount of literature on the Lost Tribes and no specific source can be relied upon for a complete answer.

Contents

Twelve Tribes

According to the Hebrew Bible, Jacob (who was renamed Israel) had one daughter and twelve sons by four different women. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard   Yaʿaqov Tiberian   Yaʿăqōḇ;

Children of Jacob by wife in order of birth (D = Daughter)
Leah Reuben (1) Simeon (2) Levi (3) Judah (4) Issachar (9) Zebulun (10) Dinah (D)
Rachel Joseph (11) Benjamin (12)
Bilhah (Rachel's servant) Dan (5) Naphtali (6)
Zilpah (Leah's servant) Gad (7) Asher (8)


The twelve sons fathered the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard   Yaʿaqov Tiberian   Yaʿăqōḇ; Leah ( "Weary tired" is the first of the four concurrent wives of the Hebrew patriarch Jacob, and mother of six of the Twelve Tribes of Israel along Reuben or Re'uven ( Hebrew: רְאוּבֵן, Standard Rəʾuven Tiberian Rəʾûḇēn Simeon ( was according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Simeon This article discusses the Biblical patriarch See Levi Strauss for the inventor of jeans Levites for the Biblical tribe or Matthew the Evangelist Judah / Yehuda ( Hebrew: יְהוּדָה Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh) was according Issachar / Yissachar ( was according to the Book of Genesis, a son of Jacob and Leah (the fifth son of Leah and ninth son of Jacob and the Zebulun (also Zebulon, Zabulon or Zaboules, Hebrew: זְבֻלוּן or זְבוּלֻן or זְבוּלוּן Tiberian Hebrew Zəḇūlūn According to the Hebrew Bible, Dinah ( was the daughter of Jacob, one of the Patriarchs of the Israelites and Leah, his first wife Rachel (; meaning "ewe" is the second and favorite Wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin, first mentioned in the Joseph or Yosef (יוֹסֵ Standard Yosef Tiberian Yôsēp̄, يوسف Yusuf; "He Benjamin ( in the Book of Genesis, is a son of Jacob, the second (and last son of Rachel, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Benjamin In the Book of Genesis, Bilhah ( בִּלְהָה "Faltering bashful" Standard Hebrew Bilha, Tiberian Hebrew Bilhāh Dan ( Hebrew: דָּן Standard Dan Tiberian Dān "Judge" was according to the Book of Genesis, a Naphtali (ˈnæftəˌlaɪ ( was according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Jacob and Bilhah, and the founder of the Israelite In the Book of Genesis, Zilpah ( זִלְפָּה "Drooping" Standard Hebrew Zilpa, Tiberian Hebrew Zilpāh) For Gad the prophet of King David see Gad (Bible prophet Gad ( was according to the Book of Genesis, the first son of Jacob Asher' ( was according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Jacob and Zilpah, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Asher These tribes were recorded on the vestments of the Kohen Gadol (high priest). A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism. However:

Thus, the two divisions of the tribes are:

Traditional division:

  1. Reuben
  2. Simeon
  3. Levi
  4. Judah
  5. Issachar
  6. Zebulun
  7. Dan
  8. Naphtali
  9. Gad
  10. Asher
  11. Joseph
  12. Benjamin

Division according to apportionment of land in Israel:

  1. Reuben
  2. Simeon
  3. Judah
  4. Issachar
  5. Zebulun
  6. Dan
  7. Naphtali
  8. Gad
  9. Asher
  10. Benjamin
  11. Ephraim (son of Joseph)
  12. Manasseh (son of Joseph)
  13. Levi (no territory; just the Temple area, 6 cities of refuge and 42 other towns and their pasture lands scattered throughout Israel (Numbers 35:6-8))

The Tribe of Judah, the Tribe of Simeon, and the Tribe of Benjamin joined together to form the Kingdom of Judah and are traditionally considered the ancestors of most of today's Jews. The Tribe of Judah ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height it was the leading tribe of the Kingdom of Judah, and occupied most of the territory of the kingdom The Tribe of Simeon ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was in the southwest of Canaan, bordered on the east and south by The Tribe of Benjamin ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was sandwiched between that of Ephraim to the north and Judah Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. The Tribe of Levi, was assigned hereditary religious duties and did not receive any tribal land (Joshua 13:33, 14:3). In the Jewish tradition a Levite ( is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. (Genealogical DNA tests link many modern men with the last name Cohen to a mutation on the Y-chromosome, which is interpreted as indicating their descent from Aaron, a Levite who was the founder of a caste of priests (Hebrew: Kohen, pl. A genealogical DNA test examines the Nucleotides at specific locations on a person's DNA for Genetic genealogy purposes This article is about Aaron the Levite in the Hebrew Bible, the Qu'ran, and other sources Kohanim), (see Y-chromosomal Aaron)). Y-chromosomal Aaron is the name given to the hypothesised most recent common ancestor of many of the patrilineal Jewish priestly caste known as Kohanim The remaining tribes (Reuben, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, East Manasseh, and West Manasseh) are considered lost.

It has sometimes been inappropriately claimed that the Tribe of Simeon was a part of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and was therefore part of the "Ten Lost Tribes. The Kingdom of Israel ( ( KJV Israel in Samaria) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel' " However, the Tribe of Simeon was never located in the Northern Kingdom (Joshua 19:1), Simeon's land was located entirely within the land of Judah. Apparently, Simeon's tribal distinctions were lost shortly after Canaan was settled by the Israelites when the Simeonites assimilated into and with the Tribe of Judah.

The phrase "Ten Lost Tribes" does not appear in the King James version of the Bible (leading to some of the questions about the use of the number). However, 1 Kings 11:31 states that the LORD will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give ten (10) tribes to Jeroboam.


" And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee" 1 Kings 11:31 KJV


" But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. " 1 Kings 11:35 KJV


Inheritance

In Judaism, membership in the tribes is inherited patrilineally (father to son), as is priesthood (Kohen or Levite status) and royalty (the Davidic line). Patrilineality (aka agnatic kinship) is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage it generally involves the Inheritance of property names or titles A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism. In the Jewish tradition a Levite ( is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible However, status as a Jew is inherited matrilineally (mother to child). " Who is a Jew? " (Mihu Yehudi? ?מיהו יהודי is a basic question about Jewish identity. Matrilineality is a system in which lineage is traced through the mother and maternal ancestors

Religious beliefs

The concept of the "Ten Lost Tribes" originally began in a religious context, based on Biblical sources, not as an ethnological idea. Ethnology (from the Greek ἔθνος, ethnos meaning "habit custom convention" is the branch of Anthropology that compares and Some scientists have researched the topic, and at various times some have made claims of empirical evidence of the Ten Lost Tribes. However, religious and scriptural sources remain the main sources of the belief that the Ten Lost Tribes have some continuing, though hidden, identity somewhere.

There are numerous references in Biblical writings. In Ezekiel 37:16-17, the prophet is told to write on one staff (quoted here in part) "For Judah. . . " and on the other (quoted here in part) , "For Joseph. . . " (the main Lost Tribe). The prophet is then told that these two groups shall be someday reunited.

Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. Ezekiel 37:16-17 KJV


There are also discussions in the Talmud as to whether the Ten Lost Tribes will eventually be reunited with the Tribe of Judah, that is, with the Jewish people. The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history

Historical background

The Twelve Tribes were geographically divided into the:

After the civil war in the time of Solomon's son Rehoboam, ten tribes split off from the United Monarchy to create the northern Kingdom of Israel. King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" Rehoboam ( Hebrew:רחבעם Rehav'am was a king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, succeeding his father Solomon. The United Monarchy ( United Kingdom of Israel and Judah) refers to a period in the traditional account of the History of ancient Israel and Judah lasting The Kingdom of Israel ( ( KJV Israel in Samaria) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel'

These were the nine landed tribes Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben and Gad, and some members of Levi who had no land allocation. The Bible makes no reference at this point to the Tribe of Simeon, and some believe that the tribe had already disappeared due to the curse of Jacob. The Tribe of Simeon ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was in the southwest of Canaan, bordered on the east and south by

Judah, the southern kingdom, had Jerusalem as its capital and was led by King Rehoboam. Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. It was populated by the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (and also by some members of Levi and remnants of Simeon).

In 722 BCE the Assyrians under Shalmaneser V and then under Sargon II conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, destroyed its capital Samaria and sent the Israelites into exile and captivity in Khorason, now part of eastern Iran and western Afghanistan. Events and trends 728 BC — Piye invades Egypt, conquering Memphis, and receives the submission of the rulers of the Nile The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. Shalmaneser V ( Akkadian: akk Šulmanu-ašarid) was King of Assyria from 727 to 722 BC Sargon II ( Akkadian Šarru-kinu "legitimate king" reigned 722 – 705 BC was an Assyrian king Samaria, or the Shomron ( שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Šoməron Tiberian Šōmərôn Greater Khorasan (خراسان بزرگ (also written Khorasaan, Khurasan and Khurasaan) is a modern term for eastern territories of ancient Persia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Ten Lost Tribes are those who were deported. In Jewish popular culture, the ten tribes disappeared from history, leaving only the tribes of Benjamin, Judah and Levi to become the ancestors of modern day Jews. The Tribe of Benjamin ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was sandwiched between that of Ephraim to the north and Judah The Tribe of Judah ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height it was the leading tribe of the Kingdom of Judah, and occupied most of the territory of the kingdom In the Jewish tradition a Levite ( is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi.

In 607 BCE the nation of Judah was conquered by Babylon. Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq About 70 years later, in 537 BCE, the Persians (who had conquered Babylon in 539 BCE) allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Events and trends 539 BC — Babylon is conquered by Cyrus, defeating Nabonidus; noted in such documents as that of Africanus layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox Events and trends 539 BC — Babylon is conquered by Cyrus, defeating Nabonidus; noted in such documents as that of Africanus Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name By the end of this era, members of the tribes seem to have abandoned their individual identities in favor of a common one.

17th- to mid-20th-century theories

Since at least the 17th century (the time of Oliver Cromwell and Sabbatai Zevi) both Jews and Christians have proposed theories concerning the lost tribes, based to varying degrees on Biblical accounts. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known Sabbatai Zevi, ( (other spellings include Sabetay in Turkish, Shabbethai, Sabbetai, Shabbsai; Zvi; Sabbetai PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings An Ashkenazi Jewish tradition speaks of the Lost Tribes as Die Roite Yiddelech, "The little red Jews", cut off from the rest of Jewry by the legendary river Sambation "whose foaming waters raise high up into the sky a wall of fire and smoke that is impossible to pass through". Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing The Red Jews were a legendary Jewish nation that appear in vernacular sources in Germany during the Medieval era until about 1600 According to Rabbinic literature, the Sambation is the River beyond which the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel were exiled by the Assyrian [2]

On December 23, 1649, after Manasseh ben Israel, a noted rabbi of Amsterdam had been told by Montezinos that some of the Lost Tribes were living among the Native Americans of the Andes in South America, he wrote:

“ . Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city Manoel Dias Soeiro (1604&ndash November 20, 1657) better known by his Hebrew name Menasseh Ben Israel (also Menasheh ben Yossef ben Yisrael Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. . . I think that the Ten Tribes live not only there . . . but also in other lands scattered everywhere; these never did come back to the Second Temple and they keep till this day still the Jewish Religion . The Second Temple (בית המקדש romanized 'Beit HaMikdash' meaning 'Holy House' was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem which stood between 516 BCE and 70 CE . . [3] ”

In 1655, Manasseh ben Israel petitioned Oliver Cromwell to allow the Jews to return to England. Manoel Dias Soeiro (1604&ndash November 20, 1657) better known by his Hebrew name Menasseh Ben Israel (also Menasheh ben Yossef ben Yisrael Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known The first written records of Jewish settlement in England date from the time of the Norman Conquest, mentioning Jews who arrived with William the Conqueror Since 1290, Jews had been prohibited by law from living in England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland One of the reasons for Cromwell's alleged interest in the return of the Jews to England was the abundance at the time of theories relating to the end of the world. Many of these ideas were fixed upon the year 1666 and the Fifth Monarchy Men who were looking for the return of Jesus as the Messiah who would establish a final kingdom to rule the physical world for a thousand years. The Fifth Monarchists or Fifth Monarchy Men were active from 1649 to 1661 during the Interregnum, following the English Civil Wars of the 17th century Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions They supported Cromwell's Republic in the expectation that it was a preparation for the fifth monarchy - that is, the monarchy which should succeed the Assyrian, the Persian, the Greek, and Roman world empires. The fifth monarchy is a Millennarian idea based on Biblical sources Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC

Mixed in with all of this was a background of general belief that the Lost Ten Tribes did not represent ethnic Jews who partially formed the ancient Kingdom of Judah, but tribes who maintained a separate capital at Samaria. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. Samaria, or the Shomron ( שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Šoməron Tiberian Šōmərôn Some have attempted to dismiss this complicated saga by stating that it is nothing but Supersessionism. Supersessionism ( British English: supercessionism) and replacement theology are particular interpretations of New Testament claims viewing However, the ideas behind these various competing theories are far more complicated, especially when Sabbatai Zevi, the "messiah" claimant and his supporters postulated that he represented groups in addition to those identified as being Jews. Sabbatai Zevi, ( (other spellings include Sabetay in Turkish, Shabbethai, Sabbetai, Shabbsai; Zvi; Sabbetai However, Zevi lost his credibility to all but the Donmeh when he converted to Islam and became an apostate to Judaism in 1666. The Dönmeh officially practiced and practice Islam. They are not regarded as Jews whereas most Sabbateans during and after Sabbatai Zevi were For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut

During the latter half of the 18th century, variations on this same theory were advocated by some who believed that the British Empire of nations was a manifestation of ancient prophecies recorded in the Book of Genesis predating both the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The Kingdom of Israel ( ( KJV Israel in Samaria) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel' Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel.

Others believe that the 'Lost Tribes' simply merged with the local population. For instance, the New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia states "In historic fact, some members of the Ten Tribes remained in Palestine, where apart from the Samaritans some of their descendants long preserved their identity among the Jewish population, others were assimilated, while others were presumably absorbed by the last Judean exiles who in 597-586 [B. C. E. ] were deported to Assyria. . . Unlike the Judeans of the southern Kingdom, who survived a similar fate 135 years later, they soon assimilated. . . " [4]. Some of the article and a similar article can be read online at Roads to Dystopia

Groups claiming descent from specific Lost Tribes

Many groups claim to descend from specific Lost Tribes. These include:

The Nasrani's of Malabar, India are of Hebrew or Israeli heritage but not much is known of their past to be certain that they are also of the 'Lost Tribes'. The Bene Ephraim, ( Hebrew: "Sons of Ephraim" also called Telugu Jews because they speak Telugu, are a small community of Jews living India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Tribe of Ephraim (} was one of the Tribes of Israel; together with the Tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph The Bnei Menashe ("Children of Menasseh " Hebrew בני מנשה are a group of more than 9000 people from India 's North-Eastern border India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Tribe of Menasheh ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. Together with the Tribe of Ephraim, Menasheh also formed the House of Joseph. The Beta Israel (ביתא ישראל Beta Israel, "House of Israel" Ge'ez: ቤተ እስራኤል Bēta 'Isrā'ēl, modern Bēte 'Isrā'ēl Tribe of Dan was also a band from the mid 1990s The Tribe of Dan ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. |||} Persian Jews or Iranian Jews are Jews historically associated with the Persian Empire or Iran. Bukharan Jews, also Bukharian Jews or Bukhari Jews, ( בוכרים, Bukharim) are Jews from Central Asia who speak The Tribe of Ephraim (} was one of the Tribes of Israel; together with the Tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph The Igbo Jews or Ibo Benei-Yisrael, are members of the Igbo people of Nigeria who practice the Jewish religion and are said to be descended Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal The Tribe of Ephraim (} was one of the Tribes of Israel; together with the Tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph The Tribe of Menasheh ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. Together with the Tribe of Ephraim, Menasheh also formed the House of Joseph. In the Jewish tradition a Levite ( is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Zebulun ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was at the southern end of The Galilee, with its eastern border being The Tribe of Gad ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height Gad occupied a region to the east of the River Jordan, though the exact location is ambiguous (Ref. Dr. Asahel Grant's 'The Nestorians or the Lost Tribes of Israel' for more about the Nazerenes and Nestorians).

Bene Ephraim

Main article: Bene Ephraim

The Bene Ephraim, also called Telugu Jews, are a small community from southern India who claim descent from the Tribe of Ephraim. The Bene Ephraim, ( Hebrew: "Sons of Ephraim" also called Telugu Jews because they speak Telugu, are a small community of Jews living The Bene Ephraim, ( Hebrew: "Sons of Ephraim" also called Telugu Jews because they speak Telugu, are a small community of Jews living India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Tribe of Ephraim (} was one of the Tribes of Israel; together with the Tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph

Bnei Menashe

Main article: Bnei Menashe

The Bnei Menashe (from northeast India) claim descent from the lost Tribe of Manasseh. The Bnei Menashe ("Children of Menasseh " Hebrew בני מנשה are a group of more than 9000 people from India 's North-Eastern border The Bnei Menashe ("Children of Menasseh " Hebrew בני מנשה are a group of more than 9000 people from India 's North-Eastern border India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Tribe of Menasheh ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. Together with the Tribe of Ephraim, Menasheh also formed the House of Joseph. Their oral traditions depict them as originally going from the Persian Empire into Afganistan. (They may have been in the Persian Empire because it occupied the lands of Assyria when it conquered Babylonia. ) According to their traditions, they then went to China, where they encountered persecution, then pressed on to India and Southern Asia. [5]

Beta Israel

Main article: Beta Israel

The Beta Israel (also known as Falashas) are Ethiopian Jews. The Beta Israel (ביתא ישראל Beta Israel, "House of Israel" Ge'ez: ቤተ እስራኤል Bēta 'Isrā'ēl, modern Bēte 'Isrā'ēl The Beta Israel (ביתא ישראל Beta Israel, "House of Israel" Ge'ez: ቤተ እስራኤል Bēta 'Isrā'ēl, modern Bēte 'Isrā'ēl Some members of the Beta Israel as well as several Jewish scholars believe that they are descended from the lost Tribe of Dan, as opposed to the traditional story of their descent from the Queen of Sheba. Tribe of Dan was also a band from the mid 1990s The Tribe of Dan ( was one of the Tribes of Israel.

Persian Jews

Main article: Persian Jews

Persian Jews (especially the Bukharan Jews) claim descent from the Tribe of Ephraim. |||} Persian Jews or Iranian Jews are Jews historically associated with the Persian Empire or Iran. |||} Persian Jews or Iranian Jews are Jews historically associated with the Persian Empire or Iran. Bukharan Jews, also Bukharian Jews or Bukhari Jews, ( בוכרים, Bukharim) are Jews from Central Asia who speak The Tribe of Ephraim (} was one of the Tribes of Israel; together with the Tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph Persian Jews (also called Iranian Jews) are members of Jewish communities living in Iran and throughout the former greatest extents of the Persian Empire. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia

Igbo Jews

Main article: Igbo Jews

The Igbo Jews of Nigeria claim descent variously from the tribes of Ephraim, Naphtali, Menasseh, Levi, Zebulun and Gad. The Igbo Jews or Ibo Benei-Yisrael, are members of the Igbo people of Nigeria who practice the Jewish religion and are said to be descended The Igbo Jews or Ibo Benei-Yisrael, are members of the Igbo people of Nigeria who practice the Jewish religion and are said to be descended Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal The Tribe of Ephraim (} was one of the Tribes of Israel; together with the Tribe of Manasseh, Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph The Tribe of Naphtali ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height Naphtali occupied the eastern side of The Galilee (on the immediate west of the Sea of The Tribe of Menasheh ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. Together with the Tribe of Ephraim, Menasheh also formed the House of Joseph. In the Jewish tradition a Levite ( is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Zebulun ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height the territory it occupied was at the southern end of The Galilee, with its eastern border being The Tribe of Gad ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height Gad occupied a region to the east of the River Jordan, though the exact location is ambiguous

Samaritans

All Samaritans, in one form or another, see themselves as descendants of the original Hebrews. The Samaritan community in Israel numbers about 600. These people, who still struggle to keep their ancient traditions, live in what was the capital of Samaria - Nablus and the town of Holon. Samaria, or the Shomron ( שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Šoməron Tiberian Šōmərôn Nablus ( sometimes Nābulus; Arabic:; næːblʊs is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem Holon (חוֹלוֹן, Ḥōlōn is a City in Israel, on the central coastal strip south of Tel Aviv. They claim to be authentic descendants of the Israelite tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh who were not exiled. Ephraim ( Hebrew: אֶפְרַיִם/אֶפְרָיִם Standard Efráyim Tiberian ʾEp̄ráyim/ʾEp̄rāyim On Passover the whole community sacrifices on Mount Gerizim. Passover ( Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish Mount Gerizim ( Samaritan Hebrew Ar-garízim, Arabic جبل جرزيم Jabal Jarizīm, Tiberian Hebrew הַר גְּרִזִּים For one day the summit of Mount Gerizim is transformed into a scene from biblical times.

Groups claiming descent from a non-specific Lost Tribe

Some groups believe themselves to be descended from one of the Lost Tribes, but don't know which one. These include:

Lemba

Main article: Lemba

The Lemba people (Vhalemba) from Southern Africa claim to be descendants of a lost tribe which fled from what is now Yemen and journeyed south. The Lemba or Lembaa are an Ethnic group numbering 70000 in Southern Africa who claim a common descent and belonging to the Jewish people The Lemba or Lembaa are an Ethnic group numbering 70000 in Southern Africa who claim a common descent and belonging to the Jewish people Southern Africa is the Southernmost Region of the African Continent, variably defined by Geography or Geopolitics. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya DNA testing has genetically linked the Lemba with modern Jews. A genealogical DNA test examines the Nucleotides at specific locations on a person's DNA for Genetic genealogy purposes They have specific religious practices similar to those in Judaism and a tradition of being a migrant people with clues pointing to an origin in West Asia or North Africa. According to the oral history of the Lemba, their ancestors were Jews who came from a place called Sena several hundred years ago and settled in East Africa.

House of Israel

Main article: House of Israel (Ghana)

The House of Israel are Jews in Ghana. The House of Israel is a Jewish community in Ghana. This Ethnic group claim to be one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The House of Israel is a Jewish community in Ghana. This Ethnic group claim to be one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the They claim to be one of the Lost Tribes of Israel. [6]

Pashtun

Main article: Theory of Pashtun descent from Israelites

The Pashtuns are a predominantly Muslim people, native to Afghanistan and Pakistan, who adhere to their pre-Islamic indigenous religious code of honour and culture Pashtunwali. The theory that the Pashtun people originate from the exiled Lost Tribes of Israel was widely held as recently as the 19th century Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Pashtunwali ( پښتونوالی) or Pakhtunwali is a Concept of living or philosophy for the Pashtun people and is regarded as an Honour They traditionally claim descent from the Lost Tribes. The Yousafzai (Yusafzai) are a large group of Pashtun tribes. The Yūsufzai (also Youssofzay, Yousafzai, Esapzey, Yousufi, or Yūsufi) ( Urdu: یوسف زئی) are one of The Yūsufzai (also Youssofzay, Yousafzai, Esapzey, Yousufi, or Yūsufi) ( Urdu: یوسف زئی) are one of Their name means "Sons of Joseph". [7] There are also similar names in other areas in the region, such as the disputed land of Kashmir. There are a variety of cultural and ethnic similarities between Jews and Pashtuns. [8]

The Pashtun people have many customs similar to Judaism. Some examples are: they do not shave their sidelocks (peot), in accordance with the Torah command, "Don't shave the sides of your head," (Leviticus 19). They observe Saturday as a day of rest, and light candles on Friday, which some then cover with a basket perhaps a custom originally intended to hide one's Jewishness. They wear a four-cornered garment, to which some attach fringes on the corners. Some pray facing Jerusalem. Also, the Star of David symbol is prevalent in many Pathani homes. [9] A visit by a Western journalist in 2007 revealed that many currently active Pashtun traditions may have parallels with Jewish traditions. [10] The code of Pashtunwali is strikingly similar in content and subject matter to the Mosaic law. Pashtunwali ( پښتونوالی) or Pakhtunwali is a Concept of living or philosophy for the Pashtun people and is regarded as an Honour

A book which corresponds with Pashtun historical records, Taaqati-Nasiri, states that in the 7th century a people called the Bani Israel settled in Ghor, southeast of Herat, Afghanistan, and then migrated south and east. area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. These Bani Israel references are in line with the commonly held view by Pashtuns that when the twelve tribes of Israel were dispersed, the tribe of Joseph, among other Hebrew tribes, settled in the region. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. The Tribe of Joseph was one of the Tribes of Israel, though since Ephraim and Manasseh together traditionally constituted the tribe of Joseph it was often [11] Hence the tribal name 'Yusef Zai' in Pashto translates to the 'sons of Joseph'. The Yūsufzai (also Youssofzay, Yousafzai, Esapzey, Yousufi, or Yūsufi) ( Urdu: یوسف زئی) are one of This is also described extensively in great detail by Makhzan-i-Afghani, a historical work from the 17th Century by Nehamtullah, an official in the royal court of Mughal Emperor Jehangir. Ni'mat Allah al-Harawi (fl1613-1630 wrote a Persian epic on the history of the Afghans, at the court of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir. The Mughal Empire was the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent between the mid-16th century and the end of the 17th century Nuruddin Salim Jahangir (full title Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Khushru-i-Giti Panah Abu'l-Fath Nur ud-din Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi ''( September 20 A similar story is told by Iranian historian Ferishta. Firishta ( Persian: فرشته) or Ferishta, full name Muhammad Qasim Hindu Shah (Persian محمد قاسم ہندو شاه) was [12]

This account is also substantiated by the fact that the Bene Menashe of India also have traditions which trace their wanderings as going originally from the Persian Empire to Afganistan. The Bnei Menashe ("Children of Menasseh " Hebrew בני מנשה are a group of more than 9000 people from India 's North-Eastern border India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country In their case, they then went to China, where they encountered persecution, then pressed on to India and Southern Asia. [5]

Origin theories
Main article: Makhzan-i-Afghani

The Bani-Israelite theory about the origin of the Pashtun is based on Pashtun traditions; the tradition itself is documented in a source titled Makhzan-i-Afghani, the only written source addressing Pashtun origins. Ni'mat Allah al-Harawi (fl1613-1630 wrote a Persian epic on the history of the Afghans, at the court of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir. Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called It was written about 1612, by Nematullah Harvi, a scribe at the court of Mughal Emperor Jehangir of Hindustan. Ni'mat Allah al-Harawi (fl1613-1630 wrote a Persian epic on the history of the Afghans, at the court of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir. The Mughal Empire was the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent between the mid-16th century and the end of the 17th century Nuruddin Salim Jahangir (full title Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Khushru-i-Giti Panah Abu'l-Fath Nur ud-din Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi ''( September 20 Hindustan (हिन्दुस्तान, ہندوستان,) is one of the popular Names of India. Nematullah compiled the book upon the instruction from Khan Jehan Lodhi of the Lodhi dynasty, a Pashtun noble and a courtier of the Emperor Jehangir. Lodhi Dynasty ( Pashto / Persian: سلطنت لودھی) was a Ghilzai (khilji Afghan ( ethnic Pashtun) dynasty [13]

Some sources state that the Makhzan-i-Afghani has been discredited by historical and linguistic inconsistencies. The oral tradition is believed to be a myth that grew out of a political and cultural struggle between Pashtuns and the Mughals, which explains the historical backdrop for the creation of the myth, the inconsistencies of the mythology, and the linguistic research that refutes any Semitic origins. In Linguistics and Ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical " Shem " Hebrew שם translated as "name" Arabic: ساميّ [13] There are also other sources who disagree strongly with the hypothesis of the Pashtun having Israelite origins. [14]

Kashmiris

Main article: Kashmiri people

Some Kashmiris, like the Pashtuns, believe they are descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel. The Kashmiri people ( Kashmiri: कॉशुर کٲشُر Koshur) are a Dardic ethnic group living in the central valley of Kashmir in This has never been officially confirmed by any scholars and the Kashmiris dispute this themselves, and recognise themselves as being ethnically indigenous to the Kashmir region. Although most Kashmiris are Muslims, they have distinct traditions and cultures. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion These include their habits, dress, diet, and their language which does feature plentiful Kashmiri words. Kashmiri (कॉशुर کٲشُر Koshur) is a Dardic language spoken primarily in the valley of Kashmir, a region situated in the Indian state Furthermore, Jewish names, although never found in other Muslim groups, are quite common among the Kashmiris. Even the style of clothes and the type of beards that these people wear bear a strong resemblance to those of Jews who lived in Biblical times, but this does not mean that the Kashmiris are descendants of the Lost Tribes. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************

Chiang Min people

Main article: Chiang Min people

The Chiang Min people of northwest China claim to be descendents of Abraham. About 250 thousand people called Chiang or Chiang-Min by the Chinese live in the mountainous area of northwest China west of the Min River near the border of Tibet in Szechuan About 250 thousand people called Chiang or Chiang-Min by the Chinese live in the mountainous area of northwest China west of the Min River near the border of Tibet in Szechuan Northwestern China (西北 Xīběi includes the autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Ningxia and the provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu Tradition holds that their forefather had 12 descendents.

The Jews of Kaifeng

Main article: Kaifeng Jews

According to historical records, a Jewish community with a synagogue built in 1163 existed at Kaifeng from at least the Southern Song Dynasty until the late nineteenth century. The Kaifeng Jews are members of a small Jewish community that has existed in Kaifeng, in the Henan province of China, for hundreds of years The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms A stone monument in the city suggests that they were there since at least 231 BC.

British Israelism

British Israelism (sometimes called Anglo-Israelism) is a Christian Theology essentially based on the basic premise, that most ancient British people were direct lineal descendants of some of the Lost Tribes of Israel and in many cases also of the Tribe of Judah. British Israelism (sometimes called Anglo-Israelism) is the belief that many early Britons, Europeans and/or their royal families were direct lineal descendants A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the The phrase Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappeared from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed

Some believers in this doctrine limit the Israelite ancestry claim to the European royal families. Others believe that most of the nations of Western Europe are also descended from the Israelites. Though most believers in this doctrine link England with the tribe of Ephraim, there is very little consensus as to which tribes correspond to which people, and there is no formal central ecclesiastic authority managing the believers and the doctrines.

Due to the Restorationist tendencies of the adherents, there has rarely been a central head, recognized leadership, or organizational structure to the movement. For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and This has led to a diverse set of professions and beliefs ancillary to the genealogical claims. Just as in many Christian Restorationist sects such as in the Church of Christ, as well as in older religions such as Judaism, the ancillary doctrines held by some can often be contradictory to those held by others. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut In a similar fashion to Judaism and to a lesser degree Islam, the central theme revolves around the genetic connection of the believers with Biblical characters such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

Brit-Am

Brit-Am, sometimes confused with British Israelism, is an organization centered in Jerusalem, and comprised of Jews and non-Jews. Brit-Am, like British Israel, identifies the Lost Ten Tribes with peoples of West European descent, but does so from a Jewish perspective quoting both Biblical and Rabbinical sources. The evidence that Brit-Am relies upon is Biblical in the light of Rabbinical Commentary supplemented by secular studies.
It also believes that "Other Israelite Tribes gave rise to elements within Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Wales, France, Holland, and Belgium" and that "The Tribe of Dan is to be found amongst part of the Danish, Irish, and Welsh. " It argues that the British Royal Family is descended from the House of David. None of these ideas are supported by mainstream historians, archaeologists or genealogists.

Bedul, Petra

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Bedouin tribe of “Bedul”, living in the caves of Petra, Jordan, captured the imagination of Zionist pioneers. Petra (from "petra" rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء Al-Batrāʾ) is an archaeological site in the Arabah Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Among them was the historian, explorer and second president of Israel, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi. The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (יצחק בן צבי ( November 24, 1884 &ndash April 23, 1963) was a historian Labor Zionist leader and the second Ben Zvi discovered traces of ancient Hebrew customs in the lifestyles of some Palestinian villagers and Bedouin tribes. The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously He speculated that the inhabitants on both sides of the Jordan river may be descendants of the original Hebrew population which never left the area, despite the numerous exiles. Although 100 years ago they presented themselves to British historians as the “Sons of Israel”, the Bedul of today deny the legend concerning their Hebrew origin and claim that they are descendants of the Nabateans who built Petra. The Nabataeans ( Arabic: الأنباط, Al-Anbāṭ) were an ancient Semitic people Arabs of southern Jordan, Canaan

Antisemitic interpretations

There are various factions who have interpreted totally different meanings from the term Lost Ten Tribes, often with antisemitic elements. Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility

Many groups who identified themselves as Christian felt the need to identify their groups with the Lost Ten Tribes in order to set themselves apart from mainstream Christianity, which they despised for various reasons including Zionism, humanitarian ideas and for connections to Judaism. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings History of Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization|Zionist political violence Zionism is an international political movement that originally supported the Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut

Most of these adherents differentiated between the terms "Jew" and "Israelite" suggesting that Jews usurped the identity of the true chosen people of God. The verses of Revelation 2:9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. and 3:9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. provided for them a basis for their beliefs rooted in scripture. They also focused on Genesis chapter 38, the story of Judah, one of the original 12 sons of Jacob (Israel) and his daughter-in-law, Tamar, claiming that this story could be a cause of separation between certain seed lines of the family of Judah, since Judah intermarried with a Canaanite woman.

This interpretation created a problem for these groups since they could no longer accept Jews as being related to the same family origins and the same Biblical history which recorded the division of the united Hebrew Kingdom into two competing factions. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Hebrews (or Hebertes, Eberites, Hebreians, " Habiru " or " Habiri " Hebrew: עברים To create this distinction it became necessary for groups mainly identified with the movement to invent a totally new history that removed Jews. For the denial and distortion of well-established historical facts see Historical revisionism (negationism. Some groups, for example, cite the Khazari conversion to Judaism in the 7th century, and claim that all modern Jews come out of the Khazari: in reality, while some Khazari may have merged into the modern Ashkenazi Jews, Jews had been emigrating to Europe since at least the 4th century before the Common Era, founding the Ashkenazi community 1200 years before the alleged Khazar conversion. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing

Some Black groups such as the Black Hebrew Israelites make similar claims of descent from the "real" Israelites, claiming that the Jews are impostors. The term black people usually refers to a racial group of Humans with dark Skin color, but the term has also been used to categorise a number of diverse Black Hebrew Israelites (also Black Hebrews, African Hebrew Israelites, and Hebrew Israelites) are groups of people of Black African ancestry

Modern DNA research has refuted these claims. Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known Modern Jewish communities from around the world all have genetic links to the region known as the Levant and are related to non-Jewish Semites as well. See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ In Linguistics and Ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical " Shem " Hebrew שם translated as "name" Arabic: ساميّ Interestingly enough, the claims of British Israelism and the Black Hebrew movement are put into question by these genetic findings as modern Europeans and those of African descent share no Semitic DNA markers. British Israelism (sometimes called Anglo-Israelism) is the belief that many early Britons, Europeans and/or their royal families were direct lineal descendants Black Hebrew Israelites (also Black Hebrews, African Hebrew Israelites, and Hebrew Israelites) are groups of people of Black African ancestry The European peoples are the various Nations and Ethnic groups of Europe. In Linguistics and Ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical " Shem " Hebrew שם translated as "name" Arabic: ساميّ Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known

Groups that others claim are descended from Lost Tribes

The Kurds

Main article: Genetic origins of the Kurds

Some have promoted the notion that the Kurds represent a Lost Tribe. History The earliest known evidence of a unified and distinct culture in the mountains that date back to the Halaf culture of 8000-7400 years ago Some claims have been made regarding a genetic relationship between the Kurds and the Jews on the basis of a similarity between Kurdish Y-DNA and a Y haplotype that is associated with the Jewish priesthood. However, in genetic testing of the Y chromosome of 95 Muslim Kurds, only one sample (1. 05% of the Kurds tested) matched the so-called Cohen Modal Haplotype (CMH), consisting of six specific Y-STR values. Y-chromosomal Aaron is the name given to the hypothesised most recent common ancestor of many of the patrilineal Jewish priestly caste known as Kohanim [15] Various misleading statements have associated typical Kurdish Y-DNA with that of the Jews. However, these attempts are based on several sources of confusion:

(1) The Cohen Modal Haplotype in its original form includes only six Y-STR markers, which with the scientific advances since that time, are now understood to be far too few to adequately identify a unique, closely related group that shares common descent from one relatively recent paternal ancestor. The same six marker values can be found by random mutations in other populations that are only remotely related. They are thus identical by state, but not Identical by descent. Alleles have identity by type (IBT if they have the same phenotypic effect. The 6-marker CMH cannot be used as a clear indicator of Cohen genetic ancestry, without additional data. Thus its presence should not be used as grounds for probable Jewish ancestry in a population.

(2) It is touted as a fact of great significance that the most common (modal) 6-marker haplotype of the Kurds is only one step from the CMH, but in fact, these same six marker values that were found to be the "Kurdish modal haplotype" can be seen in the data, in numerous sources, to be the most common haplotype amongst a wide variety of J2 Y chromosomes, wherever they may be found, in ethnic groups of the Middle East or in Europe [16] [17] -- thus, it is hardly an indication of a close relationship with the Cohanim priesthood, or with the Jews.

(3) The fact that the 2001 paper by Nebel found somewhat more similarity between the Y-DNA of the Kurds and the Jews than between the Jews and Palestinians does not point to a uniquely close relationship between the Jews and Kurds. This study did not compare Jews with other non-Kurdish Iraqis, or with the people of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, or other nearby lands. The available data indicate that these peoples are all closely related, with the Jews and Kurds just two of a diverse family of Middle Eastern peoples in this region.

The Japanese

See also: History of the Jews in Japan

Some writers have speculated that the Japanese people themselves may be direct descendants of part of the Ten Lost Tribes. Jews are a minor ethnic and religious group in Japan, presently consisting of only about 1000 people or about 0 The are the dominant Ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent of these approximately 127 million are residents of Japan An article that has been widely circulated and published, entitled "Mystery of the Ten Lost Tribes: Japan" by Arimasa Kubo[18] (a Japanese writer living in Japan who studied the Hebrew Bible), concludes that many traditional customs and ceremonies in Japan are very similar to the ones of ancient Israel and that perhaps these rituals came from the religion and customs of the Jews and the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel who might have come to ancient Japan. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic [19]

Joseph Eidelberg's "The Biblical Hebrew Origin of the Japanese People" makes a similar case:

“ Late in his life, Joseph Eidelberg began analyzing ancient traditions, religious ceremonies, historical names, haiku poems, Kana writings and Japanese folk songs, discovering thousands of words with similar pronunciations, sounds and translations between Hebrew and Japanese. is a form of Japanese poetry. Previously called Kana is a general term for the syllabic Japanese scripts Hiragana (ひらがな and Katakana (カタカナ as well as the old system is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities These discoveries are history in the making, giving credible new information on the meanings of many unknown Japanese words, numbers, songs and cultural traditions – and this book is the first time that these remarkable similarities are combined into a single consistent theory. [20] ”

The Irish

There is a theory that the Irish, or Insular Celts as a whole, are descended from the Ten Lost Tribes. The Irish people ( Irish: Muintir na hÉireann, na hÉireannaigh, na Gaeil) are a Western European Ethnic group who originate Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Proponents of this theory state that there is evidence that the prophet Jeremiah came to Ireland with Princess Tea Tephi, a member of the Israelite royal family. [21] Proponents of this theory point to various parallels between Irish and ancient Hebrew culture. For example, they note that the harp, the symbol of Ireland, also plays a role in Jewish history, as the musical instrument of King David. Clàrsach ( Scots Gaelic) Cláirseach ( Middle Irish) are the Gaelic words for 'a Harp ' Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Some maintain that the Tribe of Dan conducted sea voyages to Ireland and colonized it as early as the period of the Judges.

Aspects of this theory are also sometimes cited by adherents of British Israelism, as one possible explanation of how the Ten Lost Tribes might have reached the British Isles. British Israelism (sometimes called Anglo-Israelism) is the belief that many early Britons, Europeans and/or their royal families were direct lineal descendants The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan However, it should be noted that British Israelism takes many forms, and does not always use this hypothesis as its main narrative. [22][23]

Native Americans

Several explorers claimed to have collected evidence that some of the Native American tribes might be descended from the Ten Lost Tribes. Several recent books and articles have focused on these theories. [24][25] The Book of Mormon, one of the religious texts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), claims that early residents of the Americas were actually descended from the tribe of Joseph, and particularly through Manasseh. The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon


General dispersions, via Media region

This theory begins with the notion that the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh are the sons of Joseph, who had been in captivity (Genesis 37 through 45) and bore them with the daughter of the Pharaoh's Priest of On, Asenath (Genesis 41:45-52). The Tribe of Levi was set apart to serve in the Holy Temple (Numbers 1:47-54 2:33 3:6-7). The arrangement of the Tribes was given in Numbers 2.

It is now believed by many that the exiled tribes, who were, according to the Second Book of Kings, transported to the region of Media in what is now northwestern Iran, most likely simply assimilated into the population of the area, losing any special sense of Israelite identity. The Books of Kings ( Sefer Melachim, ספר מלכים are a part of Judaism 's Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. There is also Biblical and Talmudic testimony that much of the population of the "lost" tribes was simply reunited with the rest of the Israelites when they, too, were exiled and, later, returned to the Land of Israel. However, many over the years, in order to hide their Jewish or Israelite identities during tribulations, crusades and continual exiles, have scattered around the whole earth and are believed to have assimilated into the mass population. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents

There is now genetic testing being done to representatives of at least two groups - the Lemba in Africa and the Bnei Menashe in India - in attempts to verify claims of descent from the "lost ten tribes". A genealogical DNA test examines the Nucleotides at specific locations on a person's DNA for Genetic genealogy purposes The Lemba or Lembaa are an Ethnic group numbering 70000 in Southern Africa who claim a common descent and belonging to the Jewish people The Bnei Menashe ("Children of Menasseh " Hebrew בני מנשה are a group of more than 9000 people from India 's North-Eastern border So far, there is nothing conclusive, though in the case of the Lemba, there is a definite link [26] to Levite Hebrew ancestry, specifically Kohen. A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism.

The Saka connection

Main article: Saka

For some people studying the Lost Tribes of Israel, the Behistun Inscription has provided an invaluable missing link. The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, The Behistun Inscription (also Bisitun or Bisutun, Modern Persian: بیستون; Old Persian: Bagastana, meaning "the god's George Rawlinson, Sir Henry Rawlinson's younger brother, connected the Saka/Gimiri of the Behistun Inscription with deported Israelites:

“ We have reasonable grounds for regarding the Gimirri, or Cimmerians, who first appeared on the confines of Assyria and Media in the seventh century B. Canon George Rawlinson ( 23 November, 1812 &ndash 7 October, 1902) was a 19th century English Scholar and Historian Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson 1st Baronet (1810-1895 was born at Chadlington, Oxfordshire. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. C. , and the Sacae of the Behistun Rock, nearly two centuries later, as identical with the Beth-Khumree of Samaria, or the Ten Tribes of the House of Israel. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. [27] ”
Jehu kneeling at the feet of Shalmaneser III on the Black Obelisk.
Jehu kneeling at the feet of Shalmaneser III on the Black Obelisk. Shalmaneser III ( Šulmānu-ašarēdu, "the god Shulmanu is pre-eminent" was king of Assyria (859 BC-824 BC and son of the previous ruler For the band see Black Obelisk (band The "Black Obelisk" of Shalmaneser III (reigned 858-824 BC is a black

The inscription connects the people known in Old Persian and Elamite as Saka, Sacae or Scythian with the people known in Babylonian as Gimirri or Cimmerian. The Old Persian language is one of the two attested Old Iranian languages (besides Avestan) Elamite is an Extinct language, which was spoken by the ancient Elamites. The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital See Cimmeria (Conan or Cimmeria (Poem for the fiction of Robert E This is important because the Assyrian's referred to the Northern Kingdom of Israel in their records as the "House of Khumri", named after Israel's King Omri of the 8th century BCE. The Kingdom of Israel ( ( KJV Israel in Samaria) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel' Phonetically "Khumri", "Omri", and "Gimiri" are similar. [28]

“ It should be made clear from the start that the terms 'Cimmerian' and 'Scythian' were interchangeable: in Akkadian the name Iskuzai (Asguzai) occurs only exceptionally. See Cimmeria (Conan or Cimmeria (Poem for the fiction of Robert E The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic Gimirrai (Gamir) was the normal designation for 'Cimmerians' as well as 'Scythians' in Akkadian. [29] ”

In the photo of the Black Obelisk to the right, compare King Jehu's pointed Saka style headdress, which is similar to the captive Saka king seen to the far right on the Behistun Inscription. For the band see Black Obelisk (band The "Black Obelisk" of Shalmaneser III (reigned 858-824 BC is a black ' Yehu redirects here for the instrument see Yehu (instrument. King Jehu of Israel was a successor to King Omri of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Omri ( short for) was king of Israel and father of Ahab. William F

Russians

A forgery called the Book of Veles, which claims to detail the actual religion of pre-Christian Russia, teaches that the Russians are descended from the Lost Tribes. The Book of Veles (also Veles Book, Vles book, Vlesbook, Isenbeck's Planks, Велесова книга Велес книга Книга

Nathan Ausubel's list

Nathan Ausubel wrote:

“ There are quite a number of peoples today who cling to the ancient tradition that they are descended from the Jewish Lost Tribes: the tribesmen of Afghanistan, the Mohammedan Berbers of West Africa, and the six million Christian Igbo people of Nigeria. Nathan Ausubel (1898-1986 was a Jewish-American historian folklorist and humorist Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Igbo [iɡɓo] ( Igbo: Igbo, sometimes Nd'Igbo) sometimes referred to (usually formerly as the Ibo, Eboe, Ebo Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Unquestionably, they all practice certain ancient Hebraic customs and beliefs, which lends some credibility to their fantastic-sounding claims. [30] ”

In his 1953 work Pictorial History of the Jewish People, Nathan Ausubel compiled the following list of peoples connected in one way or another to this legend:

In other religions

Latter-day Saints

Main article: Mormon view of the House of Joseph

Latter-day Saints teach that a number of northern Europeans are descended from Ephraim[31], making them natural heirs to God's covenant with the Israelites. Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and The House of Joseph (sometimes referred to as the Tribe of Joseph) were the Old Testament tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. The European peoples are the various Nations and Ethnic groups of Europe. Ephraim ( Hebrew: אֶפְרַיִם/אֶפְרָיִם Standard Efráyim Tiberian ʾEp̄ráyim/ʾEp̄rāyim God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Covenant, meaning a solemn contract oath or bond is the customary word used to translate the Hebrew word berith ( ברית, See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel.

Radio Church of God

Main article: Radio Church of God

In the 1920s, Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Radio Church of God, later renamed the Worldwide Church of God, published the belief that the 10 lost tribes, after their captivity by the Assyrians, had eventually migrated to northern and western Europe and constituted large portions of the nations that now exist in those areas. The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. Herbert W Armstrong ( 31 July 1892 - 16 January 1986) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. This belief also formed a basis for his understanding of Bible prophecy and its fulfillment in the "latter days".

See also

References and notes

  1. ^ Lost Tribes of Israel program on NOVA, Original broadcast date: 02/22/2000
  2. ^ Moses Rosen. Schisms among the Jews are cultural as well as religious They have happened as a product of historical accident geography and Theology. Shavei Israel, (שבי ישראל Israel returns) is an Israeli-based Jewish organization that was founded by Michael Freund Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture During the period when they were competing for dominance in Mesopotamia the neighbouring sister-states of Babylonia and Assyria differed essentially in character The Babylonian captivity, Babylonian exile, is the name typically given to the deportation and exile of the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to Nebuchadrezzar II, more often called Nebuchadnezzar (c 630-562 BC was a ruler of Babylon in the Chaldean Dynasty, who reigned c The Jewish diaspora ( Hebrew: Tefutzah, "scattered" or Galut גלות "exile" Yiddish: tfutses) the presence This is a timeline of the development of Judaism and the Jewish people. Jews and Judaism in China' have had a long history Jewish settlers are documented in China as early as the 7th or 8th century CE, but may The Kaifeng Jews are members of a small Jewish community that has existed in Kaifeng, in the Henan province of China, for hundreds of years Indian Jews are a religious minority of India. Judaism was one of the first non- Dharmic religions to arrive in India in recorded history Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Richard Reader Harris, KC (1847 - 1909 was a prominent English Barrister, counselor to Queen Victoria, Methodist minister founder of the Pentecostal Joseph Wolff ( 1795 - May 2, 1862) Jewish Christian Missionary, was born at Weilersbach near Bamberg, Germany United States in Prophecy was the original title of a publication that became known by its longer name of United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy and published in In Anglo-Israelism and some currents of US Christian fundamentalism influenced thereby ( Worldwide Church of God) the idea has been advanced that modern Germans Moses ( Moshe) Rosen (23 July 1912 &ndash 6 May 1994 was Chief Rabbi of Romanian Jewry from 1948 through the entire Communist "The Recipe" (published as epilogue to The Face of Survival, 1987). This article is about the literary epilogue See Epilogue (disambiguation for other uses of "Epilogue" or "Epilog"
  3. ^ Moses Rosen. Moses ( Moshe) Rosen (23 July 1912 &ndash 6 May 1994 was Chief Rabbi of Romanian Jewry from 1948 through the entire Communist "The Recipe" (published as epilogue to The Face of Survival, 1987). This article is about the literary epilogue See Epilogue (disambiguation for other uses of "Epilogue" or "Epilog" Nathan Ausubel. Nathan Ausubel (1898-1986 was a Jewish-American historian folklorist and humorist Pictorial History of the Jewish People, Crown, 1953.
  4. ^ The Lost Tribes of Israel as a Problem in History and Sociology, Stanford M Lyman, International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, Volume 12, Number 1 / September, 1998
  5. ^ a b Bnei Menashe.com History page, A Long-Lost Tribe is Ready to Come Home, by Stephen Epstein, 1997, accessed 4/23/07.
  6. ^ Our Story: The African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem - A Village of Peace
  7. ^ Mystery of the Ten Lost Tribes - Afghanistan, by Rabbi Marvin Tokayer, moshiach. com website
  8. ^ The Israeli Source of the Pathan Tribes, from the book, Lost Tribes from Assyria, by A Avihail and A Brin, 1978, in Hebrew by Issachar Katzir, at dangoor. com, website of The Scribe Magazine.
  9. ^ Afghanistan: Home to Lost Tribes of Israel? at Ask the Rabbi page.
  10. ^ Is One of the Lost Tribes the Taliban?, by Ilene Prusher, Moment Magazine, April 2007.
  11. ^ Afghanistan, The Virtual Jewish History Tour (retrieved 10 January 2007).
  12. ^ Introduction: Muhammad Qāsim Hindū Šāh Astarābādī Firištah, History Of The Mohamedan Power In India, The Packard Humanities Institute Persian Texts in Translation (retrieved 10 January 2007). Firishta ( Persian: فرشته) or Ferishta, full name Muhammad Qasim Hindu Shah (Persian محمد قاسم ہندو شاه) was
  13. ^ a b Bani-Israelite Theory of Paktoons Ethnic Origin Afghanology. com (retrieved 10 January 2007).
  14. ^ Afghanistan and Israel, britam. org
  15. ^ Almut Nebel et al, The Y Chromosome Pool of Jews as Part of the Genetic Landscape of the Middle East, Am. J. Hum. Genet. 69:1095–1112, 2001
  16. ^ Cinnioglu et al, Excavating Y-chromosome haplotype strata in Anatolia, Hum Genet (2004) 114 : 127–148
  17. ^ Di Giacomo et al, Y chromosomal haplogroup J as a signature of the post-neolithic colonization of Europe, Hum Genet (2004) 115: 357–371
  18. ^ Israelites Came To Ancient Japan , Arimasa Kubo.
  19. ^ Israelites Came To Ancient Japan, moshiach. com, Chabad website, accessed 3/23/07.
  20. ^ isralbooks.com listing
  21. ^ Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright by J.H. Allen (the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel)
  22. ^ Lost Tribes article at BritAm. org
  23. ^ United States and Britain in Prophecy article at Trumpet Magazine website
  24. ^ Nova Episode: The Ten Lost Tribes, PBS.
  25. ^ The Myth of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel
  26. ^ www.aish.com
  27. ^ George Rawlinson, noted in his translation of History of Herodotus, Book VII, p. Canon George Rawlinson ( 23 November, 1812 &ndash 7 October, 1902) was a 19th century English Scholar and Historian 378
  28. ^ E. Raymond Capt, Missing Links Discovered in Assyrian Tablets Artisan Pub, 1985 ISBN 0-934666-15-6
  29. ^ Maurits Nanning Van Loon. "Urartian Art. Its Distinctive Traits in the Light of New Excavations", Istanbul, 1966. p. 16
  30. ^ cited on p. 217, Pictorial History of the Jewish People by Nathan Ausubel, Crown, 1953)
  31. ^ www.ldslastdays.com/talk_tribes.htm

External links

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