Originally from the Indian state of Manipur, the Bnei Menashe are a community that is part of the Kuki ethnic group that has faced discrimination and violence in their homeland and who, for generations, preserved their Jewish traditions until they began emigrating to Israel in recent decades.
Over the years, they have struggled to gain recognition and acceptance within the global Jewish community, and now, in a historic milestone, they will have a space dedicated to their history and culture for the first time with the opening of the Bnei Menashe Gallery in Sderot.
The exhibition, which will open to the public this Wednesday, will feature historical manuscripts, artifacts, traditional clothing, and photographs documenting the Bnei Menashe's aliyah and their adaptation to Israeli society.
An AI-animated film will also be presented that tells the story of this community, which considers itself descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel.
Rabbi David Lhungdim, spiritual leader of the Bnei Menashe in Sderot, explained that “the goal of this gallery is not only to remember the past, but also to strengthen our connection with Am Yisrael and look to the future,” adding that his objective is “for new generations and all of Israeli society to know our history, our challenges, and our faith.”