New-York tribune., 1907-07-14
REMNANTS OF ISR1EL,
Scattered to Many Remote Parts
of the World.


present day world are limited to types familiar
. in Europe, America and throughout the Orient,
without including the stage Jew the jew OF
the comic Wceklios. That scattered remnants.
mysterious and remote in origin, peculiar in ap-
/ pearance and traits, can be found in most dis
tant portions Of the globe, and that these are a
/ never falling subject of interest to tho cthnolo-
gist and historian, is a fact less generally
! known To refer to them the missing de-
scendants If the long lost ten tribes is COM
paratively cosy. but it is satisfas tory or
scientific solution It is hardly necessaryS how
| ever, in most instances to presuppose so re-
mote an ancestry. as considerable light has been
! thrown in recent years on their origin and char
acteristics.
OF these remnants of Israel the Falashas. Of
Abyssinia lead the list in numbers and interest.
They had long been known under various Names
but have usually been termed Falashas or emil
| grants Various traditions of their origin have
! been pro servcd-some trace them to the time
| when MeniIck the son of Solomon and the
Queen of Sheha left Jerusalem; others to the
period Of Isracls captivity under ShaHn'ileSer'
or after the capture of Jerusalem by the t'o-
mans 1t was in 1865, however that a more
| probable identification was given by Joseph
| Haltyv a French Orientaist Of distinction, who
published the story of his visit to Abyssinia lie
was of the opinion that the Jewish element IN
/
| captured in Ethiopia. who took refuge IN the
| mountains and converted part of the ASau5,
! whence the FaaSha type. They form an aCuVe
element of the population, being masons, build
ers, smiths, traders and agriculturists. Darker
! than the people among whom they dwell their
| religion is Nosaism based upon the Eihioplc
! version Of the Peutatcuch- they have no knoWI-
| edge Of Hebrew. They keep the sabbath, the
| Passover and other holy days, with many Jew-
I e.. hgir is q
dcsI jte paIpabe legends and exaggerations. is Of
! undoubtcd antiquity. Their conversion has been
attempted OF recent years by Protestant mis-
sionarics. but as yet without important results.
OF no less striking interest, although limited
| in number are the Black Jews or Eoui Israel
native Jews Of India. These date their origin
| from 1900 to 1900 years ago. They were first
/ brought 10 the knowledge Of Europeans at the
same time with Intelligence Of the white and
! black Jews of Cochin, on the coast of M1lab2r'
! by Christian missionaries at the beginning Il
the nineteenth century. Since 1895 they have
| bccn fully restored to Judaism, have thoir
| schools and synagogues physically strong.
are welcomed as soldiers and have gained rank
| in the British army in India. while they are
| active in various trades. They are less than
| nine thousand in number, the majority residing
! IN Bombay. As 10 their origin. although they
claim pure Jewish descent they are probably
! mixed
bore. Their native name signifies saturday iii
Tr,ssers." thus abiding to their distinctive sab
baths and their chief occupation. Long before
thoy were adopted by their European brethren
as II the house OF Israel they x, pit the most
important jewish festivals and ob=.ryau,cs.
with names in Mahrati. They had rcvivals ~
Judaism about nine hun,rod years ago. and IN
1896 1872, and 1885. OF recent years the siIs-
| soon family. the Rothschilds Of the East. has
| been potent factor in the uplifting Of the EeHi
| Israel. who will not be allowed to relapse into
! their oldcn aloofncss and Ignorance.
The Samaritans who occasionally are written
about by some traveller and whose customs have
been often described. in their present sad de-
cline illustrate the usual fate OF those who leave
the parent stem. They reside at Nublus the
ancient Shcchem. in Samaria, and have become
reduced in number to about one hundred and
nifty persons, OF marked Jewish physiognony.
They are rapidly dwindling. owing to the hard
struggle for existence and their aversion to
marry outside of their number. Their doc
trincS blending OF old Israeltish belief
| and Moslem Influences They possess no learn
ing and are dcspscd by the Jews, although so
closely alled-the anupathy is of long con-
tinuance-but they will always prove n subject
OF deep interest to students OF the Bible and
of Semitic lore In general
Renewed attention has been given the last
year two to the old Jewish colony at Ka-