Israel to Adopt 'Lost Tribe'

"Israel has decided to adopt about 6,000 Indians who claim Jewish ancestry, and plans to send a team of rabbinical judges to formally convert them to Orthodox Judaism (search), the Haaretz newspaper reported Friday.

The mass conversion, ordered by Israeli Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar (search), will enable members of the group, called the "Bnei Menashe," or children of Manasseh, who claim descent from one of the lost tribes of Israel, to immigrate to Israel, the paper reported...."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,152146,00.html

"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."

There is also a belief that the dispersion of Jews to all corners of the Earth was the beginning of the redemption

"From every imaginable corner of the world theories arise linking different peoples and tribes with the Ten Lost Tribes: the Crimea, the Caucasus, Kenya, Nigeria, Armenia, Persia, Central Asia, North Siberia, West Africa, Peru, South America, Australia, Ireland. While the evidence may at times seem flimsy, the Jewish elements in these tribal cultures continue to fascinate scholar and layman alike." (taken from 'Where are the Ten Lost Tribes?' - NOVA special on PBS).

This always intrigues me. I've heard the Irish/celts as being descended from the lost tribe of Dan. There is an Arab group "The Jews of Kheibar" who have been called descendants of the tribes Reuven and Gad and also of the half tribe of Mannasseh. Straddling the boundaries between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kashmir lives the world's largest tribal grouping—the Pathans, who claim come from the tribe of Benjamin.

Japanese? "There are those who claim that the Mikado, the Japanese emperor, is a descendant of the Hebrew tribe of Gad. 'Mikado' recalls the Hebrew word for 'his majesty the king,' 'Malchuto'". (taken from 'Where are the Ten Lost Tribes?' - NOVA special on PBS).

"Over the centuries, the Beta Israel (A group in Ethiopia) have been connected with the tribe of Dan. This association has eased the process of their return to the state of Israel in recent times." (taken from 'Where are the Ten Lost Tribes?' - NOVA special on PBS).

Also some believe China is a lost tribe. ""Behold, These are coming from afar. These from the north and the west and these from the land of Sinim." This prophecy, spoken by Isaiah, promised the return of Lost Israelites from all corners of the Earth and from Sinim. Interestingly, Sinim is the Hebrew word for China." (taken from 'Where are the Ten Lost Tribes?' - NOVA special on PBS).

I also found this chart on a website about the 10 lost tribes (http://britam.org/israelites.html):

TRIBE WHERE FOUND:

EPHRAIM - BRITAIN
MANASSEH - AMERICA
REUBEN - FRANCE
SIMEON - CELTS & JEWS
LEVI - WITH/JEWS
JUDAH - JUTES & JEWS
ISSACHAR - SWISS & FINS
ZEBULON - HOLLAND
GAD - SWEDEN
ASHER - SCOTS
BENJAMIN - BELGAE & NORMANS
DAN - DANES & CELTS
NAPHTALI - NORWEGIANS

Of course this only includes the caucasions so I have my doubts.

Still I like the idea of a link to us all being of the same "tribe" or family.