Because of the COVID pandemic, the Israeli government decided to expedite the immigration (aliyah) for several hundred members of the ancient B’nei Menashe community. The urgency to bring home the remnant of the Jews dispersed throughout the corners of the earth is real.
A special charter flight was arranged to bring hundreds home in an emergency airlift at the end of May.
They left their villages in northeast India over a week ago, taking a long bus ride to a local airport, and from there were to connect with their chartered flight to Israel. Right before they were set to depart on the plane from India to Israel, a number of the group tested positive for COVID-19 and had to stay behind with their families. Several have been hospitalized in serious condition. This of course was not planned, nor was it budgeted. The 115 need to be housed, fed, provided medical needs, and cared for at least a few weeks until they recover and can make the final leg of their journey home to Israel.
The B’nei Menashe are descendants from the Biblical tribe of Manasseh, literally the “children of Manasseh.” Imagine their exuberance about finally ending nearly three thousand years of exile and joyfully returning to the Land of Israel, coming home as fulfillment of Biblical prophesy, and God's promise. As excited as they were to come home, with the uncontrollable outbreak of the pandemic and record infections and deaths in India, they looked forward to the safety of Israel, which has been emerging out of the pandemic with record low infections and deaths.
Preparing to come to Israel, they sold all their belongings. Basically, they left behind everything that they couldn't carry. Now, nearly half of the first group are in dire straits with no means to take care of themselves. For centuries, the Jewish people have suffered and endured unimaginable circumstances to be able to come home to Israel. I know you'd have been there to help generations ago if you could have. Now you can. Please join us today.
Please join the Genesis 123 Foundation to help cover the added expenses of housing, feeding and caring for these families during their long unplanned delay, and to be there for those who are in medical crisis. It costs $38 per day per person, $4370 for the whole group each day, just to house and feed these stranded souls. This does not include providing all the medical care that’s needed. Nobody knows how much that will be. This situation will go on for some time until they are all healthy and able to make the journey.
As a result of this, the expense of the charter flights will increase by about 50% because at least one extra plane will be needed. The estimated additional cost is $1000 per person, for the 115, and for the hundreds more who were scheduled to come home and whose trip is now deferred. The important thing is that we want to bring them all home, healthy, as fast as possible.
Please join us today, to be part of a miraculous, historical, and Biblical return of the Jewish people from the four corners of the earth. We're privileged to see this happening before our eyes. With your help we can care for them while they are stranded, and bring them home at long last.