There are few activities more fascinating than digging through the “where are they now?” file. But this video takes such an investigation to the ultimate level, pondering the mystery of the lost tribes of Israel. Only Judah and Benjamin, from the twelve tribes mentioned in the Bible, survived the Assyrian capture of Israel. Just what happened to the other ten has been a mystery to scholars and theologians ever since. This has led to multiple theories of explanation, some of which are explored here. For example, the Mormons believe that Native Americans are actually descendants of the lost tribes. Emmy-award winning filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici travels to Afghanistan, China, India, Tunisia, and the Middle East in search of answers to this baffling question.
“…And he will gather together the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth” – Isaiah 11:12
The mystery of the lost tribes of Israel reverberates through three millennia of human experience. Of the twelve tribes mentioned in the Bible, only those of Judah and Benjamin survived the Assyrian conquest. Deported by the mighty Assyrian Empire over 2,700 years ago, ten of the twelve tribes disappear from the western record. Where did they go? The fate of the tribes has puzzled and provoked scholars and theologians ever since.
Evidence leads to some of the world’s most exotic and extraordinary places, exploring the heart and soul of a mystery that echoes throughout human history. Evidence is documented in remote and sometimes dangerous regions, investigating nearly every story, no matter how seemingly far-fetched. Simcha Jacobovici interviews Taliban before they started their war on the west. Pashtun tribes in Afghanistan have Israelite past and after grasping for power with the help of the British in the 18th Century, they named the country after Afgan son of King Saul of Israel. The journey leads to Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Burma, Manipur, India, China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tunisia and the Middle East following points along the Silk Road in Central Asia. What is found may well help shed some light on this enduring enigma.
