Published On 4/24/2026
The New York Times reviewed the story of a “lost tribe in India” called the Bnei Menashe, which began its migration to Israel several decades ago due to its belief that it was descended from ancient Israeli origins. A number of members of the tribe ended up in settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
According to the newspaper, the number of members of the Bnei Menashe tribe is about 10,000 people who live mainly in the states of Manipur and Mizoram in northeastern India, and nearly half of them have already moved to Israel during the past three decades.
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Members of this tribe believe that they are descendants of the biblical tribe of Manasseh, who was exiled about 2,800 years ago. Although the historical and genetic evidence for this claim is limited, their religious conviction remains firm, according to the newspaper.
The report highlights the extent of the influence of faith in shaping the identity and aspirations of the Bnei Menashe. In a remote kibbutz near the border with Myanmar, a number of tribe members devote their lives to the study of Judaism, mixing local Southeast Asian customs with Jewish religious practices.
Israeli pledge
The Israeli government has pledged to move all members of the tribe to Israel by 2030, as many of them believe, according to The New York Times, that this migration is not just a geographical relocation, but a “spiritual return” to the homeland.
Some of the first immigrants from the tribe settled in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, before the disengagement from the Strip in 2005.
This process has accelerated in recent years. Under an initiative known as “Wings of Dawn,” Israel plans to airlift hundreds of additional Bnei Menashe residents via New Delhi to Tel Aviv.
The Israeli government has also committed to facilitating the migration of the remaining thousands, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing this step as an “important and Zionist decision” that will also contribute to strengthening regions such as northern Israel and the Galilee.
Some of the first immigrants from the Beni Menashe tribe settled in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, before the disengagement from the Strip in 2005.
Religion and other things
The report indicates that Israel’s reception of Beni Menashe is not motivated only by religious or ideological considerations, but also by practical motives. The country’s labor market has been damaged by the ongoing wars since the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7, 2023, which led to disruption in employment patterns and a decline in the numbers of Palestinian and foreign workers inside Israel. Newcomers from Bnei Menashe often work in the construction, factory and transportation sectors, which helps fill these gaps.
As for the tribe members, they confirm that the religious motive is the most important for them because fully practicing Judaism in India is difficult due to the lack of resources, weak societal structure, and isolation.
In the 1970s, Israeli researchers noticed similarities between some Kuki traditions and Jewish practices, reviving the idea of their belonging to ancient Israeli origins.
From Christianity to Judaism
The report also reviews the complex historical and cultural background of Beni Menashe. They are classified as part of the Kuki ethnic group in India, speak languages belonging to the Tibeto-Burmese language family, and are generally believed to have origins in East Asia.
Most Kuki converted to Christianity in the early twentieth century under the influence of missionaries. But in the 1970s, Israeli researchers noticed similarities between some Kuki traditions and Jewish practices, reviving the idea of their belonging to ancient Israeli origins. Since then, oral narratives, songs and rituals have reinforced this belief within the community.
But the trip to Israel is not without challenges. The transition from a rural, agricultural life in India to Israel is not easy due to language barriers and the constraints of economic adjustment and cultural integration.
Moreover, the violent ethnic conflict between the Kuki and the Meitei in Manipur since 2023 has displaced many Bene Menashe families and made movement within the state dangerous. For some, immigration to Israel represents not only the fulfillment of a religious ambition, but also an escape from instability and violence.
