The lost tribe of Israel- Manasseh

In News

“Bnei Menashe” followers and converts from Mizoram, otherwise a predominantly Christian state in Northeast India, have permanently migrated to Israel, numbering over 100.

About

Bnei Menashe tribe, as the name suggests are the ‘Sons of Manasseh’, one of the lost tribes of Hebrew origin of Israel, the ‘Promised Land’, according to Judaism beliefs.

These people have received citizenship of Israel and were given teudat zehut (identity cards) which can be used as work permit as well as health insurance. They will undergo trainings ritual and rites of the Hebrew religion, not excluding learning the ordinances and laws of the Hebrew Torah, Talmud and Halaka, as part of the Old Testament religion.

Decedents of Bnei Menashe are believed to have been migrated and settled in Manipur and Mizoram. The lost tribe of Judea have seen footfall of converts, who embraced Judaism and adopted its practices formally in recent years in these two Indian states.

According to a report so far 2500 from Mizoram have migrated to Israel permanently, with another 500 to migrate next year. Out of 11,000 Bnei Menashe Jews, 7000 still remain to be migrated.

The total expenditure of the migrants for the whole “aliyah” (immigration) was borne by the Israeli Government.

Problem of Acceptance

• Bnei Menashe tribals of India are considered as ‘impure’, and also to face discrimination on the basis of their religious identity and demographic background.
• They have been allocated with unstable lands of West Bank where education, security and employment remain a major concern.
• Israel’s policies addressing issues of immigration, absorption and diaspora affairs have not been in favor of Jews of developing countries as India and Ethiopia.
• Jews of Bnei Menashe have been subjected to discrimination by other Jews in Israel’s society.
• They are racially discriminated and often separated from the mainstream Jewry by being categorized as ‘Chinese’.
• It is also believed that even after proving their Jewish identity, they are still considered as the lesser Jewish of all.
• They are provided employment at minimal level.
• It can be concluded that the absorption policies for this Indian Jewish community has not reached its potential yet and they are still facing the crisis of identity in real sense.