The aliyah of the Bnei Menashe

is a modern day miracle. Once

again, Jews dispersed throughout
the world are coming home. The
Jewish Agency is committed
to accelerating the aliyah and
successful absorption of these
new citizens with extraordinary
needs. We take a multidimensional
approach that provides intensive
support and engages Israel society
as volunteers to ease the transition
for these newcomers.
Bnei Menashe
w w w. j e w i s h a g e n c y. o rg. i l
Jews of India
Bnei Menashe
Jews of India
There are some 8,000 individuals who maintain
a full Jewish way of life in the communities of
Manipur and Mizuram in northeastern India. They
Fellowship of Christians and Jews and member of the
Executive of the Jewish Agency. Bringing
a Lost Tribe
The Jewish Agency dispatched special staff to India to

are a unique minority among a population of one
million Christians. Their spoken languages include
Mizurit, Manipurit, Indian, English and Hebrew
(among the young).
Currently, there are some 1,000 Bnei Menashe
members in Israel who have converted to Judaism.
However, with the approval of Rabbi Shlomo Amar,
the Chief Rabbi of Israel, another 216 members
of the community in the State of Mizuram have
been converted and have made aliyah to Israel as
full-fledged Jews. The aliyah of the Bnei Menashe
is funded and spearheaded by Rabbi Yechiel
Eckstein, founder and president of the International
interview the families and determine the location best
suited for them. Their first home in the homeland will
be at a Jewish Agency Absorption Center in Carmiel or
Upper Nazareth.
In addition to living at Jewish Agency Absorption
Centers, these special new immigrants will receive:
• Expanded and enriched programs of social and
cultural activities
• Vocational training programs
• Registration of children in religious schools in
order to continue the education they are currently
receiving.
Home
Some 2,700 years ago, the 12 tribes of
the Kingdom of Israel were scattered
to the four corners of the earth. Ten
of these tribes were subsequently
lost to the Jewish people. Today, in
northeastern India, the Bnei Menashe
trace their descendence from the tribe
of Menashe. Over the past 50 years,
they have begun returning to their
Jewish roots.