ALIYAH EXPECTATION HANGOVER

Essential For Bnei Menashe in India.

  

The road to aliyah for Bnei Menashe will not be long. However we don’t know when. But there has to be answer for every question. Forget the “Hows” and “Whys” question, most Bnei-Menashe asked “When” will there be aliyah, will I be included? For the past 3 years (post aliyah of 2007) this question keeps every young and old with anxiety and self-doubt. This may be because we are too compulsive and in desperate need of physical and mental well being. It keeps our mind perplexed, a pathetically cool diseases seems to be affecting young people, which sometimes results in our life to engage in a unique social experiment.

Everyone seeks answers to this Aliyah Expectation Hangover. I know many of them over the phones, blog, tweets and facebook, to share their aliyah speculation anxiety with others who has the same crisis.

We youngsters are over-exposed to all these aliyah expectation stuffs and never ask ourselves How or Why questions. We must never forget that concern persons are working on it. They want to expedite the Aliyah process more than we want it to be. I do know many roads to Israel, which I believe anyone knows too, however the roads which Shavei Israel Organization is searching for all of us is ‘A Roadmap in Life’ as well.

Levels of expectation to be on board aliyah each year is on higher side every year. This keeps us in neglecting our normal ways of life in Manipur, surviving on a modest budget to keep us alive merely waiting for aliyah and not knowing whether we will be on board or not. Not knowing the answer to those questions leads to feeling of panic, confusion and lack of motivation to keep our live goes on. We must know that aliyah is not a way out from problem in life. We need to learn to accept the way things are. Why make ourselves victim of this diseases and allow our self to suffer when we can recognize ourselves that we are a slave of our own mind. Release those feelings and start a new life; a life of accepting the things that we cannot change. Else, I may termed our disease as a “Crossroad in Life” or that we are within an area or a time when a real world hits and we feel like we were forced with decision that we do not know how to make, Or say an ‘extraordinary depressing life’ ?

We are not concern about the determination of some people to silence the subject regarding the struggle of Bnei-Menashe to return. After 5 years of misunderstanding within Bnei-Menashe, decision makers of Shavei Israel acknowledge the problem faced by us. So in Aug 2007 (after suspension of Aliyah for nearly a decade), Shavei Orgn bring home about 300 strong Bnei-Menashe families. After 3 years passed no one but Shavei Israel still is the only one who denied ignoring the affliction of the people who are left behind.

We who are left behind can be awarded for our long ‘struggle and patience’ to return to the Promised Land. Everyone set his/her own expectation for the next aliyah. No one knows who will be on board. The whistle blow harder as time passed by. Increasing numbers of youngster get married to be entitled to get the benefit of aliyah, as no youngster without families are allow, for some reason. In some respect this relationship offers both young couples a perfect way to coup up with the life and present situation. But there is a gloomier side to choosing marriage as an option to get on board aliyah. What if things go wrong and they are excluded? Overall of my experience taught me that things like this go wrong when couples did not live up to the mark that they have been expected of.

I sometime wondered why G-d wants us to wait for more than 20 years in India. There are many people asking the same question. How long do we wait? May be the time for us is not ripe yet. May be G-d wants us to do something more or to accomplish certain task for the benefit of Bnei-Menashe. G-d has His own reason we cannot comprehend. May be G-d long for our prayer even more or reform our life better? With this in mind we comfort ourselves and keep calm. However, sometimes these product of thoughts did nothing to lessen the severity or duration of longing for the Holy land, which overtime leads to frustration and the thought of going astray; especially vulnerable to the youngster whose minds readily coup with anti-social elements.

So marriage is next to a “good thing” to deal with longing-for-aliyah situation among Bnei-Menashe. In one hand those married at least have opportunity to go to Israel compare with other parties whose fiancée or betrothed are in Israel, who are waiting for all these years, hoping for aliyah each year by saying “Leshana Ha zoth be Yisrael”.

May G-d bless us and hasten the redemption of the exiled.

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HISTORY OF BNEI MENASHE: THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Neglected History Revisited 
Yonathan Haokip

In this article, I want to share my own introspection regarding the setback of Bnei Menashe in regards to their own history and tradition. My aim is to reflect the ‘mirror of Bnei Menashe’ to the best of my experience.

Everything was going fine, just fine until, suddenly in the midst of warm summer in 2010, did I realize the need to educate the young generation of the Bnei Menashe about their own history and tradition – at least in brief.

Today’s young generation of Bnei Menashe need to realize the importance of learning their history. Many of us ignored or did not care to study; they rely on our elders of the community for this. Many of us stick religiously with Judaism or being Jews. I heard a report from my friend another day that a journalist came to interrogate one of the young man well-educate from Bnei Menashe, because he speaks English. When the journalist ask him about their history, his answer was ‘I don’t know’ I was bemused by this report and insist what I heard was untrue. So, I asked my friend what he would say if he were in place of that young man. Now, my friend was no better. This surprises me and saddened me more.

So now the question arise, Who is responsible? If a well-educated young man can’t answer a simple question. Its obvious that most of the young generation won’t be able to face such question again in India and in Israel. We have no idea of where we came from, who we are? Moreover forget the history, I hate to admit that those children who made aliyah a decade ago did not understand their own language.

The question is where will they learn from? Who is to educate them?  It is incumbent for every person to know and to make it known to everyone. We should not forget that we are recognized by what we are and where we came from.

If we don’t know who we are, then we don’t have to right to claim who are we.

After analyzing, I observed that there are various reason why history is neglected. First, the young generation did not bother to take the pain to study their own history. Second, no parents dare teach history at home. Third in most public gatherings, only Torah and halakha are the point of discussion. This is no room left for our history. Even if there is time to discuses history, no one would take a step to attend it. So in most case, History of Jews or History from the Bible is main topic. Worse of all, no one put a question on the subject. Everyone thinks they knew it, but they just don’t care.

If this goes on, what would be the outcome, I think we should aim to beautify ourselves. We all should be in a position to explain every definition of our history. Understand our own history is vital instrument for our promotion as well.

Neglecting history will not only makes ourselves doubt to others, but even to our self. When we think deeply, this could be the curse of our love for negligence.

Let us interrogate ourselves, how far are we going to move without knowledge of our own history. Most of today’s youngsters’ minds are inculcating with the seed that has sown and drift further away from story of their originator. Who is to blame? Not a single soul is left to be spared, to be held responsible; we all are the convict and victim of our own negligence.

I am not a social scientist. However when I think about the future of Bnei Menashe I debate myself on how to  reform our ways of promoting our identities. We have been blessed with culture, history, tradition and language. Of course, we are proud to be a Jews. However to know one’s identity is vital, without which no nations thrive to exist. We need to give space in our life to retain our identities wherever we are. We have customs, legends, history of our own and language as well. We have our own ways of making Matza. I’ve heard that Morrocan Jews (If I am not wrong) still practice making their own Matza (hand made) which they still retain this tradition even in Israel today. We have our own too.

Language: Barrier of Intimation:

Likewise, its important to retain those tradition which keeps are still  alive. Maintaining our own language in Israel is vital. Its an expression of bond that exist between people and family as well.  Its is sad to learn that our children in Israel can’t understand their own language. Are we going to give hope to ourselves that they will follow us when our own children did not speak their own language when they are young? Did anyone think that he/she will love his/her brethren when he/she does not speak their language? Man in nature has the tendency of love towards their fellow beings who speaks the same language. Children are bound to know Hebrew even if you forbid them. So parents can be a linguistic teacher at home. Language has to be the focal point for unity and love amongst us.

I have few suggestions to come out of this Disease of Negligence of our own history and languages. Negligence is not a crime to be punished, but a disease to be cure. History must be studied at home before aliyah, everyone should be well versed in it. At home-town in Manipur, we have Shavei Israel Fellowship who conducts Siur every week. They can impart the knowledge, but it is the congregation/public who has to initiate a request to Shavei leaders.

Secondly, it if the community did not make any request for special class on history, then, as authority vested in them, member all Shavei Fellowship has the rights and responsibilities to educate their own community. My experience has taught me that only Torah and Halakha etc are taught in most Siur programe and history and other issues in regards to culture and traditions are neglected.

Thirdly, each one of us, everyone, including me, have to put effort to know more of our own history. It depends on individual as well. If we don’t know our history, who will?

 So I took the pain to post History of Bnei Menashe in brief on by blog http://www.history-of-bnei-menashe.co.cc/ in English. I would like anyone to translate it in Hebrew for youngster in Israel. I am working on the same to post in our Bnei Menashe languages as well in near feature.

Finally, I am happy to know that tradition of naming a baby is still prevalent. Its customary to start the first syllable of a baby boy, from the last syllable of the name of his granddad. So the name itself can be used to trance the roots from where he came from.

To wrap up, its not an easy job to judges someone on something, someone is going to like it and someone not.

If we are good to point other’s failure we must also be good in rectifying the failure.

We all have to take part in it, to strengthen Bnei Menashe.

Yonathan Haokip

Member Shavei Fellowship, 2010.

Mumbai

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ATTITUDE OF BNEI MENASHE IN ISRAEL

Attitude of Bnei Menashe

Israel- a land of "milk and honey" spiritually lies within us, geographically the center of the earth and a 6 hours by air from India and a far away fairy-tale-land - a land fill with happiness, where everyone attains highest spiritual loftiness, comprehended with the highest possible imagination where any possible sort of sins would cease to exist. This is the the attitude of most of the Bnei Menashe towards Israel before Aliyah. This is not because they did not know the ways of the world, or because they were from the third world. They knew very well about their land, histories and culture and contemporary Israel status. Nonetheless, that is not enough to divert their attention to the holiness of the Land, it is just hard for them to think of such as the state of the land be, from their inner self. And because of the Jewish soul they poses within them, their physical form may change, but their soul still remembers the holiness they attained during those days when they saw the divine presence rested upon Israel during the time of the Beith Hamikdash - before exile.

With this general-spiritual attitude, the Bnei Menashe came to Israel expecting a warm welcome from their long lost brethren. But that seems to be not the case. After analyzing this matter, I observed that the Bnei Menashe were not wrong in accordance with the time they last left the land, wrong on the other hand when they return after thousands of years.

Having brought up in a society and place where hospitality is vital aspect of life, the Bnei Menashe misunderstood the ways of modern Israel. We shouldn't have expected everyone to poses the trait that Menashe has. I do not mean to say all Israel has the same mentality that I've stated. Always expect the unexpected, I've two friends in Jerusalem, whose hospitality exceeds all the hospitality I've come across, to be honest I found no adjective to express their generosity. There are many more, thousands of pious Jews whose good deeds towards Bnei Menashe excels. They love us simply because we are Bnei Menashe, like the Shavei Israel Orgn, who continue to work for the development of this Peace-Loving-Shy-People.

Physically they are aware of every possible adversaries they have to face in Israel, they are shock, spiritually, because things were not as it used to be when they left the Land. The temple is destroyed, their land given to them by Yehoshua is in Palestine, their forefather's burial place are under control.

The Bnei Menashe still in exile still retain their culture and tradition even after 2000 years of exile. They still observe the sabbath, festivals and circumcision. In fact they are orthodox in nature, unorthodox Bnei Menashe generally are excluded for Aliyah. Everyone needs to know and practice tenets of Judaism strictly. Eligibility criteria for Aliyah is under strict observation of the Rabbis under the supervision of Shavei Israel.

The Bnei Menashe still retain their tradition from Sinai. People in Japan study Bible of Israelites, but lack the knowledge that those people are still around. Similarly there are those Jews who did not know that the exiled tribes are still around. On the other hand my experience has taught me that there is an ever-growing interest and a curiosity in them. The ten tribes are lost, they did not die. Lost things can be retrieve. I once stand at the bus stop in Jerushalem (after attending Yeshiva), one of the black-hat Jews stare at me curiously, a kippah over my head, tallit on my veil, but a Phillipino look on my face. To end his curiosity he asked me in Hebrew which I fail to comprehend, but I can study in his face what he wants to know from me and I responded in English of whom I am, he listen and node his head with a big smile. That smile he gave me lingers on my mind. That is how we have to be recognised in a positive way. Sometime I was intrigued by the amusing accounts of petty squabbles in internet about Bnei Menashe, who did not venture out but keep sitting at home and collect news to use as a weapon to attack others.

Having observed all the possible commandment to the possible extend, we Bnei Menashe still needs to be under conversion process like any other gentiles. This indicates that we have similarity with gentiles in this ground. Since we have been lost for thousands of years. At home they take the pain to keep their Jewish tradition to prove to their gentile neighbor who they are. As they practice orthodox Judaism even before conversion, they are provided special provisions by the Rabbis so they get converted within 3-6 months once they are in Israel. To conclude humorously, there are group of people who are neither gentile nor a Jew - they are Bnei Menashe. I didn't meant to be sceptic here in this regard, rather I strongly advocate saying of the Rabbis, especially in regards to Bnei Menashe. There are Bnei Menashe who are converted to Christianity, because they think tradition and culture that they had from their fore father are outdated in contrast with modern culture - like the priesthood, the sacrificial offerings and festivals etc. Had there been no conversion process for Bnei Menashe, there will be chaos, every willing candidate religious and non-religious alike will immigrate to Israel (like the case of the Russian Jewry). Conversion and Aliyah of Bnei Menashe is control under the strict guidance of Shavei Israel Organisation at this moment.

Lastly, its a mitsvah (commandment) to resides in Israel. Aliyah is the only way to fulfil this commandment and its is one's duty to struggle and to exert the force (the love for Israel) within him to fulfill this mitsvah individually or generally. Midrash has it that Red Sea does not split until Nachson jumps in. So we should not wait for G-d's intervention in everything for us.

We need supports from our brothers. You can helps us make Aliyah and to hasten redemption of the exiled. You have the opportunity to exercise your will to support us or someone else will.

Time come and go, but we will continue what we did, may be G-d has given you a chance to caused the exiled to return back home. Let you be the first to acknowlge the "Return of Lost Tribe" and change the history of Israel forever - the greatest Mitsvah of all time.

"The Jewish State was not formed so that those who arrived first would suddenly decide to close the gates. I hope and trust that there are enough individuals within the Jewish people and the Israeli community that wouldn't allow that to happen"

We look forward to the moment that we can celebrate together our collective achievement “ not only for our benefit, but also for the benefit of all of Jewish people.

To contribute for the Aliyah and development of the Bnei Menashe, please log on to www.shavei.org or Contact Founder Chairman : Michael Freund. Hqrs 58 King George St. Heichal Shlomo. Jerushalem, Israel.

or write to me

yonathanhaokip@gmail.com

Shalom !

Yonathan Haokip.

Member Shavei Israel Fellowship, 2010.

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