Mizo Jews welcome truce
AIZAWL, Aug 13 (PTI): The Mizo Jewish community today welcomed the announcement of cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel by the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan from August 14.Itzhak Colney, spokesperson of the ‘Bnei Menashe’, a Mizo ethnic community in Mizoram and Manipur, who claim to belong to one of the lost tribes of Israel, said, “We are very happy that our countrymen (Israelis) will be able to live in peace and without threats from terrorist attacks”. He said the community would offer prayers for lasting peace in the Middle-East. Around 1,000 Mizos who belong to the Bnei Menashe had yesterday expressed willingness to fight the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorists. Colney, care-taker of Shavei Israel Centre at Upper Republic locality here had voiced the sentiments of the Bnei Menashe community when he said, “We are ready to fight along with our comrades against the terrorists.”Colney embraced Judaism when he was seven years old and was circumcised at the age of nine. He migrated to Israel in 1999 along with his family. He returned to Mizoram to supervise the functioning of the Shavei Israel Centre. The centre is the only one in Mizoram where people who believe that they belong to the lost tribe of Israel, were taught the Hebrew language and imparted training in the religious, cultural and traditional practices of the Jews, thereby preparing them to migrate to Israel. Colney claimed that there are more than one thousand members in Mizoram and majority of them wanted to return to the ‘Holy Land’.
Re: Mizo ( Assam / NE part of India ) Jews wants to Fight for Zion
Migrant Mizos fighting for Israeli Army
Aizawl, Dec 18: They went to Israel from North-east in search of the promised land. And they are doing their bit for Israel in Lebanon, battling militants opposed to the Jewish State.
Currently, nine soldiers, all members of the Bnei Menashe clan of Mizoram, Manipur and Asom are serving in the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and deployed in Lebanon. At least 216 people from the clan have migrated this month to Israel, after completing their conversion under the auspices of the Chief Rabbinate six months ago.
Among them are Tamir Baite, Avi Hangshing, 22, and Liel Lunkhel, 19, from Manipur, Eitan Ralte, 21, Samuel Menashe, 24, Yitzchak Hmar, 20, Binyamin Zadeng, 21, and Yosef Menashe, 19, from Mizoram, and Gershon Chongloi, 19, from Asom.
Menashe served in the Givati Mesayet Rotem stationed near the border in Gaza. Hangshing is serving in the tank corps as a sniper fighter.
Sources from Aizawl in close contact with the Bnei Menashe clan in Israel said that more soldiers of Indian origin could be called for in the near future.
In the 1950s, several thousands of clan members set out on foot to Israel but were halted by Indian authorities. Undeterred, many began practising Orthodox Judaism and pledged to make it to Israel.
They now attend community centres established by Shavei Israel to teach the Bnei Menashe Jewish tradition and modern Hebrew.
More than 1,000 Bnei Menashe members have gone to Israel, where they have undergone conversion and settled down with the help of Rabbi Avichail and Amishav. Many live in the Gush Katif area, are into agriculture and serve in the army. (IANS)
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