B'nei Menashe Photo Exhibit at Hebrew University

The exhibition at Hebrew University's Givat Ram Campus.

(December 6, 2024) An exhibition of the Bnei Menashe photos by Dorit Lombroso in memory of the two slain Bnei Menashe soldiers was held on the 4th December at Hebrew University. It was specially dedicated to Geri Gideon Hanghal who was tragically killed when a truck driven by a terrorist rammed into his outpost in northern Samaria and Gary Zolat, who was killed in combat in Gaza, recently last month. It was an initiative taken and sponsored by the IJHC and Degel Menashe to bring about awareness of the community and its place in Israel. It may be noted that several Bnei Menashe youths are serving their mandatory service as well as those called up for reserve duty. Most of them are serving in combat units. For most, if not all, it is a bounden duty and a badge of honor to serve in the IDF and defend Israel. The community is about 5,000 strong here in Israel and a similar

number waiting to come home to Israel from India. As per sources, the matter is being pursued and only a matter of time before it is implemented soon. Apparently, this time the government will be solely be responsible for carrying out this operation. It has been  determined that no private organization will be put in charge, as had been the practice the last 20-odd years.

Dorit Lombroso is an artistè extraordinaire, a photographer of immense talent and eye for details that can be seen in her exquisite photos. She divides her time between her homes, one in Caesarea and the other one in Los Angeles. She learnt about the Bnei Menashe from her younger daughter who had served with a Bnei Menashe boy in the same unit. She eventually tracked down Degel Menashe's executive director, Yitzhak Thangjom and his wife, Jessica, and that culminated into these photographs displayed at the exhibition. After the meeting that took place sometime in 2018, Dorit decided to make a trip to what is now the erstwhile state of Manipur on an expedition to photograph the Bnei Menashe in their traditional surroundings. She stayed and lived with the community for month learning about them and

Chairman of the IJCH, Rafi Bhonkar, speaking at the event.

assiduously documenting their lives through her lens, literally. Though this is not the first time these photographs have been exhibited but it had certainly has garnered the attention it deserves. Earlier the photos have been seen at Albuquerque, Los Angeles and a year-long display at the Diaspora Museum, ANU. Riding on the crest of this success, the IJHC chairman, Rafi Bhonkar, is planning a bigger event early next year in 2025. Dates will be determined and announced very soon. 

Hillel Halkin and Reuven Gal.

The exhibition took place at the Harman Science Library at Hebrew University's Givat Ram campus. Degel Menashe was represented by its chairman, Hillel Halkin, board members, Reuven Gal and Rivka Lunkhel as well as the executive director, Yitzhak Thangjom. The gathering began at 4 pm while guests looked at the photos on display. The program began punctually a half an hour later. The opening talks were given by the director of the library, Tamar Bloemendal-Link and greetings by Prof. Malka Rapaport. That was followed by a discourse of the voyage of the Bnei Menashe through time and space, eloquently, by Degel Menashe's chairman, Hillel Halkin. One of the guests remarked that this story ought to be heard at the Knesset as told by him. The India Embassy sent the Director of the Indian Cultural Center, Ms Sayali Mhetre and two officers as its representatives. Readers might be interested to know that Halkin and Yitzhak Thangjom has written two books together on the subject of the Bnei Menashe. The first one, Across the Sabbath River, written and released in 2002 and lately, Lives of the Children of Manasia, in 2022. For those interested the second book is available on Amazon and the publisher's site at Geffen. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the first. It is most likely out of print. Next, Rafi Bhonkar, chairman of the IJHC, took

Participants pose for group photo.

everyone on a journey through history, covering the four main Jewish communities of India, the Bnei Israel, Baghdadis, Cochinis and the Bnei Menashe. The Bnei Israel are mainly from western India around the Konkan coast who are the largest demographically among all Jewish groups. The Baghdadis, who came to trade in 18th century, live in Mumbai and Kolkota. The Cochinis are from southern India and finally, the Bnei Menashe who hail from northeast India's states of Mizoram and the erstwhile Manipur. Manipur, sadly, is in a state of turmoil

Chen Dor, Ministry's representative, extreme right and Shmulik and Milka Zailer, on the right.

since the outbreak of an ethnic cleansing which has seen several Bnei Menashe displaced from the valley. Degel Menashe has established Kibbutz Maoz Tzur to shelter them.

Among those who attended was a representative from the Ministry of Aliya & Absorption, Chen Dor. She serves as the head of department in the Ministry which deals with matters including the Bnei Menashe. Degel Menashe has met with her and the Deputy Director-General, Moshe Pines, on several occasions. Several discussions and plans have taken place to tackle the aliya and subsequent successful absorption of the community which has, dismally, not been the case in the last 20-odd years when a private organization was involved. Many lessons have been learnt from past mistakes that had been committed in those past years. It is heartening to learn that the Ministry is determined not to repeat them. Degel Menashe is very pleased to see old friends like Milka and Shmulik Zailer, who have been a long-time and a steadfast supporter of its various initiatives, to participate in this event.

Degel Menashe sends its thanks to the Hebrew University, the Indian Embassy, IJHC and all who participated in this exhibition.

The Blessing of Miriam Comes to Ma'oz Tzur: Residents Exult

Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur children take joy in water coming to their homes.

(November 29, 2024) Finally there is an abundance of water at Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur. Ever since last Sukkot when about four families moved into Ma'oz Tsur, the 200-acre property had nothing, not even a name. These were desperate people whose lives and homes had been destroyed in the valley where the Meitei supremacists carried out their ugly and atrocious ethnic cleansing, hunting down members of the Kuki (of which the B'nei Menashe belong to) tribe like animals. There were harrowing stories of families who spent days in the jungle with children, infants with nothing to eat except for wild berries and jungle herbs, until finally, they found relative safety in Lamka and Kanggui where the Kukis resides and are a majority. Ma'oz Tzur is situated in Lamka, about a 10 minute drive from the town. It is situated in an area called Suongpi (great rock, in Kuki) on a property owned by Lalam Hangshing, who also serves as the chairman of the apex B'nei Menashe body, BMC(I). He made it available to the displaced B'nei Menashe who fled the Imphal valley in the wake of the violence that began on 3rd May 2023. It started to take shape when more desperate families with nowhere to go started to join and their number doubled by December 2023. It was Hannukah when it was decided to give it a name and turn it into B'nei Menashe Jewish village with the blessings and approval of Lalam, the BMC chairman and Hillel, chairman of Degel Menashe. Thus was born Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur, keeping in the spirit of Hannukah and Jewish resilience.

Pipes procured to bring water home.

Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur had electricity soon after its establishment but water was, relatively, not a priority since there were several monsoon-fed streams and rivulets running into it. However, they had to be fetched by containers and carried to the houses which was on a higher level. This meant that a lot of time had to be invested in it with children often participating and helping out at the cost of their study hours. Something had to be done. The executive director of Degel Menashe, Isaac Thangjom, visited and surveyed Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur in early April this year with a team consisting of residents and followed the largest rivulet, upstream, from the east to the higher reaches in the west. A source was found where there was a pool of water with a steady stream of water, even during the driest month which fell during the visit. The pre-monsoons had not begun yet. It was determined that it must be perennial and hence a dependable source. Plans were afoot to lay a pipe which will bring water to the settlement.

The first stream of water into Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur.

Funds had to be raised to buy the pipes and it has never been an easy job. The task to do that fell on Jessica, wife of the executive director, who began to reach out to donors, especially members of the community in Israel. Because of the monsoon rain in the region, work could not begin until after it had ceased. So it was put on a stand-by until the last drops of rain fell in the last week of October. The drive began in early November and the response was overwhelming. The funds were dispatched by the third week of November. Procurement and fitting began. Our newsletter was told that all the residents of Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur, regardless of age, took part in the project under the leadership of elders Reuven and Yitzhak. Laying of the 2.5 kilometer long pipe was completed in two days! One resident even said the water is gushing with great pressure. Now, that being the first phase, there is a need to prepare for the future and management will be a key factor. There are plans to build a kind of a reservoir in the vicinity of the settlement. And more importantly, a kind of a catchment will have to be devised at the source of the water to ensure there will be enough water even during the driest of months. Besides domestic purposes, the availability of water will promote agriculture, children will have more time for their studies and for others myriad of convenience to be more productive. Elder Reuven says, "We have plenty of water now, more than we need but we must plan how this can make our livelihood grow. It is a moment of joy and a beginning of new possibilities".

Degel Menashe wishes to thank all our donors!

Below are file photos of how residents used to fetch water at Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur:

Children of Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur contribute by helping their parents.

A couple make an arduous climb to bring water home.

A HERO OF ISRAEL IS LAID TO REST

Gary Zolat's funeral at the Afula Military Cemetery

(October 14, 2024) Four IDF soldiers were killed when a shell feel on them while clearing an enemy encampment in Gaza on the Tuesday, 11th November 2024. One of them, Staff Sgt. Gary Lalhruaikima Zolat was a B'nei Menashe, 21, from Afula in Northern Israel. Along with him three others, Staff Sgt. Orr Katz,20, from Ma'ale Adumim, Staff Sgt. Nave Yair Asulin, 21, from Carmit and Staff Sgt. Ofir Eliyahu, 20, from Holon fell in the battle. They are all from the Kfir Brigade's Shimshon Battalion. According to reports, it is still being investigated whether it was an explosive device or an anti-tank missile.

Gary Zolat, a supreme sacrifice.

His parents Dagan and Shaked are devasted, his father recalls fondly that Gary had always wanted to be a soldier and serve his country, Israel, in the IDF. He was a popular kid in school as well as in the army beloved by all around him, he continues. "I last spoke to him on Sunday night when he said his leg hurt but he was ready to take the call of duty whenever." Despite the apparent grief, he proudly says that he has four children and three of them are serving in the IDF. The youngest will serve when he comes of age, he says defiantly. They are from Kolasib, a town in northern state of Mizoram in north eastern India bordering Myanmar. Gary was on the verge of completing his mandatory military service when the tragedy unfolded. His father told our newsletter that he'd have gone on the serve in the IDF. While Israel is facing continuous attacks from Gaza, in the south and Hezbollah, in the north, several B'nei Menashe

The Zolat family in 2007, post aliya.

youths are serving in the IDF. The numbers are hard to estimate but it is safe to assume that their number exceeds the others in terms of their proportion to the general population.

The Zolat family came on an aliya to Israel in 2007 when Gary was barely 4 years old. They lived in an absorption center in Carmiel for a while, till shifting to Sderot, after a couple of years, while his parents looked for stable jobs to feed their growing family. It was in 2012 when they decided to move to Afula, their current residence, permanently. After all, there were a lot of Mizo speaking families who had moved there over the years. It was a mix of Gaza evacuees and new olim. There were old friends who lived there, they would feel right at home. It was a right decision, they have been living for over a decade now.

Family members grieve at the funeral.

A hero is laid to rest.

The funeral took place at the Afula Military Cemetery on the 12th of November at 03:30 pm. Among the attendees were the Minister of Aliya & Klita, Ofir Sopher and his deputy director-general, Moshe Pines. The Minister along with the mayor Avi Alkabetz and their commanders gave fitting eulogies to Gary. It was followed by the parents and other family members who poured out their grief and love in Mizo and ably translated by the community rabbi into Hebrew for the masses. The younger ones did not need it, though. It was a huge crowd that attended the funeral in hundreds. Fellow B'nei Menashe who travelled from all over Israel, local residents, many who did not know the family but came out to stand with the family in its time of grief, soldiers from the brigade and many others who were there. Shaked, Gary's mother, summed it all up, "Maker of heaven and the earth, You have given me a beloved son, for whatever it may be worth it was worth taking him away for this noble cause, Israel."

While the social media was filled with unprecedented show of sympathy and outpouring of grief, it may be noted that this is the second fatality the B'nei Menashe have faced (with three other wounded) since the war began last October. They have been covered comprehensively, interested readers may scroll back on our newsletter to read them. The chairman of apex B'nei Menashe body, BMC also sent out a letter of condolences. A screen capture is below: