About 250 members of the Bnei Menashe, an Indian Jewish community, have arrived in Israel as part of the country's efforts to bring the community home under 'Operation Wings of Dawn'.
The community, which has lived in India's Northeast for years, claims association with the Menashe tribe, one of the 10 tribes pushed into exile 2,800 years ago.
With 1,200 more expected to arrive by the end of the year, the newcomers were welcomed in Tel Aviv with a rousing reception, wearing traditional clothing and walking down a red carpet.
The Israeli government has allocated $30 million for the community's relocation, which includes flights, conversion classes, housing, Hebrew lessons, and other benefits.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees the initiative as an important and Zionist decision that will strengthen the North and Galilee regions of Israel.
