by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – Israel has approved a multi-year plan to bring roughly 5,800 members of India’s Bnei Menashe community to the country by 2030, the government announced Sunday, calling the move both strategic and demographic in significance.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the decision as “important and Zionist,” saying the new arrivals will help bolster the Galilee, a northern region heavily impacted by ongoing conflict with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has driven tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes in recent years.
Under the plan, the first group of 1,200 immigrants is slated to arrive next year. Israel’s absorption ministry will provide financial assistance, Hebrew language courses, job placement support, temporary housing, and other social programs to help the families integrate.
The initial phase is expected to cost €23.8 million (about $27.4 million).
The move follows roughly 4,000 Bnei Menashe who have immigrated to Israel over the past two decades. The initiative was coordinated jointly with the Indian government.
The Bnei Menashe, a small ethnic community from India’s Mizoram and Manipur regions, identify as descendants of the biblical tribe of Manasseh, one of Israel’s “lost tribes.” Many converted to Judaism after previously practicing Christianity and were formally recognized by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate in 2005. Today they maintain Jewish traditions, celebrate biblical holidays, and operate their own synagogues.
Israel’s demographic balance continues to factor heavily into policy decisions. The country’s population stands at roughly 10.1 million, about 73% Jewish, compared to an estimated 5.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
The Bnei Menashe are expected to settle primarily in the Galilee, a historic mountainous region bordering Lebanon and home to major cities such as Nazareth, Tiberias, and Safed.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A Christian pastor detained in Nicaragua since July 2025 has been released from prison but placed under house arrest along with five other Christian believers, Worthy News established on Thursday.
An injured Christian pastor in eastern India says recalling Bible verses gave him strength to survive hours of brutal abuse by a Hindu mob that accused him of converting Hindus to Christianity.
U.S. forces carried out five sets of precision strikes against Islamic State targets across Syria between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2, the U.S. military’s U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday.
U.S. forces carried out five sets of precision strikes against Islamic State targets across Syria between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2, the U.S. military’s U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Feb. 5 that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 314 prisoners, marking the first such swap in five months and the most tangible outcome yet from U.S.-brokered talks held in Abu Dhabi. The exchange followed multiple days of trilateral negotiations involving delegations from Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow.
The Supreme Court of the United States on Wednesday declined to take up a legal challenge to California’s newly drawn congressional map, allowing the state to proceed with district lines that effectively eliminate five Republican-held U.S. House seats.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has entered negotiations with the United States because it fears potential military action, as both sides prepare for high-stakes talks expected to take place in Oman. Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Trump said Tehran “doesn’t want us to hit them,” adding that a U.S. naval fleet is in the region as pressure increases.