Social Geography
B’nei Menashe Community
- Context: Around 250 members of the B’nei Menashe community from Manipur and Mizoram arrived in Tel Aviv
- They claim ancestry from one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel
About B’nei Menashe
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- Belong to the Mizo and Kuki tribal groups in Northeast India
- Identify themselves as descendants of the Tribe of Manasseh from Jewish tradition
- According to tradition, the Tribe of Manasseh was exiled after the Assyrian conquest of Israel
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- Their migration narrative suggests movement through Persia and Afghanistan before reaching Northeast India
- The B’nei Menashe represent a unique blend of cultural, religious, and historical identity
- Their story highlights the intersection of tradition, migration, and belief systems
