It is a ‘homecoming’ for around 240 Indians as they landed in the Ben Gurion Airport in Israel on Thursday. That is because they are believed to be the descendants of a biblical Jewish tribe.
The Bnei Menashe tribe (Sons of Manasseh) is a tribal community spread across Manipur and Mizoram and claims to descend from Manasseh, the forefather of one of the biblical “lost tribes” of Israel exiled in 720 BC by Assyrian conquerors.
Ten lost tribes of ancient Israel
The biblical Israel consisted of twelve tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, Manasseh, Yehuda and Benjamin.
Except for the members of Yehuda and Benjamin were forced to leave their homeland in the 8th century BCE and were scattered across the world for centuries.
And now, like others, Manasseh are returning to their Jewish homeland as part of an Israeli government operation to relocate them.
Bnei Menashe’s Jewish links
Since the founding of Israel, attempts have been made to identify and repatriate the lost tribes to their Jewish homeland. Members of the Bnei Menashe community, who say they have been following several of the ancient Jewish traditions, have been attempting to legitimize their claims to Israeli roots since the 1950s.
Over the decades, several Jewish religious experts and historians have studied the oral and other traditions of the Bnei Menashe community, and have found some similarities to ancient Jewish customs.
According to AFP, their oral history tells of a centuries-long exodus through Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet and China, all the while adhering to certain Jewish religious practices, such as circumcision.
In the early 2000s, despite DNA tests failing to clearly establish their Middle-Eastern heritage, the Bnei Menashe was recognized as “seed of Israel” by the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Shlomo Amar, paving their way for migration into Israel.
Since then, several small batches of the Bnei Menashe community have been migrating to Israel with the help of Shavei Israel, an NGO which claims to assist descendants of Jews and the Lost Tribes of Israel to reclaim their roots.
According to Shavei Israel, some 4,000 Bnei Menashe have already immigrated to Israel since the 1990s, with around 7,000 others still living in India.
The NGO said it plans to relocate all the members of Bnei Menashe to Israel by 2030.
What is next for Bnei Menashe in Israel
The 240 Bnei Menashe who arrived on Thursday are to settle in northern Israel, according to the Ministry of Integration.
They will need to convert to Judaism in order to become Israeli citizens.
Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer, who welcomed the newcomers at the airport, told AFP that their arrival marked a “historic moment”.
“This is the beginning of an operation that will allow the entire community to immigrate, 1,200 per year,” he said.
Key Takeaways
- The Bnei Menashe community claims descent from the biblical tribe of Manasseh and has been seeking recognition for decades.
- Israeli initiatives have facilitated the immigration of the Bnei Menashe, with plans to relocate all members by 2030.
- Despite challenges in proving their heritage, their cultural practices and oral traditions have garnered attention from Jewish authorities.
