Making aliyah: Meet Jangboi Shmeon Sitlhou
Jangboi Shmeon Sitlhou and family
We continue with our profiles of Bnei Menashe who will be making aliyah in the coming months as part of the first flight of 275 community members from India. Jangboi Shmeon Sitlhou, 34, belongs to the Shivat Tzion synagogue in the village of Sijang in Manipur. Here is his story:
From the time that I was a little boy, I heard my parents longing for Zion, especially my mother who emphasized her yearning through song. It seemed to me to be a heavenly place and I always wanted to go there, even though I didn’t know how or when that would be possible.
With Hashem (G-d)’s mercy, when the first group of Bnei Menashe made aliyah in the early 1990’s, it opened my eyes and I suddenly realized there really is a Zion on earth. I have been waiting for my turn ever since.
Over the years, I grew up, of course, and I married my beautiful wife No’orah. We now have four lovely daughters. Sadly, my mother passed away when I was still very young.
During all of this time, Shavei Israel has been working tirelessly on behalf of the Bnei Menashe and, thank G-d, they have included my family in the list for the forthcoming aliyah!
And yet, on hearing the good news, the first thing that struck my mind was my late mother. I am comforted, however, in knowing that, even though she couldn’t physically reach Zion when she was alive, when her son and family make aliyah, it will be as if she too has fulfilled her dreams of returning to the Promised Land.
Moving to Israel and seeing my children grow up in a fully Jewish environment is my strongest aspiration. I am a very hard worker – I deal with wood and cement in the construction industry here in India – and Baruch Hashem, I hope to be able to support my family in Israel in a similar field of work.
I want to heartily thank the Almighty Hashem for his endless mercy upon me and upon my family, and also Shavei Israel, which is in itself a tool of Hashem, making possible the ingathering of the exiles to Zion.
See you all this year in Jerusalem. Todah (thank you)!
Written with the help of Ruth Haokip, a Shavei Israel “Fellow” living in Manipur who will be coming to Israel with her family on the upcoming Bnei Menashe aliyah.