Jews from the Lost Tribe of Menashe in India Moving to Israel!
Dozens of members of an Indian tribe said to be lost descendants of the ancient Israelite tribe of Menashe have emigrated to Israel.
The community says it is one of the lost 10 tribes of Israel who were exiled when Assyrians invaded the northern kingdom of Israel in the 8th Century BCE.
According to its oral tradition, the tribe travelled through Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet, China and on to India, where it eventually settled in the north-eastern states of Manipur and Mizoram.
Around 50 people landed in the city of Tel Aviv on Monday, joining the existing community in Israel numbering around 1,700.
Eyewitnesses said there were emotional scenes at Ben Gurion airport in Israel as the newcomers were greeted by relatives who had moved to Israel during the first wave of immigration.
Several hundred more Bnei Menashe members are due to arrive in the coming weeks, said Michael Freund, chairman of the Shavei Israel group which helped organise the journey for the Bnei Menashe members.
“The members of this tribe have never forgotten where they came from and we are excited to be able to help them come back,” he told AFP news agency.
Click here for the full update from the Shavei Israel organization.
