Bnei Menashe Indian community celebrates Passover
The Bnei Menashe community throughout the remote northeastern Indian state of Manipur and Mizoram prepared for Passover by baking matzah, the holiday’s traditional unleavened bread.
According to Shavei Israel, a Jerusalem-based nonprofit organization lobbying for 20-plus years for the Aliyah of the Bnei Menashe, the community practiced a Biblical form of Judaism down through the generations and into the last century, and marked Passover with a number of rituals, which included the removal of any bread from their homes and refraining from its consumption during the holiday as well as offering the Passover sacrifice.
In addition, each village priest would recite a series of ancient prayers, such as “Miriam’s Song,” which echoed the Biblical account of the Exodus and its aftermath, describing how their ancestors – the Bnei Menashe – were redeemed from slavery in Egypt, crossed the Red Sea and were guided by a pillar of fire and clouds of glory until they reached Zion. In recent decades, the Bnei Menashe have embraced contemporary Judaism and adopted its practices.
“Passover symbolizes the Jewish people’s deliverance, and it is a festival that resonates deeply for the Bnei Menashe,” said Shavei Israel Founder and Chairman Michael Freund. “In the far-flung regions of northeastern India, thousands of Bnei Menashe will sit down on Passover eve to conduct the traditional Seder, which embodies the hope they have been nurturing for generations: to make Aliyah and return to the land of their ancestors, the Land of Israel.”
The Bnei Menashe, or sons of Manasseh, claim descent from one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, who were sent into exile by the Assyrian Empire more than 27 centuries ago. Their ancestors wandered through Central Asia and the Far East for centuries, before settling in what is now northeastern India, along the borders of Burma and Bangladesh. Throughout their sojourn in exile, the Bnei Menashe continued to practice Judaism just as their ancestors did, including observing the Shabbat, keeping kosher, celebrating the festivals and following the laws of family purity. Down through the generations, they nourished the dream of one day returning to the land of their ancestors, the Land of Israel.
Thus far, Shavei Israel has made the dream of Aliyah (immigration to Israel) possible for over 5,000 Bnei Menashe and plans to help bring more members of the community to Israel. Currently, there are 5,000 Bnei Menashe awaiting their return to the Jewish homeland.
For more information visit www.shavei.org