A group of 250 Bnei Menashe Indians arrived in Tel Aviv, being welcomed with traditional ceremonies. They claim to be descendants of a biblical tribe.

A group of 250 Bnei Menashe Indians arrived in Tel Aviv as part of an operation organized by the Israeli authorities to allow them to settle in Israel. They were welcomed with the song 'Evenou shalom alechem' and passed under an arch of blue and white balloons, symbolizing the Israeli flag.

These are the first members of the Bnei Menashe community to arrive in Israel after the government decided to fund the immigration of approximately 4,600 people from this community in the state of Manipur, India. Israeli Minister of Immigration, Ofir Sofer, stated that this is a historic moment, marking the beginning of an immigration operation for the entire community.

Bnei Menashe consider themselves descendants of Manasseh, one of the 12 tribes of Israel, deported following the Assyrian invasion in 720 B.C. Although they have preserved certain Jewish rituals, they are not recognized as Jews by the official rabbinate in Israel. Currently, they will settle in northern Israel and will have to undergo a conversion process to obtain Israeli nationality.

The Bnei Menashe community has suffered due to conflicts in Manipur, where villages and synagogues have been destroyed. Since the beginning of 2025, Israel has received over 18,000 Jewish immigrants, a decrease compared to the previous year.