Jakarta –
Israel has approved plans to accept around 5,800 members of India’s Bnei Menashe Jewish community by 2030, according to a government decision announced last Sunday (22/11).
This ethnic group from the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur is expected to gradually move to the Galilee region north of Israel. The region has often been affected by conflict with the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group, which has forced tens of thousands of residents to flee the area in recent years.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the decision “important and Zionist,” which he said would strengthen Israel in the north.
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What are the plans for the Bnei Menashe community?
The first group of 1,200 people is scheduled to arrive next year. The ministry that handles diaspora absorption abroad will provide initial financial assistance, Hebrew language instruction, employment guidance, temporary housing, as well as social programs to ease the arrivals’ adjustment.
The government is expected to allocate about $27.4 million for this initial wave alone. The new arrivals follow some 4,000 Bnei Menashe who have migrated to Israel over the past two decades.
This plan was prepared in coordination with the Indian government.
Demographic considerations remain at the heart of Israeli state policy, especially regarding the broader conflict with the Palestinians. Today, Israel’s population stands at around 10.1 million, with around 73% being Jewish, compared to 5.5 million in the Palestinian territories.
Who is Bnei Menashe from India?
The Bnei Menashe identify themselves as descendants of the Biblical tribe of Manasseh, known as one of the “lost tribes of Israel.” Many of them previously converted to Christianity before converting to Judaism and being officially recognized by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate. They observe traditional Jewish practices, celebrate holidays such as Sukkot, and establish synagogues in their communities.
Israel only officially recognized Bnei Menashe immigration in 2005, when the then Sephardi Chief Rabbi designated the community as descendants of a lost tribe of Israel.
Galilee, where they are thought to have settled, is a historically mountainous region with major cities such as Nazareth, Tiberias, and Safed. The region borders Lebanon to the north, as well as the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee to the east.
This article was first published in English
Adapted by Rizki Nugraha
Editor: Yuniman Farid
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