Traditional Clothing

Bnei Menashe girls from Nof Hagalil learn the traditional bamboo dance of Mizoram in advance of Aliyah Day.  Their teacher, Dena Relte, made aliyah herself from Mizoram in 2014. In fact, it would probably hard to find a qualified teacher of this complex dance who didn't...

This week dozens of Bnei Menashe community leaders, coordinators, professionals and Shavei staff gathered in Tiberias for an important all-day seminar. Thanks to Moti Yogev, our liaison in Nof Hagalil, this day, which was sponsored by Keren Kayemet L'Yisrael (KK"L) at their Ya'ar Lavi, and...

Shavei Israel works very hard to facilitate the aliyah and integration of the Bnei Menashe from India. But also important is the facilitation and preservation of the deep traditions that the community holds dear. As such, one of the many activities Shavei focuses on is...

Twenty-four Bnei Menashe couples, all of whom recently immigrated to Israel from northeastern India, were remarried this week in a festive and emotional group ceremony, one of our largest ever, at Shavei Israel’s absorption center in Goren, in the north of Israel, after completing their...

Following their aliyah to Israel in October and formal conversion to Judaism, six Bnei Menashe couples who were already married in India get a chance to step under the chuppah again in a “second” wedding ceremony according to Jewish Law in our absorption center in...

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...

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...

Like any community with many generations of roots in a particular region, the Bnei Menashe have many cultural traditions that evolved during their many years in northeast India.  This includes special garments and jewelry, foods, songs & music, and dance.  Enjoy this brief clip of young Bnei...

As part of the cutural preservation of lost and hidden Jewish communities at Ma'ani Center (Mercaz Ma'ani), we have multiple exhibits at our Jerusalem center. Currently, we are exhibiting beautiful photos and artifacts of the Bnei Menashe, from northeast India. The objects include musical instruments, clothing,...