by A. Howard Flower, ICEJ Aliyah Director

“In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel…”  (Jeremiah 3:18) 

Look at a map of the ancient Silk Road, and you will see the well-worn pathways of human commerce and conquest. But look with eyes of faith, and you will see something more – the route of Israel’s exile and prophetic return foretold long ago. For centuries, scattered Israelite tribes dwelt in the far reaches of this vast region, from the steppes of Central Asia to the walled cities of China and misty hills of India. 

Today, that exile is starting to end with the return of the Bnei Menashe tribe to Israel. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has had a key role in helping to facilitate this modern-day miracle of the great Aliyah from the East. 

This is no mere story of migration, it is the actual fulfilment of Scripture. When Isaiah proclaimed God would “bring your descendants from the east” (Isaiah 43:5) and gather them from the “land of Sinim” (China – Isaiah 49:12), he was speaking about our day. When he spoke of a great shofar sounding for those “lost in the land of Assyria” (Isaiah 27:13), he was referring to communities like the Bnei Menashe, whose exile began with the Assyrian conquest 2,700 years ago. That means we are not just observers of history, but participants in Bible prophecy. 

Our practical involvement in this special ingathering of the exiles began when doors opened after the fall of the Soviet Union. As we started to aid Bukharan “Mountain Jews” in Central Asia, in 1998 a team from ICEJ-Finland drove a bus all the way to Uzbekistan to help bring them to airports and Aliyah seminars. When China opened further, we reached out to the ancient Chinese Jewish community of Kaifeng, helping the first family make Aliyah in 2000. These were not just logistical triumphs, they were moments of profound biblical confirmation.  

But the heart of this ongoing story is the return of the Bnei Menashe. Here is a community that never forgot their heritage. Through 27 centuries – from Assyria to Persia, China and India – they kept Shabbat, rejected unclean foods, and sang an ancient song that unmistakably echoes the Exodus. When ICEJ began sponsoring their flights in 2012, we were joining a prophetic story written by God. We have now helped bring over 1,300 of them home. To see a Bnei Menashe village in northeast India empty out and leave for Zion is to witness a biblical miracle.  

The difficulties and delays of recent years have tested their resolve. During the COVID pandemic, we helped them through obstacles at the New Delhi airport, when families approved and packed for Aliyah, were left stranded by positive tests, their dreams put on hold. But the Christian Embassy donated funds for shelter, food and medicine until the way re-opened. Why? After they had waited to return for 2,700 years, we had no choice but to help see them through the last hurdles on the way home to Israel.  Now, another remarkable moment has arrived. Late last year, the Israeli government launched Operation Wings of Dawn (Kanfei Shahar), a state-funded, five-year plan to bring every last Bnei Menashe – some 5,800 children of Israel – home by 2030. 

While the state of Israel is taking the lead, the need for Christian support remains vital. Our challenge is to now partner with Christians worldwide in this final, glorious chapter by sponsoring Aliyah flights, helping with absorption costs, and offering a warm embrace of Christian love for Israel’s returning children. Some 1,200 Bnei Menashe are expected to arrive this year, starting with the first flight of 180 in March. The ICEJ will be sponsoring Aliyah flights for 100 of them. 

Imagine the scene: a plane lifts off from New Delhi, carrying descendants of the ancient tribe of Manasseh. Beneath them the land of their exile fades; ahead lies the land of their forefathers. They are the literal fulfilment of God’s tender promise: “I will bring them back, because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside.” (Zechariah 10:6) 

The Aliyah from the East is reaching its God-ordained ending. You can be a part by standing with us in this prophetic cause. Let us be the ones who help these precious exiles come home. Donate today.

Cover Photo: “Bnei Menashe man holds Israeli flag in Ben Gurion Airport (Shavei Israel 2018)