This year, we were overwhelmed - in a good way! - with photos and videos of light and celebration from our communities around the world as they celebrated the holiday of Chanukah. Perhaps it was because there was so much darkness these past two years,...
My name is Eliav and I come from Cuba. Exactly a year ago, I was celebrating Chanukah on the island I came from. Since I began my studies of Judaism, and my search for the truth, the celebration of Chanukah has had a special meaning...
Little Moshe Muñoz, a three-year-old in Ecuador, just got his first haircut and he is very excited. It wasn't just a haircut, though. There is a special custom that many Jews have of waiting until a boy is three to cut his hair for the...
This week saw two in-person events at our Ma'ani Center after many months of mostly Zoom programs due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The first was a tour of our new exhibit on the Kaifeng Jewish community. The tour, which was held in English, included a slide...
Yehuda Singson, a member of the Bnei Menashe community, made aliyah from Manipur, India, in 2007 with the help of Shavei Israel. Initially settling in Pardes Chana, the then 30 year old moved to Maalot where he studied in the yeshiva and eventually married his wife,...
When 235 Bnei Menashe arrived earlier this month, there were actually 261 who were expected. A number of them were unable to make the flight due to Covid-19, and a few had passport issues that caused delays. Thankfully, those who had Covid all tested negative, and...
A beautiful, new, educational exhibit about Kaifeng Jews recently opened at Shavei Israel's Ma'ani Center. Designed mainly with magnificent pictorial panels, it tells the story of the Kaifeng Jews from the past to the reawakening of their Jewish spirit, to their dreams of aliyah and living...
The holidays are an especially challenging time for Jews of choice in Israel who are working hard on their conversion and are often unable to work during this intense time. To make it easier and create a truly warm feeling, the staff at Shavei Israel in...
To mark the Knesset’s commemoration of Yom HaAliya, Michael Freund along with twenty Bnei Menashe men and women, were invited to the Knesset by the Minister of Absorption, Penina Tamano-Shata. The Bnei Menashe who attended were all part of the group that made aliya from...
We are always happy to see how our communities grow and become stronger. A marriage within the community is a great example of this and we are very proud, as well as happy for the new couple. When Hillel David, from the community of Beit Hillel...
