Indian 'lost tribe' migrants arrive in Israel

A new wave of over 250 Indian Jews from the state of Manipur arrived in Israel in April 2026. They are part of the Bnei Menashe community, which claims descent from a 'lost biblical tribe' and has been immigrating to Israel under a government relocation program for decades. With this latest arrival, the total number of Indian-origin Jews who have moved over the past 30 years exceeds 5,000, joining an existing population of approximately 85,000 Indian-origin Jews in the country. The migration continues a long-standing policy of encouraging Jewish immigration to Israel from diaspora communities worldwide.