BNEI MENASHE

   An estimated 7,000 people of Mizo-Kuki-Chin descent inhabiting the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur on the borders of Burma and Bangladesh in northeastern India who believe they are descendants of Menashe, a legendary Lost Tribe of Israel. In March 2005, Sephardic (see ORIENTAL JEWS) chief rabbi Shlomo Amar announced that members of the Bnei Menashe tribe were "descendants of the Jewish people." As a consequence, they could "return home to Israel" under the terms of the Law of Return. In the fall of 2006, a planned airlift (originally scheduled for November 21) of 218 members of the Bnei Menashe was cancelled because of concern over potential harm to Israel-India diplomatic relations. The immigration (see ALIYA) was rescheduled to take place in smaller and staggered groups. The first 51 of the new immigrants arrived in Israel on 21 November 2006.

   See also Who is a Jew.