Menifa’s Stepping Stones program assists youth from the Bnei Menashe community to integrate successfully into Israeli society
Who are the Bnei Menashe?
Following the conquering of Israel’s Northern Kingdom in 720 BCE, Jews from ten of the original tribes of Israel were exiled from their land. The tribe of Menashe headed east and settled in the area of the Himalayas and later in India. They lost contact with the other tribes and did not develop an Oral Torah, but they kept their connection with the Jewish religion.
In the 1980s, the Amishav organization led by Rav Eliyahu Avichail z”l set out to find the lost tribes of Israel, and connected the Bnei Menashe community with the rabbis of Israel. Their historic claim was recognized by the State of Israel and they were encouraged to move to Israel and formally convert to Judaism, with the support of Amishav and later the Shavei Yisrael organization.
Today, there are over 1,000 Bnei Menashe families living all over Israel. Most are first or second generation immigrants, and they experience many challenges in terms of their social, occupational and developmental integration.
Stepping Stones – “Avnei Derech” Program
Menifa’s Stepping Stones Program is named in Hebrew in memory of Rav Eliyahu Avichail z”l. It was established to assist the youth of the Bnei Menashe community and help them to integrate well into Israeli society, through a civil society framework designed to suit young men from the community. Through interaction with a personal mentor from their community with experience of Israeli society, they are given meaningful support and strong family values.
The program is run in specific communities where there are concentrations of Bnei Menashe families, and includes:
• Preparation and mentoring for youth about army and national service
• Mentoring for Bnei Menashe soldiers throughout their service
• Mentoring for students commencing university studies.
Stepping Stones Mentors
Menifa’s national program for Stepping Stones mentors includes:
• Meeting with soldiers and contacting them every week to monitor their program.
• Training, further education and continuous support from program coordinators.
• A commitment to volunteer for a minimum of one year (most of our mentors enjoy the program and stay involved for many years!)
Becoming a Stepping Stones Mentor:
Are you a fluent Hebrew speaker who wants to help young people to find their place in Israeli society ? Sign up here and we will arrange an interview with your local program coordinator.
Read personal stories from the participants in our Stepping Stones Program (in Hebrew) >>
Project Manager
Manager, Stepping Stones Mentoring Program for Bnei Menashe Youth & Soldiers. Yaniv moved to Israel from India in 2004. He is a graduate of the Keshet Yehuda Pre-Military Academy and served as a Paratrooper in the IDF. He has a BA in Criminology from the University of Ariel, and previously worked in personal security and as a youth leader in Beit El.