The Fellowship is thrilled to share that the Indian government has approved the aliyah of 1,200 members of the Bnei Menashe tribe. Starting in February, these lesser known but highly significant Jewish people – descendants of the tribe of Manasseh, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel – will begin boarding Fellowship Freedom Flights for their new lives in their biblical homeland. This is a momentous occasion that continues the prophetic process of the return of the Jewish people to their biblical homeland.
The Bnei Menashe live in northeast India neighboring Myanmar (formerly Burma), largely in the jungle. They came to this land about 2,700 years ago when they were exiled from Israel by the Assyrian conquerors –traveling through Iraq, Afghanistan, and southern China. Manasseh was Joseph’s son and inherited the tribe’s “double portion” from him as described in the book of Numbers. Years later, the Manasseh tribe increased to over 52,000 and was one of the most distinguished tribes of Israel. The book of Joshua says that Moses situated the tribe in two parts –one on the east of the Jordan and the other centered in Israel.
The Bnei Menashe have around 10,000 members today, most of whom have continued the traditions of Judaism. The first Israeli delegation is visiting India this month, with the aliyah process commencing by February. The Israeli government expects 4,600 Bnei Menashe tribe members to immigrate to the Holy Land by 2030. This brings more than half the entire tribe to their biblical homeland and reunites several families.
The Fellowship could not complete this remarkable project without the collaboration of the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Aliyah. And of course, we thank our generous donors who continue to assist us in our mission to fulfill biblical prophecy and return Jews from all corners of the world to Israel. We can’t wait to share the stories of these soon-to-be olim with you.
“These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700” (Numbers 26:34).
