ID :
30615
Mon, 11/17/2008 - 10:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/30615
The shortlink copeid
Israel to roll out red carpet for 200 Indian Jews
Harinder Mishra
Jerusalem, Nov 16 (PTI) Some 200 members of a north-eastern Indian community would be reuniting with their families in Israel soon where a red carpet welcome awaits them.
The members of Bnei Menashe community, which lives in
Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram and claim to be one of
the lost tribes of Judaism, will be immigrating to Israel
after the government here has approved their request.
The members are drawn from fifteen extended families
some of whose kins have immigrated to Israel in the past. The
new immigrants will arrive in Israel from India in January by
a special flight and will be received by Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert in a festive ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport here,
sources in the P.M. office said.
The Israeli government, especially Interior Minister
Meir Sheetrit, had been opposing their immigration to Israel
for last three years, saying their "Jewishness was not
certain".
Sheetrit, however, relented following a request from
Cabinet secretary Ovad Yehezkel and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
and decided to allow the group to immigrate.
Arrangements for the immigration would be made by the
Shavei Israel organisation.
Shavei Israel Chairman, Michael Freund, had recently
approached the Prime Minister and requested for special
permission to let 23 Bnei Menashe families to make 'aliyah'
(immigration of Jews to Israel).
"The new immigrants will most likely settle in the
Galilee, whose lush landscape and pastoral setting resemble
the land of their birth," Freund said.
Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Shlomo Amar, has ruled
that the Bnei Menashe are of Jewish ancestry but must undergo
full conversion to return to the Judaism.
Some 1,500 members of the group have already
immigrated and acquired Israeli citizenship after undergoing
formal conversion, but another 7,000 are waiting for Israel
government's permission to immigrate.
The Bnei Menashe community practices Judaism and claim
to be descendants of the tribe of Menashe, which was one of
the 10 lost tribes of the kingdom of Israel and was exiled to
Assyria in 8th century BC. PTI CORR
Jerusalem, Nov 16 (PTI) Some 200 members of a north-eastern Indian community would be reuniting with their families in Israel soon where a red carpet welcome awaits them.
The members of Bnei Menashe community, which lives in
Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram and claim to be one of
the lost tribes of Judaism, will be immigrating to Israel
after the government here has approved their request.
The members are drawn from fifteen extended families
some of whose kins have immigrated to Israel in the past. The
new immigrants will arrive in Israel from India in January by
a special flight and will be received by Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert in a festive ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport here,
sources in the P.M. office said.
The Israeli government, especially Interior Minister
Meir Sheetrit, had been opposing their immigration to Israel
for last three years, saying their "Jewishness was not
certain".
Sheetrit, however, relented following a request from
Cabinet secretary Ovad Yehezkel and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
and decided to allow the group to immigrate.
Arrangements for the immigration would be made by the
Shavei Israel organisation.
Shavei Israel Chairman, Michael Freund, had recently
approached the Prime Minister and requested for special
permission to let 23 Bnei Menashe families to make 'aliyah'
(immigration of Jews to Israel).
"The new immigrants will most likely settle in the
Galilee, whose lush landscape and pastoral setting resemble
the land of their birth," Freund said.
Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Shlomo Amar, has ruled
that the Bnei Menashe are of Jewish ancestry but must undergo
full conversion to return to the Judaism.
Some 1,500 members of the group have already
immigrated and acquired Israeli citizenship after undergoing
formal conversion, but another 7,000 are waiting for Israel
government's permission to immigrate.
The Bnei Menashe community practices Judaism and claim
to be descendants of the tribe of Menashe, which was one of
the 10 lost tribes of the kingdom of Israel and was exiled to
Assyria in 8th century BC. PTI CORR
