Approximately 200 people from all over Israel attended the grand opening of the Bnei Menashe Gallery exhibition, followed by a seudat hodaya (thanksgiving meal) at the Alfei Menashe Synagogue in central Sderot in a showcase of the community’s rich culture and heritage.
The exhibition featured historical manuscripts tracing the early connection of the Bnei Menashe to world Jewry; artifacts and traditional garments reflecting the community’s cultural identity; and rare photographs documenting the community’s aliyah (immigration) and integration into Israeli society. An AI-animated film relating the story of the Bnei Menashe was also shown.
Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the Alfei Menashe Synagogue in Sderot and meeting with its spiritual leader, Rabbi David Lhungdim, and community member Asher Misao.
I did not know much about the Bnei Menashe prior to my visit, so I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about it and to meet some of the community members. I was welcomed warmly and shown around the gallery, synagogue, and kollel, where people of all ages come together to learn, pray, and socialize.
Part of the Kuki-Mizo ethnic group, the Bnei Menashe community is comprised of roughly 10,000 people who come from the Manipur and Mizoram states in India. They are believed to descend from the tribe of Menashe, one of Israel’s 10 lost tribes. Many of the community members made aliyah over 40 years ago, while others continue to immigrate to Israel, moving to communities throughout the country, such as Hebron and throughout the West Bank.
As this is a small population that is not well known, many people are curious about the origins of the Bnei Menashe and how they came to Israel. Rabbi Lhungdim, realizing the need to educate others about the community so that Bnei Menashe members could integrate into Israeli society, started a small community in Sderot.
The first Bnei Menashe synagogue in Israel
The first Bnei Menashe synagogue in Israel – Alfei Menashe – was inaugurated on Feb. 20, 2015. After many years of waiting, the Bnei Menashe community in Sderot finally had a place of their own.
Today, Alfei Menashe has about 13-15 avrechim (yeshiva students) who study in its kollel (institute for advanced Torah study) and plan to become rabbis. Originally, the synagogue was located slightly outside the center of Sderot in a building given to them by Rabbi Aryeh Gamliel, a former MK.
However, shortly Yom Kippur of 2023, Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi contacted Rabbi Lhungdim and fulfilled an earlier promise by giving the community a new venue for the synagogue in central Sderot.
The community was given the ground floor of a new building, which was divided into three rooms. The largest room was converted into the synagogue, and the bomb shelter was turned into a kollel named Ohel Rachel. The third room was converted into a gallery, an initiative by Rabbi Lhungdim to teach people more about the Bnei Menashe community.
By a miraculous twist of fate, the synagogue officially relocated a few weeks before Oct. 7, 2023. As a result, community members were spared from harm, as they narrowly avoided being in the synagogue’s old location, close to one of the main attack sites where many people were killed by Hamas terrorists.
Speaking about the success of the exhibition, Misao emphasized the importance of supporting his community and educating others more about the Bnei Menashe. He said that the gallery and museum also aim to educate the younger generations of the Bnei Menashe, as many of them made aliyah at a young age or were born and raised in Israel, so they don’t know their history.
Originally from New Delhi, Misao came to Israel in 2020 and was a student at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem before making aliyah two years ago and moving to Ashkelon. He said that people often ask him about his story, background, and history. “They often ask me: ‘How come after all these centuries, you can say that you belong to the tribe of Menashe? How are you related to Judaism?’”
He described the challenges of responding to those questions: “I have to rely on different sources from my elders and family members, which at times isn’t accurate. This is why Rabbi Lhungdim decided to do research, write a book, and open the gallery.”
The Bnei Menashe community invites the public to visit their gallery and check out their website – www.shivteimenashe.org/ – where they can read the weekly newsletter to learn more about the history of the Bnei Menashe and their connection to the Jewish people.
Rabbi Lhungdim wrote a book titled Menashe – Manmasi, The Lost Tribe of Israel, which details the documented research and provides in-depth history about the Bnei Menashe community. The book is being updated; a revised edition will be published soon.
