A “Seder Amenim” is an ancient tradition where Jewish women come together for a festive meal in order to recite in unison five “Amen’s” following the blessings for the five main food categories. Women from the Bnei Menashe community in India have been observing the...
Our coordinator for the Jewish community of Kaifeng Eran Barzilay sent us some great pictures from Passover celebrations in China this year. The Jewish world marks the holiday pretty much the same way everywhere - with matzo, eggs and reading from the Haggadah - even...
The El Salvador Bnei Anousim community is holding a seminar this weekend. Filled with classes, prayer, singing and shared meals, the Shabbaton will feature as guest speakers Shavei Israel Chairman Michael Freund and Shavei’s Educational Director Rabbi Eliyahu Birnbaum. But perhaps the highlight of the...
JTA reports on the 2013 Portuguese law granting citizenship to the descendants of Sephardim, Jews who once lived in the Iberian Peninsula. The article profiles a woman who claims to be a descendent of Joseph Karo, the 16th century Spanish rabbi who authored one of...
Shavei Israel Chairman Michael Freund was interviewed on Kol Israel - Israel Radio - this week to discuss what Passover is like in India with the Bnei Menashe. Listen to the interview here....
Mishpacha Magazine ran a feature on Shavei Israel's work with the "Hidden Jews" of Poland. It's not online yet, but we have a PDF you can download and view, as well as images of each page from the print edition of the magazine....
Prior to the start of the Passover holiday, the Bnei Menashe in the Indian state of Manipur held a “Model Seder” – a large group run-through of the entire Haggadah, complete with explanations and speeches, so that the Bnei Menashe families will better know the...
Just in time for Pesach, Shavei Israel has published a new informational booklet for the Subbotnik Jewish community on the festival of freedom. The new booklet is the latest in a series published by Shavei Israel for the Subbotnik Jewish community. The latest booklet on...
Heng Shi is a Chinese Jew, born and raised in the city of Kaifeng, along the banks of the Yellow River, among hundreds of people in Kaifeng who are descendants of the city’s Jews. Through Shavei Israel's help, he made aliyah and now lives in...
Yotam Ginminthang Baite is 32 years old, with his own carpentry business, living on India’s northeastern border with Myanmar. All of his family - his parents, his siblings and their families - have already made aliyah to Israel. Finally Yotam, his wife and children are...
