Building Mikvahs in India for
Bnei Menashe
July 21, 2005
For
the first time, a group claiming descent from a Lost Tribe of Israel will soon
have their own kosher mikvahs (Jewish ritual baths) built with the approval of
Israel’s Chief Rabbinate.
At the request of
Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, construction of two mikvahs has recently
begun for the Bnei Menashe community of northeastern India. The project is being
undertaken by Shavei Israel (www.shavei.org), a Jerusalem-based organization
that reaches out and assists “lost Jews” seeking to return to the Jewish
people.
The Bnei Menashe, who reside in the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur near
the border with Burma, claim descent from the tribe of Manasseh, one of the ten
tribes exiled from the Land of Israel by the Assyrians over 2,700 years ago.
Some 800 of them have made aliyah over the past decade thanks to Shavei Israel.
Earlier this year, on March 30, Rabbi Amar decided to formally recognize the
Bnei Menashe as “descendants of Israel”, and he agreed to send a Beit Din
(rabbinical court) to India to convert the remaining 7,000 members of the
community, thereby enabling them to make aliyah as well.
As part of his decision, the Chief Rabbi asked Shavei Israel to build mikvahs in
India, which are used as part of the conversion process. The organization hired
an Israeli architect who specializes in the construction of mikvahs, and he
prepared detailed plans and blueprints, which were then shown to Rabbi Amar and
received his personal stamp of approval.
Recently, Shavei Israel Chairman Michael Freund sent the architect and a rabbi
to India to oversee and implement the construction of the mikvahs, which are
slated for completion within the next few months.
“The financial and logistical challenges are simply enormous,” Freund said,
noting that each mikvah alone will cost tens of thousands of dollars and
requires an array of special materials such as chemical sealants, plumbing and
heating.
“But we are determined to complete this task. Once the mikvahs in India are
ready, it will then be possible for the Chief Rabbinate to go ahead and send a
Beit Din there to begin the process of converting the Bnei Menashe.
“By facilitating their return to the Jewish people,” Freund added, “we
will not only be restoring a lost tribe of Israel to our people – we will be
strengthening the Jewish state and fulfilling the Zionist vision of bringing
back our lost brethren.”
SOURCE: Arutz Sheva
