New Delhi, April 25: The first batch of 240 members of the Bnei Menashe Jewish community from India’s northeastern states of Manipur and Mizoram landed in Israel under a special immigration initiative known as “Operation Wings of Dawn.”
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| Members of the Bnei Menashe community from Manipur and Mizoram celebrate after landing in Israel under “Operation Wings of Dawn,” waving Israeli flags at a welcome event following their arrival. |
The group landed late Thursday night at Ben Gurion Airport, where they were welcomed by officials and members of the community. Israel’s Minister for Aliyah and Integration, Ofir Sofer, was present to receive the newcomers.
At around 10 p.m., the immigrants, tired from the long journey, passed under an arch of blue-and-white balloons and walked along a red carpet laid out at Terminal 1. Well-wishers cheered and waved small Israeli flags as a rendition of “Oseh Shalom” played through loudspeakers.
Many of the men were seen wearing knitted kippahs or traditional hats, while married women wore head coverings in accordance with Orthodox Jewish customs.
The Bnei Menashe community claims descent from the biblical tribe of Manasseh, one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Most members of the community currently reside in India’s northeastern states of Manipur and Mizoram.
Their relocation forms part of a government-backed plan approved in November 2025 to bring the remaining members of the Bnei Menashe community to Israel by 2030. Under the initiative, about 6,000 community members are expected to be relocated in phases.
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The latest group marks the first of several batches planned under the programme. According to the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, around 1,200 people are expected to be flown to Israel during 2026, with two additional flights scheduled in the coming weeks.
The organisation Shavei Israel, which has facilitated the community’s immigration process, said that around 4,000 Bnei Menashe have already settled in Israel since the 1990s, while approximately 7,000 still live in India.
