It’s both fascinating and remarkable to consider how the Bnei Menashe have made a living in some of the most remote parts of India. Without modern infrastructure or technology, most of the olim whom The Fellowship has helped bring on aliyah come from farming families. Even with healthy crops, their earnings often barely cover the cost of living—yet their faith sustains them. This was the case for Eretz and her family.
They lived in the small community of Seifir, where nearly everyone is a farmer. This July, Eretz will turn 23. She has two older sisters, who will turn 26 and 27 in the fall. Their parents worked tirelessly on their farm, specializing in pumpkins and mustard. Yet the worries about whether the latest harvest would be enough would fade when they went to the synagogue. There, Eretz says, they felt protected and a true sense of belonging.
“We’ve been waiting for aliyah since our childhood—since we were born. It has always been part of our lives, something we hoped for every day,” said Eretz, “We’ve been preparing for this moment in our own way. Every single day, my mother prays in the morning. Every morning. We’ve seen Israel through FaceTime—our cousins who are already there show us everything. However, it’s not the same as being there. We want to see it in real life, not only through the screen. I want to go to Jerusalem—of course.”
Eretz and her family arrived on the first Fellowship Freedom Flight out of India this year, along with 232 Bnei Menashe members, two weeks ago. A second flight, carrying 241 olim, arrived four days later.
“To all the Christians who are helping us make aliyah, especially those supporting us from the United States—we are aware of everything you are doing for us. Thank you for your support,” said Eretz.
