Bnei Menashe celebrate new Shavei Israel prayer books in India
Shavei Israel’s Tzvi Khaute at the Bnei Menashe Siddur Consecration
As the Lufthansa jet landed in Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta), India, the ground crew unloading some four tons of boxes had no idea of the value of their contents; they seemed like the kind of ordinary shipment unpacked every day in this busy Indian gateway. But for the intended recipients – the Bnei Menashe communities in the Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram – the 4,350 brand new siddurim (prayer books) in the cargo hold will make a profound difference in their daily spiritual lives.
The prayer books were next loaded onto several large trucks, which set out for their first stop: Manipur. They drove for four days and four nights, passing through the Indian states of Bengal, Assam and Nagaland. The contents were then split with some remaining in Churachandpur, where Shavei Israel maintains its main center for the Bnei Menashe in Manipur and the rest continuing another day’s journey to neighboring Mizoram.
To say the prayer books received an ecstatic welcome would be quite the understatement. The community hall in Churachandpur was packed to capacity with 1,500 Bnei Menashe men, women and children from all over northeastern India. They had arrived for a day-long program on November 6, dubbed by the local leadership as the “Siddur Consecration and Bnei Menashe Aliyah Celebration.” The event was hosted by Shavei Israel’s Jerusalem-based coordinator for the Bnei Menashe, Tzvi Khaute, who flew with the siddurim especially for the celebration.
It was a fitting conclusion (or is it more of a beginning?) for Khaute’s siddur project, which he has shepherded from conception to publishing for more than a decade. Khaute’s “baby” is an 800-page prayer book, in Hebrew and the local languages of Mizo and Kuki, with scholarly essays, translations and commentaries. It covers daily, Shabbat and holiday prayers and comes in two versions (one for each of the Bnei Menashe languages). It is also a teaching book filled with instructions such as when to stand, sit and make a blessing. It has material for life cycle rituals such as conducting a brit mila (circumcision) or reciting the sheva brachot under the wedding canopy. Khaute wrote not only the explanations but painstakingly typed in all the text of the prayers themselves. The prayer book is called “Shavei Israel” – not for the organization as much as the meaning of the words – in English: “those who return to Israel.” We wrote about the siddur in detail here.
Our emissary to Manipur, Yochanan Phaltual, reports that the Bnei Menashe “consecration day” was marked by an outpouring of creativity, starting with folk dances presented by community members from various Bnei Menashe villages including Monglenphai, Sijang, Zohar, Patlen and Beith El Imphal (the residents of which also put on a traditional costume display). Next came a talent show from the children of Kangpokpi, followed by singing led by the always-popular “Shining Star Kidz” youth troupe of Churachandpur’s Beith Shalom community. They were joined by four other talented Bnei Menashe bands: the Freedom Voice, Aliyah Band, RC Spice and – coming all the way from far away Myanmar (Burma), Zo-Vakho.
Missing from the event was Yisrael Weiss, who first met the Bnei Menashe on a “10 Lost Tribes” tour to India and was so moved by their story that he donated the entire printing of the siddurim as a gift to the community. The Bnei Menashe created a moving “Memento of Appreciation” for Weiss, which is on its way back to Israel with Khaute.
Also coming home to Israel: a large canvas painting depicting the long history of the Bnei Menashe, from the exile from the Land of Israel by the Assyrians 2,700 years ago, to their eventual return with the assistance of Shavei Israel.
2,000 copies of the prayer books were distributed at the event itself. Another 1,850 will be hand delivered to Bnei Menashe communities in Manipur. 500 copies of the siddur in the Mizo language also reached Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram, which saw its own celebration a day before the Manipur event. Khaute was present at both festivities.
Now is also a good time to give thanks to the many supporters of Shavei Israel who responded to our appeal to assist in sending the siddurim to India. We asked for your help – the shipping cost alone was nearly $10,000 – and you stepped up to the plate. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Our work has only just begun, though, as 899 Bnei Menashe are now preparing for aliyah in the coming year and a half. The first group arrives in less than one week’s time! Indeed, the most enthusiastic applause during the celebration in Manipur came when Khaute read out the resolution of the Israeli government approving the next aliyah. “The crowd could not stop clapping their hands with joy,” reports our emissary Phaltual.
You helped us send prayer books to India. Now let’s bring the books – and the people of those books – home. Our donation page is here.
We have a large selection of amazing photos from the Siddur Consecration – you can find them here.