- 250 Bnei Menashe members arrived in Israel under ‘Operation Wings of Dawn’.
- This initiative aims to bring around 1,200 more by year-end.
- The community claims descent from an ancient Israelite tribe.
Around 250 members of the Bnei Menashe community from India’s northeast have arrived in Israel, becoming the first group from the community to do so under Israel’s latest relocation initiative. Many more are expected to follow in the coming weeks.
Israel has brought in 240 immigrants from the Bnei Menashe community from northern India, the first arrivals under a new Israeli government plan to bring in thousands more immigrants. pic.twitter.com/KBgX2ajYu5
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) April 24, 2026
Their arrival in Tel Aviv is part of Israel’s broader effort to bring the Jewish community to the country under ‘Operation Wings of Dawn’, announced in November 2025.
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According to a Jerusalem Post report, while 250 members have already arrived, around 1,200 more are expected to reach Israel by the end of this year.
Who Are The Bnei Menashe?
The Bnei Menashe are a Jewish community residing largely in Manipur and Mizoram in India’s northeast.
The community claims descent from the Menashe tribe, one of the 10 tribes said to have been exiled around 2,800 years ago.
According to a New York Times report, around 10,000 members of the community live in India’s northeast and continue to teach their children about their religion and ancestral journey from the ancient Middle East across Asia.
“We have good faith in the Israeli government. They promised that all the B’nei Menashe will go to Israel by 2030,” community member Shimon Ngamthenlal told the publication.
Historical Journey And Religious Identity
The Bnei Menashe community is believed to have moved through Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet and China while continuing to follow Jewish practices.
Missionaries later converted many of them to Christianity in India. According to PTI, members moving to Israel must reconvert in order to qualify for citizenship.
Since the 1990s, nearly half the community has immigrated to Israel, while around 6,000 remain in India awaiting relocation.
Why Israel Is Bringing Them
In 2025, the Israeli government launched ‘Operation Wings of Dawn’ to facilitate the immigration of the remaining members of the community.
The programme is estimated to cost around $30 million and includes flights, conversion classes, housing, Hebrew lessons and other benefits.
According to the New York Times, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu views the initiative as “an important and Zionist decision that will also strengthen the North and Galilee” regions of Israel.
Religious Motivation Among Community Members
Members of the Bnei Menashe say faith remains central to their desire to relocate.
“We follow Judaism, and here we cannot follow all our customs,” Benjamin Haokip, a member of the community in Manipur, told the New York Times. “We want to go to Israel for our religion,” he said.
More Flights Planned
Operation ‘Wings of Dawn’ is a joint initiative of Israel’s Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Jewish Agency for Israel.
According to PTI, two additional flights carrying Bnei Menashe members are scheduled over the next two weeks.
Red Carpet Welcome In Tel Aviv
The new arrivals were welcomed in Tel Aviv with celebrations as community members already in Israel cheered their arrival. The group walked down a red carpet dressed in traditional attire.
“We are making history as we bring the entire Bnei Menashe community to Israel… There is no more fitting and moving time to welcome a plane full of olim than right after the State’s 78th Independence Day. Welcome home,” Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer said, according to the Jerusalem Post.
‘Aliyah’ refers to the immigration of Jewish people to Israel, while those making the move are known as ‘Olim’.
