The B'nei Menashe (Hebrew for 'Children of Menasseh') is a community of Indian Jews, primarily from the Tibeto-Burman speaking Kuki-Chin-Mizo ethnic groups residing in the northeastern states of Manipur and Mizoram. It is a community/concept centered on a claim of ancestral identity. The community claims descent from the Tribe of Manasseh, one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, who were exiled by the Assyrian Empire around 722 BCE.
The movement originated in 1951 when a Mizo leader, Challianthanga, had a vision that his people were descendants of the Israelites. Before this, the community was largely Christian. The belief was fueled by parallels between their traditional progenitor, 'Manmasi,' and the biblical Manasseh. The name B'nei Menashe was given in the late 20th century by Israeli Rabbi Eliyahu Avichail.
The community practices Orthodox Judaism, with Jewish education provided in India. Their claim connects to the Israeli Law of Return and the process of Aliyah (immigration). In 2005, Israel's then-Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar formally recognized them as "Zera Yisrael" (Seed of Israel). This recognition allows them to immigrate to Israel, but they are mandated to undergo a formal Orthodox conversion (Giur) upon arrival to be fully recognized as Jews. This mechanism of conversion upon arrival remains a key provision.
Recently, the Israeli government announced 'Operation Wings of Dawn' in November 2025 to facilitate their immigration. Around 250 members arrived in Israel in April 2026, with a reported promise that all B'nei Menashe will go to Israel by 2030. The community is distinct from other Indian Jewish groups like the Bene Israel or the Cochin Jews.