The government on Wednesday approved bringing approximately 600 additional immigrants from the Bnei Menashe community in northeastern India to Israel, allocating a dedicated budget of NIS 45.1 million for the initiative. The decision, advanced by Aliyah and Absorbtion Minister Ofir Sofer with budgetary approval from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is intended to ensure that members of the community can continue immigrating to Israel during the first half of 2027.
This is the third phase of a multiyear plan to bring the remaining members of the community to Israel. The latest decision continues an initiative approved by the previous government, under which additional groups of Bnei Menashe began arriving in 2026.
The immigrants are expected to arrive from the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, where members of the community live. Under the approved plan, their arrival will follow an organized process that includes preparation for conversion to Judaism, initial absorption in Israel and formalization of their citizenship status upon completion of the process.
The list of candidates for immigration has already been approved by a rabbinical delegation headed by the Rishon LeZion, Israel's chief rabbi and president of the Supreme Rabbinical Court, in coordination with the Population and Immigration Authority.
The order in which the immigrants arrive will be determined by their readiness for the conversion process. Priority will be given to bringing entire families together and helping reunite families whose members already live in Israel.
Upon arrival in Israel, members of the community will be directed to absorption centers, where they will stay for up to six months. During this period, they will participate in an intensive absorption program that includes Hebrew studies and a full conversion process.
After completing their conversion, members of the community will receive new immigrant status and Israeli citizenship. They will subsequently move into permanent housing in local municipalities.
The Aliyah and Integration Ministry emphasized that the decision and budget approval are intended to maintain continuity in the absorption and conversion services established for the community. The initiative will allow professional teams to continue assisting groups of immigrants and prepare for the arrival of additional families.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich welcomed the decision's approval and emphasized its significance for community members seeking to immigrate to Israel and reunite with their relatives. Smotrich said, "Bringing our Bnei Menashe brothers and sisters home to Israel is a great privilege and puts the Zionist vision into practice. The Bnei Menashe community has maintained a deep connection to the Jewish people and the Land of Israel for generations, and many of its members seek to reunite with their families who have already immigrated to Israel".
The finance minister also addressed cooperation with the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the allocation of resources needed for the initiative. He added, "Together with the excellent work of Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer and the budget we approved today, we have provided the resources and professional support needed to ensure continuity in immigration, give them the best possible and dignified absorption process, and support them until they are fully integrated into Israeli society".