Bnei Menashe soccer tournament returns to the field
It’s no secret the Bnei Menashe love soccer. It’s been a regular pastime for the community in India, and immigrants who have come to Israel have kept up the tradition, holding an annual soccer tournament every year during the intermediary days of Sukkot.
Rabbi Gurion Sela, who immigrated from Mizoram, has organized the annual competition for the past six years. It includes participants from all the Bnei Menashe communities in Israel. There are eight in total (including a team that originated in Manipur and was reconstituted in the Holy Land).
The tournament moves to a different Bnei Menashe community each year – this Sukkot, the event was held in Kiryat Arba. Teams come from Afula, Migdal HaEmek, Beit El, Acre, Ma’alot, Upper Nazareth, Kiryat Arba and a second “junior” team from Afula.
It’s not just about the game though. Rabbi Sela explains that it’s also “an opportunity for all of the Bnei Menashe to meet together, since during the year, we’re all so busy in our work and studies, we don’t have the time. This tournament truly units the entire community of Bnei Menashe in Israel.”
Here are some pictures from the playing field in Kyriat Arba from last week.
(In case you’re wondering, the Bnei Menashe team of Chalpu FC from Ma’alot won this year’s tournament. Second place went to Naomi FC of Afula.)