[caption id="attachment_10464" align="alignleft" width="251"] Rivka Fanai (center) with her family in Ma'alot, Israel[/caption] My name is Rivka Fanai. I am 23 and I live with my mother and my cousin in Ma'alot. In 2006, when I was 17 years-old, we made aliyah from India thanks to...
[caption id="attachment_10257" align="alignleft" width="222"] Ilana Shaporker[/caption] In 2000, Indian-born Ilana Shaporker was living in a convent in France, studying to become a nun. And she was slowly dying – both spiritually and physically. Something was calling her towards Judaism and towards Israel. Eleven years later, she...
Perhaps more than any other holiday on the Jewish calendar, Hanukah celebrates the determined survival of the Jewish people. Over two millennia ago a small band of fighters, led by Judah the Maccabee, fought against the Hellenist rulers of ancient Israel who sought to assimilate...
[caption id="attachment_10041" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Jangboi Shmeon Sitlhou and family"][/caption] 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...
[caption id="attachment_9173" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Mordechai Baite and his family - ready to make aliyah"][/caption] As the resumption of the Bnei Menashe aliyah draws closer, we would like to share with you the stories of some of the new immigrants Shavei Israel will be bringing to Israel...
[caption id="attachment_9640" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Avraham Haokip and his family"][/caption] Shalom, I’m Avraham Haokip from Imphal, the capital of the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. I’m married to Esther Lupheng, who is from the Beith Shalom community in the Sadar Hills District of Manipur, and I am blessed...
[caption id="attachment_9453" align="alignleft" width="168" caption="David Gangte and family"][/caption] My name is David Gangte, son of Oved Jangsei Gangte. I am 29-years-old and married to a loving and beautiful lady named Elianna. We are blessed with two lovely children – our son Ben Khayil and daughter Rafaeli....
[caption id="attachment_9450" align="alignleft" width="271" caption="David Ginboi Gangte and his family"][/caption] My name is David Ginboi Gangte. I am 51-years-old and I reside in Imphal along with my family: my wife Shira, son Baruch Chayim, and daughters Emuna and Talya. We belong to the Beit El- Langol...
[caption id="attachment_9350" align="alignleft" width="226" caption="Hanoch Ben-Hoshea (Haokip) and his family in Imphal"][/caption] My name is Hanoch Ben-Hoshea (Haokip), aged 26. I am married to Miriam Vaiphei and live in Imphal, capital of the Indian state of Manipur, where I belong to the Beit El Jewish Community....
[caption id="attachment_9185" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mordechai Baite and his family"][/caption] My name is Otkhokai Mordechai Baite, aged 67. I was born to a family of priests among the Bnei Menashe. My father was the priest and leader of our village and was responsible for all the rituals...
