More than 250 members of the Bnei Menashe community arrived in Israel on Thursday, marking a significant moment in a long-running relocation effort supported by the Israeli government. The group landed at Ben Gurion Airport, where they were welcomed with traditional Jewish songs and celebratory scenes under blue-and-white decorations symbolising the Israeli flag.
The arrival is the first since the government approved funding last November to facilitate the migration of thousands from India, reigniting a decades-old movement to reconnect the community with what they consider their ancestral homeland.
The Bnei Menashe trace their ancestry to Manasseh, one of the so-called “lost tribes” of Israel believed to have been exiled by the Assyrian Empire around 720 BC. Over centuries, their oral histories recount a migration through regions such as Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet, and China before eventually settling in India’s northeast, as per a report on AFP.
Despite adopting Christianity during the 19th century under missionary influence, the community retained certain customs associated with Judaism, including circumcision and observance of some traditional practices. These elements have played a key role in their recognition by Israeli authorities as having historical ties to the Jewish people.
Israeli Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer, who received the group at the airport, described the moment as a milestone in an ongoing effort to bring the community to Israel. He called the occasion a “historic moment,” underscoring the government’s plan to relocate approximately 1,200 individuals each year.
The broader programme aims to bring around 4,600 members of the community from the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. Upon arrival, the newcomers are expected to settle in northern Israel and will undergo formal conversion to Judaism as part of the process required to obtain citizenship.
The latest relocation also comes against the backdrop of continuing unrest in Manipur, where ethnic tensions have escalated in recent years. Clashes between the Meitei majority and the Kuki community have led to prolonged violence, resulting in over 250 deaths in the past three years.
Since the 1990s, nearly 4,000 Bnei Menashe have already migrated to Israel, forming established communities across the country. However, around 7,000 individuals still remain in India, awaiting possible relocation under the ongoing initiative.
