(This is a special report from our educator, Asaf Renthlei, from Shlom Tzion synagogue, Mizoram, who was on a visit to Lamka where he was hosted by residents of Kibbutz Ma'oz Tzur's Summer Camp program. He participated in the camp teaching children and adults alike on basic Hebrew and Judaism amongst others. He extended his stay by another week, on popular demand, to teach participants. Degel Menashe conveys its sincere thanks to all teachers, volunteers and participant who made it a colossal success.)
(July 2, 2026) The second edition of the Hebrew Summer Camp under the aegis of Degel Menashe was conducted with great exhilaration in the southern district od Lamka. The camp, which was held in the lush bucolic environs of Kibbutz Maoz Tzur, the only entirely Jewish community in northeast India, extended from 21 June to 27 June 2026, and was attended by 75 campers from the Bnei Menashe community in Manipur. The campers were primarily from Kibbutz Maoz Tzur, as also from the nearby communities including Shivat Tzion in Lamka.
The thrust of this summer camp was intensive Hebrew classes that were intended to further amplify and complement the ongoing Hebrew educational program at the Rav Eliyahu Avichail Memorial School for a wider section of Bnei Menashe youth. The resource persons were Hebrew instructors from the ORT India educational program for the Bnei Menashe community: Mr. Shimon Thomsong and Mr. Asaf Renthlei, the latter of whom was delegated from the Mizoram chapter, traversing a 12 hour journey through constant monsoon rains along tortuous hill roads, interrupted by several checkpoint stops in Manipur by the local police and militia.
However, the campers from the other parts of Lamka did not have an easy journey despite being local to the district. First of all, they had to trek off road for over an hour, trudging through muddy paths and making their way past two villages before finally arriving at a rocky stream marking the outer bounds of the kibbutz. After carefully traversing the stream with their rucksacks on their backs, they had to proceed with a challenging uphill climb for about half an hour before they finally entered the camp site where they were assigned to their quarters and debriefed by the camp staff. Their eagerness to make friends with other campers, study together, and partake of the various events lined up for them throughout the week was palpable on their faces even after having made quite the adventurous trek on their way to the kibbutz.
The campers, evenly split between male and females, ranged in age from 4 to 23 year olds, and were classified into four sections based on their Hebrew proficiency. They learnt conversational phrases, practiced calligraphy, studied grammar, sang Hebrew songs, and conducted short dialogues in Hebrew with their fellow campers.
Apart from the language instruction, the campers were actively guided towards etiquette befitting an enlightened citizen: keeping their dormitories neat and tidy, ensuring the proper disposal of waste and food scraps, observing adequate personal hygiene, fulfilling responsibilities according to a roster, and decorum with fellow campers and camp staff. These values were reinforced at the end of the summer camp at the prize distribution ceremony that recognized outstanding conduct on these points. Similarly, apart from the acquisition of first position in the sporting events conducted throughout the summer camp, teamwork and sportsmanship were also awarded as separate achievements.
Ms. Jessica Thangjom, the Israel-based administrator of Kibbutz Maoz Tzur, enhanced the summer camp with captivating video conference sessions for the campers. These sessions encouraged the campers to give serious thought to their personal development, not just as a thing to be deferred for life after aliyah to Israel, but also as a task to be constantly worked upon even while industriously waiting for their turn on the aliyah roster. The campers, most of whom have barely any inkling of life outside their home state Manipur, were amazed to hear of the histories and trajectories of the various Jewish communities still present in India with whom Ms. Jessica is closely involved. She also discussed the origins and the history of the Bnei Menashe with the campers, urging
them to have a sense of pride in their uniqueness in a vibrant and colorful Jewish tapestry, and in their identity as the real and an ongoing part of Biblical prophecy of the return of the tribes of Israel to the Holyland. Despite frequent electric shortages, the campers listened mesmerized to these online sessions.
Apart from pivotal funding for the summer camp by Degel Menashe, the kibbutz residents chipped in their full efforts in making the summer camp a resounding success. The cooking responsibilities were enthusiastically shared amongst kibbutz families on a roster, and a few families even generously donated their farm produce for the campers. At the close of the summer camp, the deep appreciation the campers had for the program was reflected in their frequent remarks that the camp did not run long enough. The campers were particularly grateful that the language classes provided them with valuable skills for their aliyah preparation and hoped that many more such programs of intensive Hebrew classes would be conducted soon and more frequently.
