Bnei Menashe

Bnei Menashe Latest News

Israel’s government recently approved a proposal to bring all the remaining 5,800 Jews from India’s north-eastern region, commonly referred to as Bnei Menashe, over the next five years.

About Bnei Menashe

• Bnei Menashe is an ethnic community that hails from the northeastern states of Mizoram and Manipur. 
• They claim to be the descendants of the biblical tribe of Manasseh, considered one of the “lost tribes” of Israel. 
• They are Christians converted into Jews and observe traditional Jewish practices and celebrate holidays such as Sukkot. 
• Historians believe this community may have arrived in India within the last 300–500 years.
• Their ancestors were exiled long before the Roman dispersion, but they continued to practice Judaism across the generations, even if not in a contemporary Orthodox way. 
• Once they  came into contact with Israel and global Jewry in the 1980s, they embraced modern Jewish learning and practice.
• Nearly half of the ‘Bnei Menashe’ population migrated to Israel over a period of time and became its citizens.
• According to the recent Israeli Government plan, approximately 1,200 community members are expected to immigrate to Israel by the end of 2026. 
• A second stage, slated for completion by 2030, will bring an additional 4,600 people, effectively completing the arrival of the entire community. 

Source: TH

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