Posted on 04/20/2004 3:41:44 PM PDT by yonif
The city of Imphal, capital of the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, is now home to a new Jewish educational center geared to the needs of the local community of Bnei Menashe, a group claiming descent from a lost tribe of Israel.
The center, which will offer daily classes in Hebrew language, Jewish history and tradition, is slated to open this week under the auspices of the Jerusalem-based Amishav organization. Amishav reaches out to and assists lost Jews, including Anusim (Marranos) of Spanish and Portuguese descent, seeking to return to the Jewish people. The organization recently dispatched a young couple from Israel, Chaim Yaish and his wife Zamira, herself a member of the Bnei Menashe, to open and teach in the new center. Yaish has previously done outreach work in India on behalf of several Israeli organizations.
"Our goal in opening the Amishav Hebrew Center in Imphal," said Amishav Director Michael Freund, "is to help the Bnei Menashe to deepen their knowledge of Jewish practice and belief, as well as to prepare them for life in Israel, as they all wish to make aliyah [immigration to Israel]. There are at least 4,000 Bnei Menashe living in the state of Manipur alone, and we must reach out to them and restore them to our people." Eighteen months ago, Amishav opened a similar center in the neighboring Indian state of Mizoram, where over 350 Bnei Menashe now study daily.
The Bnei Menashe, who number more than 6,000 people, believe they are descendants of the tribe of Menashe, one of the Ten Lost Tribes exiled from the Land of Israel by the Assyrians over 2,700 years ago. Some 800 members of the community have arrived over the past decade in Israel, where they have all undergone a formal return to Judaism via conversion by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. Since June of last year, however, Interior Minister Avraham Poraz (Shinui) has refused to allow additional members of the Bnei Menashe to make aliyah, reportedly because they live an observant Jewish lifestyle and are welcomed almost exclusively in Yesha communities.
Freund, however, remains undeterred, and says he will press on with his efforts to bring the Bnei Menashe back to Israel. "Ministers come and ministers go," he said, "but the ingathering of the exiles will continue."
What does that mean?
Simple, they converted to Judiasm. I'm not sure of the credibility of the comments regarding the Interior Minister.
It means they are unlikely to ever vote for Shinui.
For those who are interested, an interesting thread on the thoughts of the Democratic faithful.
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