Israel Approves Plan To Bring Indian Community Linked to Lost Jewish Tribe by 2030 By The Media Line Staff Israel has approved a national program that aims to complete the immigration of the Bnei Menashe community by the end of the decade, setting out a multi-stage plan that government officials say will reunite families long separated between […]
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The Media Line: Israel Approves Plan To Bring Indian Community Linked to Lost Jewish Tribe by 2030
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Israel Approves Plan To Bring Indian Community Linked to Lost Jewish Tribe by 2030
By The Media Line Staff
Israel has approved a national program that aims to complete the immigration of the Bnei Menashe community by the end of the decade, setting out a multi-stage plan that government officials say will reunite families long separated between Israel and northeastern India, Ynet reports.
The proposal, adopted on Sunday, outlines a timetable that brings roughly 1,200 people to Israel by the close of 2026 and then another 4,600 by 2030.
Officials say the first stage will rely on a 90-million-shekel budget that covers a broad package of services, including the conversion process, temporary housing in absorption centers, language instruction and assistance with job placement and education. The ministries involved have coordinated the effort to ensure that new arrivals receive support through the early stages of resettlement. A second, larger wave is expected to complete the aliyah of the community.
The Bnei Menashe trace their identity to the biblical Tribe of Manasseh, and around 5,500 members have already immigrated over the years, many through the work of Shavei Israel. A government delegation representing state agencies and the Chief Rabbinate is scheduled to travel to India in the coming week to review eligibility under established procedures. Once approved by the Sephardi chief rabbi, immigrants will enter Israel with A/5 temporary residency visas under the framework set in 2007 for organized group conversions.
Most of the newcomers are expected to settle in Nof Hagalil and neighboring northern cities. The plan involves multiple ministries, including finance, justice, foreign affairs, housing, energy, culture, science, environmental protection and diaspora affairs, working in coordination with Minister Ze’ev Elkin, who directs the northern rehabilitation initiative.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the move as “important and Zionist,” saying the influx will help strengthen the Galilee and support broader efforts to bolster Israel’s northern communities. He thanked government staff, Nof Hagalil Mayor Ronen Plot and the officials who worked on the proposal.
Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer said the program would allow the community to arrive over the next several years, noting parallel increases in immigration from other Jewish populations.