Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-31
TRIBE LEFT PALESTINE
ABOUT $500 YEARS AGO

How a tribe Of Jews directly dcS-
cendcd from the ancient ISraclitrS Of
Palestine were discovered w Ahys>inia.
was related by DR.. j. F|'aitlovitch Of
Paris, France. who arrive III Houston
Monday. DR.. Faitbloyitch " \ prufcs
sor and archaeological explorer. who
j. ~ present making 4 journey Ia San
Francisco. having been called there to
deliver q lecture.
He discovered the tribe IN AhySsinia
in 1904. the first time that il ever be-
came positively known that Il part of
the great race existed there. Until Or.
Faitlovitch carried 10 them the know
ledge ~ the existence Of Jews in all
parts of the world, they believed they
were the last remaining MEMBERS Of
the race on the face III the earth. The
story of their discovery and their
existence was related in 4 brief way NJ
Temple Beth Israel Monday evening
where Or. Faitloyitch spoke from the
pulpit.
According "a their history. this
tribe Of Jews left Palestine about $500
years ago when the first tcmplr was.
overthrown. and since that time have
lived in complete isolation from the
rest of the world. They are known aS
the FalaShaS. and they will furnish q
new chapter in the history III the Jews.
which appears To BE- one Of the most
fascinating and important In its entire
career. Since hi> discovery Dr.. Faitio
witch has been dcvoting his entire time
t. bringing them in touch with the ont
side world.
The tribe numbers something like
100000 scattered between the northern
and southern part of AbySSinia.' a.
sand. Nevertheless. they have been
living separate and apart from the
other inhabitants of the country. The
FalaShaS are the nearest approach IL
Biblical Jews that can b. found any
wherr ~ the world. They practice the
same religions customs that were ~
served by the ancient Jews in Pal Ssin".
In their literature which ! collected
and translated INTO Hebrew AMI French
are the same stories of the rrcatinn.
the flood and other stories that wt.
read in our modern Bible.
Despite their long cNiStrnc, in the
midst NJ the tribal nations Nj Nh,s-0
sinia, they are greatly superior rth
physically. morally and mentally They
are also 4 cleaner. healthier uul S:r,. q
er people. They practice strict mono
gamy, while thr people arlrll them
of the Mohammcdau and other iuihS.
or Of no religion Whatsoever nra,ti.c
unlimited rolygaml. III fa-t ! W. ,rht
say that they have prc>crv.l tlrongh'
- centuries in the midst Nj 4 wholly F.
savage environment the essentials Of
Jewish civilization and culture as IL
existed I'D Bib, times.
"Of the history III the Jewish race
prior 10 the overthrow of the first tenn
pie they had 4 fairly complete record
in their religious and historical %litera-
turr. But ~ the history Of the Jews
since that time they have no rccrod
whatever. and they imagined them
selves m hr the sole remaining Suryi
vorS Of the race. Al first They would
not believe that | was a Jew. and il
was with great diffimultv | convinced
them.
III lived iu tho country for IL months
and they FINALS accepted nae as one
of their brethren. When ! returned 10
Paris took with mc y number III the
most promising young men Of the tribe
ami these men were educated and went
back 70 AbysSinia 10 teach among their
tribe.
At the present time the Jewish tribes
are facing a distressing condition ac-
cordmg 20 q letter received by Or.
Faitlovitrh shortly before ~ left Paris.
lie was informed that there j. a state
of civil war among the AhvsSinia tri-
hes and besides this cholera has broken
out. DR.. Faitlovitch will remain i'm
Houston until Thursday. This IL his
first trip through this section az the
United States, although he has been mi
this country before.