But Mr. Katz said he had received a number of inquiries, including some from non-Jewish groups, and he expects business to pick up in 2002.

Claims of descent from the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel have been made for a variety of non-Jewish groups.

The Hebrew language was also used by non-Jewish groups, such as the ethnically related Samaritans.

For example, two different mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene causes Gaucher's disease in Ashkenazis, which is their most common genetic disease, but only one of these mutations is found in non-Jewish groups.

It is used for referring to non-Jewish groups of people.

Two days later, the Jewish Federation held a meeting to express its confidence in city and state officials and its gratitude to the non-Jewish groups that offered help.

Turning to the Lemba, researchers found a remarkably high frequency of the Cohen chromosomes, much higher than in any non-Jewish group tested.

Mrs. Schnur said several non-Jewish groups, including the A.F.L.-C.I.O. and the National Council of Churches, also planned to take part.

The study also found that with respect to non-Jewish European groups, the population most closely related to Ashkenazi Jews are modern-day Italians.

By the time the trial is concluded, prestigious groups from all over the country, Jewish and non-Jewish, are loudly protesting the inflammatory tone of the prosecution.