Report from India: Hebrew and a hike through the jungle at Shavei Israel’s Bnei Menashe seminar
Studying in Manipur
Shavei Israel staff is continuing its six-week visit to the Bnei Menashe in India, teaching classes in Judaism and Hebrew. Rabbi Hanoch Avitzedek, Director of Shavei Israel’s Bnei Menashe Aliya and Absorption Department, and Tzvi Khaute, Shavei Israel’s coordinator for the Bnei Menashe, filed the following update.
Rabbi Yehuda Gin’s visit to Manipur
Rabbi Yehuda Gin – one of Shavei’s emissaries to northeastern India – began his trip to the Bnei Menashe in Moreh, a small village bordering Myanmar (Burma) in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. Moreh is about 150 kilometers from the main Shavei Israel Hebrew Center in the town of Churachandpur and has a Jewish population of about 600 people.
There are two Bnei Menashe communities in the village – Moreshet Moreh and Beit Shalom – and Rabbi Gin divided his time between the two. His teaching focused on lessons in faith and the foundations of Jewish life using Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato’s classic book “Derech Hashem” (The Way of God) as the primary text.
Upon leaving Moreh on January 12, Rabbi Gin traveled to Kangpokpi, also in Manipur, which has a Jewish population of 500. Rabbi Avitzedek writes that “participation in his seminars was very high with many members of the community taking vacation days from work in order to attend classes.”
Rabbi Gin was on the move again on January 19, when he arrived in Langol (in the state of Imphal).
Hebrew teacher training program
Shavei Israel’s Hebrew instructors Yehudit Eyal and Dalia Netzer Safrir arrived in Churachandpur on January 4 and will remain there until the end of the month. The 75 students in their classes have been divided into three groups named for regions in northern Israel: Golan, Carmel and Kinneret (Hebrew for the Sea of Galilee). Most of the students are Shavei Israel “Fellows” and have received prior Hebrew training during Shavei’s annual seminars in India and Nepal.
Given the relatively short period of time that Eyal and Netzer Safrir will be in India, the study period is quite intensive: classes run from early in the morning until late at night. Rabbi Avitzedek writes that the students in Churachandpur are “simply hungry to learn and they are fully invested in the program in order to get the maximum benefit and return to their respective communities to spread ‘Hebrew fever.’ We can already see the fruits of their work in a very wonderful way.”
Over Shabbat, the students learned Israeli songs, along with the story of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the father of modern Hebrew who, more than 100 years ago, revived the ancient language of the Jewish people. After Shabbat, Eyal and Netzer Safrir led a three-hour program for the entire community; 250 Bnei Menashe attended.
First ever visit to Leimatak
As for Rabbi Avitzedek and Khaute, their mission has been to “listen to the Bnei Menashe, to learn more about the problems and difficulties – as well as improvements and progress – of each community in general, as well as for specific individuals.”
Rabbi Avitzedek shares a particularly moving story of their trip to the Bnei Menashe community in Leimatak, the first time any member of the Shavei Israel staff has visited. The village is especially isolated, located deep in a jungle with no roads for vehicles leading there.
“We hiked by foot for almost two hours to reach this tiny and humble community,” reports Rabbi Avitzedek. “Before we even arrived, we heard the sound of Jewish melodies coming towards us through the forest.”
“The meeting itself was very emotional and symbolic,” Rabbi Avitzedek continues. “We brought them warm wishes from Michael Freund, Chairman of Shavei Israel, Rabbi Eliyahu Birnbaum, Shavei Israel’s Educational Director, and all of Shavei’s Jerusalem staff. We explained the efforts and objectives of Shavei Israel and heard of the many hardships the community faces as they journey towards the Holy Land. But we were inspired by their cherished dream of making aliyah and their burning hope to rejoin the Jewish people in Israel.”
Rabbi Avitzedek and Khuate brought the Leimatak community a number of gifts from Israel, including Tefillin (phylacteries), tallitot (prayer shawls), mezuzahs and more. Rabbi Avitzedek has high hopes for the community. “They have a number of academics in Leimatak, including some with B.A.’s, so the literacy rate is very good, especially when compared with other communities.”
During the stay, Rabbi Avitzedek taught the community about the laws of mezuza and Tefillin; about how the two holy objects are prepared and written. The visit ended by the entire community praying the mincha afternoon service, after which the Shavei Israel visitors made the two hour return hike through the forest to their car.
We will have more reports as the Shavei Israel program in India continues into February. To view our first report, please click here.