Exhibition curated by Ben Stone.
The search for the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel has fascinated observers for centuries, since the Tribes' exile from the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the eighth century B.C.E. Various theories have located the Ten Lost Tribes in many parts of the world and have often coincided with the millennial fervor aroused by events such as the English and American Revolutions. Contemporary commentators have sought explanations for the origins of isolated Jewish communities in India, Africa, and Asia, often linking them to the Ten Lost Tribes. The Ludwig Rosenberger Library of Judaica provides a rich source for exploring the myths and realities concerning the Ten Lost Tribes. Drawing upon eighteen texts and illustrations from travelers, missionaries, explorers, and clerics, the items in this exhibition illustrate the enduring story of the Ten Lost Tribes, as well as depicting isolated Jewish communities throughout the world.