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[email protected] Volume 6 Number 2 Summer 1999 The Story of a Lemba SCIENCE TIES THE Philosopher and His People LEMBA CLOSER TO By Rabson Wuriga PERSONAL HISTORY I am the sixth born son of the late Mr. T.S. Wuriga and Mrs. N. MAINSTREAM JEWS Wuriga’s nine children. At the moment five of these nine children are By Max Amichai Heppner left. I was born in 1964/01/26. I was born and bred in Mafaune Kraal, Several recent discoveries have put the spotlight on the Lemba, or Masvingo District, Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe. Towards the end Balemba, a Bantu-speaking people of southern Africa, who call them- of his life my father shifted to Midlands Province because he wanted a selves Jewish. They believe they are a lost tribe of Jews who emi- better land for agriculture. That is where my mother and some of my grated to Yemen some 2,500 years ago and then followed a star down sisters are stay ing. I am married to Eveline, and we have a daughter, the east coast of Africa, finally settling in what is today Z imbabwe and Rumbidzaiishe (Praise the Lord) Hikensile (Thank you), 9 years, and a South Africa. An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Lemba now live in the son, Benjamin Munyaradzi (Comforter), 5 years. two countries. I started school in 1972 January at Tadzembwa Primary School According to Dr.