Israel to repatriate 5,800 Jews from India within the next five years

Jews displaced for centuries

Tel Aviv (Israel) – Israel has decided to resettle 5,800 members of the ‘Bnei Menashe’ Jewish community living in the northeastern states of India. A five-year timeframe has been set for their repatriation, and it has already been approved that 1,200 of them will be taken back in 2026 itself. In 2005, Israel’s Rabbi (Dharma Guru) Shlomo Amar had officially recognised this community as ‘descendants of the ancient Israelis.’

The repatriation process

Following the Israeli government’s decision, a large delegation of Jewish religious authorities (Rabbis) will arrive in India. This team will include Rabbis and scholars well-versed in Halakha (Jewish religious law).

They will verify the religious identity of the Bnei Menashe people by examining their traditions, customs, and lifestyle. Each family will undergo an individual interview.

After this verification, conversion classes will be conducted for the community. Their documentation will subsequently be prepared, and flights will be arranged to transport them to Israel.

Israel is expected to spend approximately 9 million shekels (around ₹240 crore) on this entire operation.

The Bnei Menashe community, residing mainly in Manipur and Mizoram, claims to be descendants of the ancient Israeli tribe of Menashe. Historians estimate that this community may have arrived in India 300 or 500 years ago.

Editorial Perspectives

The world’s only Jewish nation, Israel, continues its efforts to bring back Jews who have been scattered across the globe for thousands of years. This reflects Israel’s unwavering religious faith. In contrast, how many Indian Hindu politicians exhibit such staunch faith in their own Dharma ?

Why have Kashmiri Hindus still not been safely rehabilitated in the Kashmir Valley ? Why has the process of bringing persecuted Hindus from Pakistan and Bangladesh not begun in earnest ? These questions deserve serious introspection.