Israel and Ethiopia have reached an agreement that would set the number of people immigrating from Ethiopia to Israel each month at 600. Ethiopian-Israeli activists had warned that at the previous 300-per-month pace, many would die before the 20,000-strong Jewish community in the African state would make it home to Israel.
In October, family members of those Jews still in displaced persons camps in Ethiopia held a demonstration in Jerusalem calling on the government to speed up the pace of immigration. In February 2005, the Israeli government voted to expedite the aliyah (immigration) of Ethiopian Jews, in an effort to save many lives. However, government sources claimed, the Ethiopian government was, until now, not forthcoming.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has pressured Israel into ordering a halt to conversions in the areas of Manipur and Mizoram. Such conversions were facilitating the aliyah of members of the Bnei Menashe community, who are considered a "lost tribe" dating back more than 2,500 years.
Israel recently authorized rabbis to travel and convert Bnei Menashe members in their own communities, as a result of changes in Interior Ministry directives prohibiting immigration for the purpose of conversion. Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar had authorized the conversions, saying that he recognized the Bnei Menashe as Israelites who followed Jewish laws and traditions.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said, "The Indian authorities, through official channels, told us they do not view positively initiated efforts at conversions to other religions." He said a Knesset committee has asked the government to reconsider the location of the conversions.
Nearly 1,000 members of the Bnei Menashe community have moved to Israel, and a large number live in Judea and Samaria. Several families also lived in the dismantled communities in Gush Katif. About 6,000 families of the community remain in India.
In October, family members of those Jews still in displaced persons camps in Ethiopia held a demonstration in Jerusalem calling on the government to speed up the pace of immigration. In February 2005, the Israeli government voted to expedite the aliyah (immigration) of Ethiopian Jews, in an effort to save many lives. However, government sources claimed, the Ethiopian government was, until now, not forthcoming.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has pressured Israel into ordering a halt to conversions in the areas of Manipur and Mizoram. Such conversions were facilitating the aliyah of members of the Bnei Menashe community, who are considered a "lost tribe" dating back more than 2,500 years.
Israel recently authorized rabbis to travel and convert Bnei Menashe members in their own communities, as a result of changes in Interior Ministry directives prohibiting immigration for the purpose of conversion. Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar had authorized the conversions, saying that he recognized the Bnei Menashe as Israelites who followed Jewish laws and traditions.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said, "The Indian authorities, through official channels, told us they do not view positively initiated efforts at conversions to other religions." He said a Knesset committee has asked the government to reconsider the location of the conversions.
Nearly 1,000 members of the Bnei Menashe community have moved to Israel, and a large number live in Judea and Samaria. Several families also lived in the dismantled communities in Gush Katif. About 6,000 families of the community remain in India.