A total of 240 members of the Bnei Menashe community from Mizoram arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport around midnight on Friday (Israel time), becoming the first group to reach Israel since the government decided in November to fund the immigration of approximately 6,000 community members.
Arrival and Reception
Chawimawii, who arrived in Tel Aviv early Friday morning, told TOI over the phone that more community members will leave Delhi for Israel by next week, and that Bnei Menashe members from Manipur are also expected to arrive soon. She stated that Israeli authorities granted them citizenship upon arrival, and a grand reception was organized at the airport. They will reside in Nazareth, in northern Israel. Upon arrival, well-wishers, many from their own community, cheered them while waving small Israeli flags as a rendition of “Oseh Shalom” played through loudspeakers.
Background of the Immigration Plan
The arrivals marked the first Bnei Menashe group to land since the November decision to fund immigration from Mizoram and Manipur in northeast India. The government plans to fly 1,200 people to Israel over the course of 2026, with two additional flights scheduled in the next two weeks, according to the Aliyah and Integration Ministry. Around 300 members each from Mizoram and Manipur were selected by nine rabbis who visited Aizawl during the first part of December last year. Approximately 35 people, including nine rabbis, members of the Jewish Agency for Israel, and diplomats from the Israeli embassy including the Ambassador to India, had been camping in Aizawl since December 1 last year, conducting screening of Bnei Menashe members for migration to Israel as the first batch.
Long-term Absorption Plan
Israel has approved a plan to absorb nearly 6,000 members of the Bnei Menashe community residing in Mizoram and Manipur, in a phased manner, by 2030, according to a decision announced recently by Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Role of Shavei Israel
The Shavei Israel organization, which seeks to trace the descendants of the lost tribes and has facilitated the community’s immigration process, said that some 4,000 Bnei Menashe have immigrated to Israel since the 1990s from Manipur and Mizoram, with around 7,000 still living in India.
Historical and Religious Context
The Bnei Menashe regard themselves as the lost tribe of Israel. Their oral history tells of a centuries-long exodus through Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet, and China, while adhering to certain Jewish religious practices. In India, they were converted to Christianity by 19th-century missionaries. The newcomers to Israel will need to convert to become Israeli citizens.
