Ancient Jewish faith endures as Israel prepares to reunite exiled descendants with their homeland.
Hundreds of members of the Bnei Menashe community in northeastern India gathered in Churachandpur, Manipur, to light the first Hanukkah candle, marking a deeply symbolic moment in Jewish history and continuity.
According to long-preserved tradition, the Bnei Menashe trace their lineage to the biblical Tribe of Manasseh, one of the Ten Lost Tribes exiled from the Land of Israel over 2,700 years ago following the destruction of the First Temple by the Assyrian empire. Because their ancestors left Israel centuries before the events commemorated by Hanukkah, the community had no historical connection to the festival—until now.
Rabbi Michael Freund, founder and chairman of Shavei Israel, said the story of the Maccabees’ defiance and Jewish perseverance resonates powerfully with the Bnei Menashe today. He noted that their candle-lighting came just weeks after the Israeli government approved plans to bring the remaining community members home, expressing hope that next year’s Hanukkah will be celebrated in Israel itself.
Following their exile, the ancestors of the Bnei Menashe wandered across Central Asia and the Far East, eventually settling along the borders of India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. Despite isolation and centuries of displacement, they preserved core Jewish practices—Shabbat observance, kashrut, family purity laws, and festivals—while sustaining an unbroken dream of return to Zion.
Today, the Bnei Menashe number approximately 11,500 people. About 5,500 have already made Aliyah, assisted by Shavei Israel, while nearly 6,000 remain in India. Under a recent government decision, the remaining members are expected to immigrate to Israel by 2030, completing one of the most extraordinary homecomings in Jewish history.
Founded in 2002, Shavei Israel works globally to reconnect Jewish descendants with their heritage and strengthen bonds with the State of Israel, supporting communities from India and China to Europe and South America.
