Data verified by the Jerusalem-based non-profit organization Shavei Israel reveals that an astonishing 99% of eligible Bnei Menashe men volunteer to enlist upon making aliyah.
By Hezy Laing
The Bnei Menashe community, who trace their lineage to the Manasseh ancient lost tribe of Israel, boasts the highest IDF enlistment rate of any demographic in the country.
Hailing from the northeastern Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, this uniquely dedicated population has built an unprecedented record of military service.
Data verified by the Jerusalem-based non-profit organization Shavei Israel reveals that an astonishing 99% of eligible Bnei Menashe men volunteer to enlist upon making aliyah.
Furthermore, while 10 percent of Bnei Menashe women enter the military, the remaining 90% complete Sherut Leumi national civilian service due to orthodox religious observances.
This deep-seated commitment to defending the Jewish state became acutely visible during recent military operations.
Hundreds of young Bnei Menashe men mobilized for active duty, including specific frontline combat soldiers like Sgt. Gershon Menashe and Sgt. Harel Paltuel.
When major hostilities broke out, more than 215 community members immediately deployed to combat zones, divided between 75 active-duty personnel in elite infantry brigades and 140 reservists holding defensive lines against regional threats.
Two IDF soldiers from the community were killed in the recent war.
Staff Sgt. Geri Gideon Hanghal, 24, from Nof Hagalil, killed on November 9, 2024, in a terrorist ramming attack while serving in the Kfir Brigade.
Staff Sgt. Gary Lalhruaikima Zolat, 21, from Afula, killed on November 12, 2024, by an explosion during operations in the northern Gaza Strip while serving in the Kfir Brigade.
Back in India, hundreds of military-aged youths held mass rallies waving Israeli flags, formally petitioning the Israeli government to fast-track their immigration paperwork specifically so they could enlist alongside their peers.
Recognizing this fierce Zionism, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer spearheaded a comprehensive government initiative.
This strategic operation dictates that roughly 1,200 Bnei Menashe immigrants will arrive in Israel by the conclusion of 2026, with a final 4,600 individuals arriving by 2030 to complete the community’s total relocation.
On April 23, 2026, a milestone charter flight successfully landed over 250 new olim at Ben Gurion Airport.
Organizers like Shavei Israel founder Michael Freund continue to coordinate with state agencies and the Chief Rabbinate to oversee their formal Orthodox conversion, Hebrew language training, and geographic integration into northern development cities like Nof HaGalil.
