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Check out peace progress or the story of a ‘lost tribe’

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Message: If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/13647/full/13647/check-out-peace-progress-or-the-story-of-a-lost-tribe/ Check out peace progress or the story of a ‘lost tribe’ Friday, July 21, 2000 | by James Besser Unless you're living under a rock, you know by now that the Mideast peace process is again in a state of ferment. This week, dozens of news sites are chock full of up-to-the-minute reports on the Camp David summit. But for the important background information—the past treaties and agreements, the official positions of the Israeli government and the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict—check out the home page of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You'll find it at <a href="http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/home.asp">http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/home.asp</a>. Government sites everywhere tend to be boring, with little real content and lots of the kind of verbal padding bureaucrats regard as a virtue. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs site is different, but there's a cost; navigating your way through this information-packed site can be a chore. To simplify things, the ministry folks provide an "easy to use site map" that may lead you to run to the dictionary to look up the word "easy." The map is a Jewish star, on which is imposed what looks like a subway map. Each area of the star represents a category of information—people, science and economy, culture, history, government and the like. Then there are color-coded lines, with stops along the way offering links to more detailed information. The subway map metaphor is—well, weird. But it's the information that counts, and there's plenty of it here for cyber-visitors willing to dig a little. You can check out the latest reports on the Israeli economy or read about the country's trade relations around the world. Or you can peruse all of the treaties and agreements Israel has signed since the Madrid peace process began in 1991. You can also use the site to sign up for the ministry's excellent news mailing lists, Israel Line and Israel-Mideast, which provide digests of Israeli editorials, important statements from government officials and miscellaneous reports. The site also provides an excellent collection of links to other Israeli government sites, as well as sites around the world dealing with different aspects of life in Israel The site gets weak when it delves into areas removed from foreign affairs, such as Israeli literature. And let's face it: You didn't come to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to learn about the history of Israeli hospitals. When these guys focus on the stuff they know—foreign policy and the peace process—they do a great job. The rest is clutter that just makes it harder to get around. If you're interested in exploring another fascinating Web site about Israel's legendary lost tribes, check out <a href="http://www.bneimenashe.com">http://www.bneimenashe.com</a>. Nobody knows for sure just which modern groups are descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Judaism. There have been plenty of claimants, and evidence is scarce. But there are intriguing possibilities—including the Bnei Menashe tribe in a remote part of the world between Myanmar and Bangladesh. According to lore passed down through the generations, their "lost" status began in 721 BCE, when, exiled from Israel, they followed the silk routes to the Far East, and eventually ended up in a corner of India. About 25 years ago, the small group, also known as the Shinlung, "rediscovered their roots and are returning to Judaism," according to a fascinating Web site devoted to the group. They began trickling into Israel. Some 450 have emigrated and many more want to. But efforts to open the immigration gates have proven controversial in Israel, which is increasingly suspicious of claims of Jewish heritage. This Web site tells the whole story—the history these people claim for themselves, the incredible tale of their exile and wandering, and their desire to fulfill a 2,500-year dream by returning to Israel. It also touches on the controversies swirling around their Jewishness. The site is straightforward and attractive, with sections on history, news and fragments of Shinlung folklore, including—appropriately enough—a passage on Passover, handed down from generation to generation. There are a few pictures—too few, actually—and a "how you can help" section. The group is appealing for religious articles and for help from the government of Israel. Are they one of the lost tribes? This Web site isn't likely to settle the question, but it does provide a fascinating glimpse of the diversity of Jewish life.

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