The Bnei Menashe claim their Israelite origin from the time when the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 8th century BCE. They believe their ancestors were banished and forced to flee and their path took them through Afghanistan and the KhyberPass, on through the Hindu Kush and Tibet to China and Southeast Asia. Finally they found a home in the area that now lies in two Indian states and three countries – Manipur, Mizoram, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The Bnei Menashe have waged a heroic, almost century-long struggle to practise Judaism and be recognized as Jews. Their efforts have borne fruit. The chief rabbi of Israel has issued a call to ‘rescue’ this
community and bring it to Israel. To date, over 2,000 Bnei Menashe have been resettled in Israel after being formally converted to Judaism. They join the 1,00,000 Indian Jews living in Israel, leaving less than 10,000 Jews in India, the majority of whom are now Bnei Menashe.