Bnei Menashe in India celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut
Bnei Menashe children celebrate
Yom Ha’atzmut – Israel Independence Day – is always one of the most festive celebrations for the Bnei Menashe in India. This year’s festivities took place in the village of Matiyang in the Churachandpur region. 1,200 Bnei Menashe – nearly 20 percent of the entire community remaining in India – participated. Our emissary to the Bnei Menashe, Yochanan Phaltuel, gave us the run down on events and sent us some great pictures.
The program began with the raising of the Israeli flag and the singing of Hatikva, the Israeli national anthem. This was followed by a gun salute including the firing of several cannons to mark Israel’s 65th birthday, commanded by the Chief of Maityang village, Reuven Hemlun Haokip.
The rest of the program was less military and more folk: members of the Sijang, Monglenphai, Sajal, Patlen and Matiyang communities performed a number of traditional Bnei Menashe folk dances including “Lut Thil Thel,” which evokes the Bnei Menashe’s yearning to return to Zion from exile. The “Shining Kidz” youth group of Beith Shalom in Churachandpur choreographed a dance number that formed the figures “65” and “5773” (the latter is the Hebrew year) as well as an Israeli flag with the Star of David at its center. The troupe consists of some 40 children.
The “Kanggui Menashe” band from the community of Kangpokpi performed an original song set to the words of “If I Forget Thee, O Jerusalem” in three languages – Hebrew, English, and Kuki. They also sang a version of Hatikva, Israel’s national anthem, in Kuki called “Kinepna.”
It wasn’t all song and dance. A “best speech” competition was held on two topics: “What does Israel mean to me?” and “Building Israel by the Bnei Menashe: How?” One representative from each community participated in the contest. Shavei Israel Fellow Hanoch Lhungdim gave his own speech, on the history of Zionism and Israeli independence.
Another Bnei Menashe group called the “Shalom Entertainment Club” brought to life the story of the birth of modern Israel and the Bnei Menashe aliyah. The group is under the direction of the cantor of Beith Shalom David Haokip and his cousin Benjamin Haokip. Yochanan described the performance as “enchanting and also very funny!” We have a special gallery with just pictures from the day’s drama.
The day concluded with all participants praying for the welfare of Israel, its government and the IDF, followed by a long blast of the goshem, a traditional Bnei Menashe “trumpet” (calling to mind the shofar) and the mincha afternoon prayer.
All through the day there was dancing to music from the Bnei Menashe “Freedom Band” plus food and treats, provided by Shavei Israel.
Click here to view the photo gallery.