Jewish tribe in India celebrates pre-Passover seder, hoping next year will be in Jerusalem
The Shavei Israel Hebrew Center in Churachanpur, India hosted a pre-Passover "Model Seder" for over 550 members of the Bnei Menashe community Thursday.
One of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, the Bnei Menashe are descendants of the tribe of Manasseh who were banished from Israel over 2,700 years ago by the Assyrian empire. Over 3,000 Bnei Menashe have immigrated to Israel through Shavei Israel, with another 7,000 still waiting in India to make Aliya.
“Passover symbolizes the Jewish people’s deliverance, and the Seder embodies the deepest hopes of the Bnei Menashe community, which has been dreaming for so long to make Aliyah,” said Shavei Israel Founder and Chairman Michael Freund.
“In the past two years, we have brought 1,000 Bnei Menashe to Israel,” Freund said. “We hope the remaining 7,000 members of the community still in India will soon experience the same taste of freedom -- next year in Jerusalem!”
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