The Finest Expressions
Of Love Come From . . .

years, he notes, the mystique
and legend of the Lost Tribes
is stronger than ever.
Clearly, the story of des-
truction—and the promise of
redemption — speaks to
something deeply rooted in
the human psyche.
But Ilidor Parfitt is not
lured to far-away places by
just mystery and the
romance. He is clearly
touched by the simple faith
and relentless tenacity of
small, powerless groups —
the Falashas, the Bene Israel,
the Shinlung, the Lemba —
who have clung, against all
odds, to memories of some
past connection with the
Jewish people.
One of the most dramatic
moments in his long quest for
the Lost Tribes occurred in
Sudan during the early
Eighties when he made the
quite independent discovery
that Ethiopian Jews were
being secretly airlifted to
Israel.
The Israeli intelligence
chief based in the Sudanese
capital of Khartoum, whom
Parfitt calls "Joshua," learned
of the British professor's
discovery and begged him to
keep the secret.
"He said to me, 'During my
lifetime, Jews have not always
had the chance to escape
when faced with destruction.
These black Jews do have a
chance. But if this story gets
out, the Falashas will lose
their chance.' " Parfitt
respected the confidence.
The Bene Israel and the
Falashas made it into the
Jewish fold, and Parfitt
clearly hopes that the
Shinlung and the Lemba
make it, too, though he does
not hide his impatience with
what he regards as Israel's
rigid religious establishment.
Even so, he believes that
the Shinlung and the Lemba
have gained much from their
claim to Jewish ancestry.
The Shinlung, untouch-
ables in the Indian social
structure, are "right at the
bottom of the social barrel" in
a part of India that is vir-
tually inaccessible to the out-
side world.
Converting to Christianity
did not alter their condition,
but embracing Judaism,
which is devoid of what Par-
fitt calls "imperialist reson-
ance," offers them valuable
connections abroad, both
with Israel and with other
Jews who are fascinated by
their claims.
From there to official rab-
binic recognition as the Tribe
of Mannasseh may be a giant
step, but the Shinlung — who
still sing of the time when
their ancestors were "crossing
over the Red Sea, running dry
before us" — seem deter-
mined to go the distance. ❑

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