Earlier this month on September 11, a young IDF soldier named Sgt. Gideon Hanghal was on duty, manning a booth to provide security for the Jewish community of Givat Asaf, near Beit El.
Hanghal, 24, had come a long way in just a few short years. In December 2020, he had made aliyah from the northeastern Indian state of Manipur together with his parents and some of his siblings.
A member of the Bnei Menashe community, which is descended from one of the Ten Lost Tribes, Hanghal was fulfilling his dream and that of his ancestors by settling in the Land of Israel and defending it.
As a new immigrant who initially did not have a strong command of Hebrew, he had fought hard to get into a combat unit, overcoming numerous obstacles with a mix of resilience and determination. Hanghal’s family was justifiably proud of him and his accomplishments.
But on that fateful day last week, his dreams were abruptly dashed, cut short by a Palestinian terrorist who intentionally swerved his truck to ram into him, killing him instantly.
“The death of our son hurts very much,” the bereaved father, Yitzchak Hanghal, told Ynet. “More than 2,000 years we were in exile, all the time praying for Jerusalem. Our son was murdered, so we wanted him to be buried on Mount Herzl, in the holiest city in the Land of Israel.”
The plight of the Bnei Menashe Jews
Amid the daily barrage of news, the murder of Gideon Hanghal cast the public spotlight on the Bnei Menashe, over 5,000 of whom have come to Israel in the past two decades thanks largely to Shavei Israel, the organization I founded.
Despite being cut off from the rest of the Jewish people and wandering in exile for so many centuries, the Bnei Menashe succeeded in preserving a strong sense of pride and Jewish identity. They observed Shabbat, followed the laws of family purity, circumcised newborn males on the eighth day, and passed down across the generations a firm belief that they would one day go home again to Zion.
Remarkably, one of their tribal songs, known as “Kathange,” speaks of how their elder brother Judah – the Jewish people – would seek them out, find them, and return them to the land of their forefathers.
And that is precisely what has been happening over the past two decades, albeit with stops and starts, as various Israeli governments advanced the aliyah, while some sought to block it for political reasons.
AFTER A hiatus of several years, the aliyah resumed a decade ago with nearly all of the Bnei Menashe immigrants arriving since then, settling in the Galilee in cities such as Nof HaGalil, Kiryat Shmona, Safed, and Acre. The success of their absorption along with their integration into Israeli society prompted the government to approve increasingly large numbers of immigrants from the community.
Since the Bnei Menashe do not meet the criteria of Israel’s Law of Return, a cabinet decision is required to bring them, after which they undergo conversion by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate.
And yet, despite the success story of the community, the last time that a group of Bnei Menashe was able to make aliyah was in October 2021.
In the three years since, the Israeli government has inexplicably failed to move forward with any additional resolutions, effectively stalling this blessed aliyah.
As a result, there are an additional 5,000 Bnei Menashe still in India anxiously awaiting the day when they, too, can return.
This has divided countless families, leaving them unsure as to when they might be reunited.
Indeed, Gideon Hanghal’s own brother, along with his wife and two children, are among those still waiting to come.
So even as Gideon was putting his life on the line for the State of Israel, that very same state was and is dragging its feet in bringing the remainder of his family and community on aliyah.
This situation is simply intolerable, morally indefensible, and an affront to Jewish and Zionist values.
In the wake of the murder of Gideon Hanghal, the proper Zionist response would be for the government to move forthwith to bring all the remaining Bnei Menashe to Israel. Every last one of the 5,000 Bnei Menashe in India who wants to make aliyah should be allowed to do so – as soon as possible.
The Bnei Menashe are a blessing for Israel, and they are part and parcel of the Jewish people. They serve in the army, observe Torah and mitzvot, work hard to support themselves and their families, and raise beautiful Jewish children.
For years, young Bnei Menashe men have fought for this country, and now Gideon Hanghal has died for it.
In recognition of his sacrifice and to honor his memory, it is time for Israel to open the gates and bring the descendants of the Tribe of Manasseh home at last.
The writer, who served as deputy communications director under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is the founder of Shavei Israel (www.shavei.org).