Around 250 members of the B’nei Menashe community from Manipur and Mizoram arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday night, marking a significant moment in a decades-long journey of identity, faith, and migration. Claiming descent from one of the biblical “ten lost tribes of Israel,” the group is the first to be relocated under an official Israeli government programme, with more batches expected to follow.
Numbering nearly 7,000, the B’nei Menashe belong to the Mizo and Kuki tribal communities of Northeast India. While thousands have migrated to Israel since the 1990s, this latest relocation signals a new phase, backed by state support. For many in the community, the move represents not just migration, but a symbolic “return” to what they believe is their ancestral homeland.
The roots of this belief trace back over two millennia to around 722 BCE, when the Assyrian Empire conquered northern Israel and exiled ten tribes, including Manasseh. Over centuries, these “lost tribes” became the subject of global searches by Jewish communities. The B’nei Menashe identify themselves as descendants of the tribe of Manasseh, with oral traditions suggesting their ancestors migrated eastward through regions such as Persia and Afghanistan before settling in present-day Northeast India.
Their journey toward Judaism, however, took a more recent and unusual path. Influenced by 19th-century Christian missionary activity, sections of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo population began reinterpreting their identity. A pivotal moment came in 1951, when a Mizo spiritual leader, Challianthanga, claimed a divine vision linking his people to ancient Israelites. This sparked a gradual shift, and by the late 20th century, many had embraced Judaism with support from Israeli organisations such as Amishav.
Recognition from Israel came in 2005, when the Chief Rabbinate acknowledged the B’nei Menashe as the “Lost Seed of Israel,” despite inconclusive genetic evidence. Since then, migration has continued in phases, often after formal religious conversion. With renewed backing from the Israeli government and support from organisations facilitating resettlement, the latest arrival reflects both a continuation of that process and a deeply personal quest for belonging that spans generations.