The State of Israel has launched a major government-led initiative to complete the aliyah and family reunification of the Bnei Menashe community, marking a shift from privately run efforts to full state responsibility.
The project, known as Operation Kanfei Shahar (Wings of Dawn), is being coordinated by the Aliyah and Integration Ministry in partnership with the Jewish Agency, the Chief Rabbinate, the conversion system (Ma’arach Hagiyur), and multiple government ministries.
The Bnei Menashe, a community from the northeastern Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram, trace their ancestry to the biblical tribe of Menashe, one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Though practicing Judaism for generations, they remained geographically isolated, and many community members have only recently begun to make aliyah.
Today, roughly 5,000 Bnei Menashe live in Israel, primarily in northern towns such as Kiryat Yam and Nof Hagalil, with thousands more still in India. The current initiative focuses on reuniting family members – spouses, children, and parents – after years of separation.
Moshe Pines, the ministry’s deputy director-general, said the initiative reflects a fundamental change in state policy and represents a major state effort to support the Bnei Menashe community.
“The state entered into the understanding that responsibility must be in the hands of the government and not in the hands of individuals,” he said.
He emphasized that family unity lies at the heart of the program. “The story of family unity is a critical, important, significant thing in this story.”
According to Pines, the murder of Yoel Lehngal, an 18-year-old from the Bnei Menashe community who was stabbed to death during a fight at a party in Kiryat Shmona, marked a turning point. The tragedy prompted the state to take greater responsibility and to strengthen efforts to improve both the image and standing of the Bnei Menashe community within Israeli society.
Roughly 6,000 Bnei Menashe olim to arrive by 2030
The program is structured in two annual waves of 600 olim, with the goal of completing the aliyah of roughly 6,000 people by 2030. New immigrants spend their first six months in absorption centers in Kiryat Yam and Nof Hagalil, where they have Hebrew classes, undergo formal conversion where required, and prepare for life in Israel.
Under the government-led effort, Bnei Menashe families receive comprehensive support to facilitate their integration, Pines said. Each family is eligible for a monthly housing subsidy of NIS 2,000 for two years, along with personalized guidance from ministry staff, social workers, and community mentors. Families are encouraged to chart their own paths, whether through education, employment, or leadership, with ongoing assistance to ensure long-term success.
Access to higher education and scholarships has expanded, with the number of Bnei Menashe students nearly doubling in recent years. Professional opportunities have also grown through state-supported recruitment tracks, while children and adolescents participate in specialized educational and recreational programs.
Educator training and cultural recognition initiatives aim to promote broader understanding of the community’s heritage and support its full inclusion in Israeli society.
Pines stressed that the initiative is not only about reunifying families but also about strengthening the community’s standing and ensuring full recognition of the Bnei Menashe as part of the Jewish people. As a result, families long separated have begun to reunite, while expanded access to education, employment, and social services is opening new opportunities for integration and advancement.
Rabbi David Lhungdim, a Bnei Menashe community leader in Sderot, accompanied the first government delegation to India in December 2025 as an emissary and interpreter. The delegations verify family connections, prepare candidates for conversion, and coordinate logistics. A second mission is planned for 2026 to finalize the remaining list of candidates.
“Thank God, everything was very good, and it is very moving,” Lhungdim said.
During the visit, he reunited with his brother, his only sibling still living in India, whom he had not seen for many years since making aliyah.
He described the hardships faced by families under previous privately managed aliyah efforts, including fathers left behind in India while their wives and children immigrated without them.
One particularly heartbreaking case involved a family in Beit She’an in which only the mother and children were able to make aliyah, while the father remained in India for a decade. Tragically, the mother died two years ago, and although the father has since immigrated to Israel, he never saw his wife again.
Lhungdim explained that the aliyah and conversion process also carries profound religious and legal significance. Although the Bnei Menashe are already considered Jews and their heritage is documented, a full conversion provides indisputable verification of their Jewish status. Because many traditions and practices were lost over their 2,700-year history, the process ensures the continuity and legality of their Jewish identity for future generations.
“In the Talmud it is written that the conversion of the Ten Tribes is important for everything,” he said. “In other words, if at the end of days they return to Israel, they will have to do a full conversion.
“Even though they are already considered Jews, and there is proof, it is to give them full proof so that people cannot claim that it is not legal.”
Another Bnei Menashe man told a lawyer accompanying the delegation why aliyah mattered so deeply to him. “First of all, this is our fatherland, the Land of Israel. I want to follow the Torah as it should be,” he said, before breaking down in tears. “But the second thing is that I haven’t seen my family for 10 years.”
Degel Menashe’s efforts in India
Alongside the government-led initiative, the nonprofit Degel Menashe has played an important role in supporting the Bnei Menashe community still living in India. Founded in 2019, the organization focuses primarily on youth education and humanitarian assistance, particularly for families affected by displacement.
Following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur on May 3, 2023, which forced many families from their homes, Degel Menashe helped to establish Kibbutz Maoz Tzur, a small communal settlement in the town of Lamka, providing shelter and stability for displaced families awaiting aliyah.
Today, the kibbutz is home to more than 100 people across 21 families. It includes a school serving around 60 students with four full-time teachers, as well as a synagogue. Residents engage in basic farming and other work, making the community largely self-sustaining, with Degel Menashe assisting in building homes, while also providing educational guidance and logistical support.
In addition to humanitarian aid, the organization also advocates for aliyah, assisting both community members and government officials to facilitate the Bnei Menashe’s return to Israel. Isaac Thangjom, Degel Menashe’s project director, noted that while the nonprofit is not officially part of government delegations, it participates in its lobbying efforts. He emphasized that the organization is deeply committed to supporting the community in every way possible.
“Our contribution may not be on a large scale,” Thangjom said, “but we do whatever we can at our level.”