DAWN OF THE NEW GENERATION

Shavei Israel’s Seminar for Bnei Menashe in Northeast India

By Yochanan Phaltual - Shavei Israel Administrator India

This Wednesday and Thursday night the Jewish High Holiday, Rosh Hashanah occurs and will usher a new beginning, one of continuation and sea change.

In the recent 275 Bnei Menashe Aliya were participated almost all local community Torah teachers called “Shavei Israel’s Fellows”. There is a deep sense of urgency and a need of keeping the ember of Torah education and Jewishness among the Bnei Menashe community. So, the Shavei Israel conducted the largest Seminar for Bnei Menashe in terms of participants. There were 94 people from Northeastern state of Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland and two young boys from Myanmar.

The Seminar was conducted under the supervision and Director of Seminar Rav Hanoch Avizedek. The staff includes Tzvi Khaute, Coordinator of Seminar, Rav Yehuda Gin, Rav Gurion Sela and extra-curricular activities in charge Miss Vered.

To be able to keep the continuation of Torah teaching and to be ready to face the new change by the Bnei Menashe, the Shavei Israel organized this Seminar at Sikkim, which is the smallest state of Northeast India.

So, for 25 days (1 – 25 August), the Seminar under the flagship “New Generation Bnei Menashe” and with the Theme – EARTH AND SKY, was held during the month of Elul which also marks the time of preparations for new start and new beginning for reconnection of Earth and Sky.

The first week with one Shabbat, we had our Seminar at Gangtok the capital city of Sikkim. There were 3 young boys (Eli Friedman, Uri and Dylan) from Ranana in Israel who had just finishes their high school. They teaches for a days about youth life and geography of Israel. It was a good experience for them and lots of social interaction program with the young guns of the Seminarian.

Though Gangtok being one of the most beautiful hills city of India, Rav Hanoch decided to change place and we shifted to a more calm and peaceful location. The new place is Yuksom (Yaksum), a whole one full-day journey from Gangtok and about a hundred kilometers on exciting, twisting and winding narrow roads.

Yuksam is a tiny village, the last base camp for treks to Kanchandzongha, the highest mountain peak of India and the third highest mountain in the world. It is a real get-away from the hustle and bustle city atmosphere of Gangtok. The place is quite beautiful that you can just be there and relax and gaze at the nature and you will not know where time would fly by. From our Hotel which is the best hotel in Yuksam – Yuksam Residency – we can see the majestic Himalaya mountain peaks covered with snow in clear sky morning.

It is here we are camping for 3 weeks learning the key or the bridge of “Earth and Sky”. The Seminarians learned from the Rabbis various basic subject of Judaism ranging from Emuna, Halacha and Mitzvot, Chagim, Shabbat, Hilkhot Yesodei HaTorah of Rambam and all daily practical mitzvoth. Besides, religious learning there were scores of extra-curricular activities of fun, entertainment, games, artistic and craftsmanship work (For example, making challah board and cover cloth with artistic design) from a very smart and talented yound Morah from Israel, Ms. Vered. She was truly the balm to the tired body and mind – a refreshing hub.

One day, in the middle of Seminar there was an outing and sporting program. We visited the oldest Buddhist Monastery of Sikkim called Dubdi Monastery which was built in 1701. It is located at the top of a hill about an hour’s walk by trekking up from Yuksam. The places were infested with leeches and no one of us has seen such battalion of this blood-sucking crawling worm in our lives. We also visited the coronation site of the first Monarch of Sikkim called “Throne of Norbugang or Coronation Crown”. Yuksam is the first capital of Sikkim and was established in 1642 and it is here the first Monarch was coronated.

A Seminar in such picturesque area with whooshing sound of the rushing waterfall near the village adds a soothing element to the serene ambiance and this is just an exterior education of appreciating the incredible scenery of Heavenly wonders on earth.

The 25 days of Seminar was a days of opportunity. As Elul month is a preparatory month for restart and return to our truest selves and the time for change, the SHAVEI ISRAEL always a harbinger of Bnei Menashe journey back to HOME, again sponsored the Seminar for the continuation of a new beginning for the New Generation Bnei Menashe.

The Seminar is a gift – a crash course in openness and truthfulness for new Shavei Israel’s Fellows. As Rav Hanoch said, like the first Seminar in the wilderness under Moshe Rabbeinu, Shavei Israel is continuing the Sinai tradition down to the Bnei Menashe.

And like our ancestors in the past, we know we have reason to be in the Seminar and of course the responsibility. With the new year in short days, Shavei Israel is presenting a special give to the Bnei Menashe – new Shavei Israel Fellows to guide and continue the old tradition and bring about new changes for the new generation Bnei Menashe.

A new dawn has just begun!

LeShanah Tovah Tikatevu Ve Gemar Khatimah Tovah!

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A TALKED WITH A HUNTER AND A PRIEST

By Yochanan Phaltual

As the autumn faded away and gives in the cold winter season, life becomes slow and nostalgic for the elderly-man who set on the traditional porch in the warm morning sun recalling of their past glory days.

Heljathang Thomsong (Shem in Hebrew), 81 years old octogenarian was once a famous hunter in the vast jungle area of Vangai-lhaang in Hmar Bial in southern Churachandpur district. The early Bnei Menashe were undisputed hunters and nomads. Shem Thomsong said hunting is a crucial component of society. Chasing prey or games is a sort of sport and defence against natural wild predators. All sorts of wild animals which were dangerous for human settlement were hunted down either for meat or just for village security.

Shem said hunting gave them the ability to display a heightened sensitivity to the environment. The insects and the wind keep time for them and are able to read signs of the animals and the weather on the ground or sand.

During his pristine days he go hunting with his hound dog using a local made long single barrel gun. He proudly could not count the exact numbers of wild animals he killed in the late 1940s and 1950s, but approximately more than 400 varieties of deer, monkey, tiger, bear, wild boar, porcupine and hundreds of small animals.

According to some Bnei Menashe tradition a hunters when returning from a successful safari are welcome by the priest (Thempu) at a spot near the village gate called “Khomol” with drums and chants. The bulk of meat was divided and share among the entitled people like the Chief, the Priest and closed relatives of the hunters. Sometimes if the meat is suffice enough a community feast with wine (zu) is held at the village ground with songs and dance.

In spite of his age the hands of Shem still display the hunter’s strong fingers from which he often fired with earsplitting noises his single loaded barrel gun. The story of his chase and games will remain a very interesting tales of Bnei Menashe of the past.

Khamzadong Pulamte (Heb. Siloh)

And in 1940, an 8 years old boy Khamzadong Pulamte (Hebrew name, Silo) learned his first lesson of ministering ritual from his father Thangsum, a local priest known as THEMPU. Priesthood is considered generally as hereditary which is handed down from father to son all ritual observances orally.

A conspicuous facet of Kuki-Zomi polity is the important role play by the village priest. Each clan had a priest who is also acting as a village doctor. Given a situation, the priest can challenge and control over the high handedness of the chief.

Silo said he did not charge any consultation fee from the villagers but the villagers pay for his service by doling out a tribute in the form of paddy or other items. Old Bnei Menashe people in the past ascribed all illness as the handy work of evil spirits called DOI. As keeper of the public health the priest is expected to cast it out by offering sacrifices. He would slaughter an animal (sheep/goat) or fowl/ chicken and smear the blood on the sick person while reciting chants mentioning Manmasi. So long as the incantations or spell is not revoke from the patients they are not allowed to socialize with the rest of the society.

Silo said that the word MANMASI appears very often in their prayers and in their folk songs. When someone died the deceased is accorded a farewell. Before the grave is dug, the priest would ward off all evil spirit or anything that would stand on the journey of the soul by chanting “Manmasi is returning to their land, go away and leave the place, we are coming home”. A dead body is washed and clothed with shroud of traditional shawl or any white cloth.

The Priest/Thempu occupied a respected place in the socio-cultural structure of the Bnei Menashe in the past. The priest presence is a must in all ceremonial functions – childbirth, marriage, village administration, death and others. He was indeed the guardian of the culture and tradition of the Bnei Menashe.

Silo is now enjoying a retired life in his humble cottage in Zohar Phaicham and he is compiling his book of memory.

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