RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS IN ISRAEL

RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL
FAMILY AS JEWS IN ISRAEL
A Case Study

Presented by Sammy Benjamin

VIDEO 1 : Ani Yehudi

(Excerpt from web page: "Who Is A Jew")

Recently a case of harassment was brought to my attention which alluded to the fact that Bene Israelis are still facing some form of persecution during their early immigration days. Many Bene Israel have successfully settled in Israel and also flourishing in their careers and personal lives. While there are many whose stories have no wrinkles, there are also the not so fortunate who may have certain complications, like having a non-Jewish mother or spouse for which they will face a hard time from the various immigration/government offices in Israel.

This usually will present a circle of endless paper work and proof giving to get documents that may not make any sense to the average person. After producing the documents, there will still be some more paperwork that will delay their change in status. While some may see this like the usual government bureaucratic method of operation, it changes to discrimination if the European Jews do not have to deal with the same cycle of endless paper work who may be in similar circumstances. Some of this has certainly been reported in the past and well documented in many books and articles. I cannot verify that this case is a basis of discrimination as I do not have another current case to compare it with.

Nonetheless it is a serious issue for the family who has to deal with it and their being Bene Israel or any other ethnic race should never be the reason for anybody to be treated like an inferior Jew. I have seen it and heard it enough times and reached out to immigration management in Israel to stop harassing Jews just because they are not of European origin, are of dark color and have a somewhat demure personalities which makes them easy targets of harassment.

I document below the case in chronological order so it can be presented to others for review and feedback. All names will be in form of first name only to preserve the privacy of the family and those who send comments.

The most important question for the Bene Israel Jews to solve is this:

I will also add interesting information from the internet which describes an unusual side effect of the Taglit propaganda trip and other stories from old times that documented discrimination of Bene Israelis and Ethiopian Jews. There is also an article included which reports:

“They were indeed Jews in India, but they remain Indians in Israel.”.

SAMPLE ARTICLE:

A home away from home
Only Indian Jews came to Beersheva. “There was no food, no water, but it was a good time — because we came with a passion to build Israel,” Raymond Abraham says.

In the 1960s, when the Indian Jews began to migrate, they were among the darkest of all the new immigrants and experienced racism. Shalva Weil, senior researcher on Indian Jews, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, says, “In India, they never had to fight for their basic rights but in Israel they did, and this was something new for them.”

AT THE END OF THE DAY I STILL BELIEVE ISRAEL IS ONE OF THE GREATEST COUNTRIES

AND I AM PROUD OF IT AND WILL ALWAYS UNCONDITIONALLY SUPPORT IT

HATIKVA – THE HOPE

Hebrew	Transliteration	English translation
כֹּל עוֹד בַּלֵּבָב פְּנִימָה	Kol ‘od balleivav penimah	As long as in the heart, within,
נֶפֶשׁ יְהוּדִי הוֹמִיָּה	Nefesh yehudi homiyah,	A Jewish soul still yearns,
וּלְפַאֲתֵי מִזְרָח, קָדִימָה,	Ul(e)fa’atei mizrach kadimah,	And onward, towards the ends of the east,
עַיִן לְצִיּוֹן צוֹפִיָּה,	‘Ayin letziyon tzofiyah;	An eye still gazes toward Zion;

עוֹד לֹא אָבְדָה תִּקְוָתֵנוּ,	‘Od lo avdah tikvateinu,	Our hope is not yet lost,
הַתִּקְוָה בַּת שְׁנוֹת אַלְפַּיִם	Hatikvah bat shnot alpayim,	The hope of two thousand years,
לִהְיוֹת עַם חָפְשִׁי בְּאַרְצֵנוּ,	Lihyot ‘am chofshi be’artzeinu,	To be a free people in our land,
אֶרֶץ צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַיִם.	Eretz-tziyon (v)'Y(e)rushalayim.	The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

VIDEO 2 : Hatikvah

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CASE BASIS: Original letter from Mr. Moses (Immigrant to Israel) to his father:
This is Moses, a pure Jew from INDIA, a citizen of the state of Israel ,who happily did Aliya thinking of a better future in the land of Israel. Born and brought up in India in a Jewish community, knows most of the rules of being Jewish, fell in love with a girl who is not Jewish . Got married to this girl in India on the 3rd Jan 2013 .

From India I applied through the Israeli Consulate in MUMBAI, to the Ministry of Interiors to change my Marital Status and submitted all the required documents but we found no changes done .

We then came to Israel on the 19 of march 2013 . My wife got a tourist visa . Then in 2 weeks that is the first week of April, we went to the ministry of interiors (Misrat happinim) where we were given an appointment, to submit all the papers, to change my marital status which has not been changed even after giving so many proofs of our wedding.. So the in charge of the visa department Miss Rachel from the Misrat happinim gave us 2 dates . The first date was 30th April 2013 on which I had to prove that I was a Jewish, but I thought only Jews could do Aliya .. But as per my knowledge If she worked in a government office she had access to all of my documents on my teudat zehut no. But she thinks it's all fake and anyone in India could do this.

Still I proved my Jewishness with papers that I had from RABBI Abraham Benjamin of India from the synagogue of Thane where my Britmilla and Bar Mitzvah was done also .Have given her my birth certificate and my Parents Marriage Certificate and so on . Then she recognized me as a Jewish. My Jewishness in India is recognized but in Israel it has to be proved, why this treatment to me?

Then as per need, we submitted all the documents needed on 16th may 2013. The documents what we submitted were our Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate of my wife , Passport , Police Clearance Certificate, letters from people in Israel who know both of us , pictured with family And friends to prove that we were together for long , letters stating how we met each other, wedding picture, contract proof of where we stay in Eilat and also a certificate that proves that it was my wife’s first marriage .

We showed a certificate that we filled before getting married which stated that I was single, before getting married and everything was appostilled . We showed her ALL the legal Documents , but she rejected, because she wanted a Declaration from the court duly notarized and aposstiled . So back home we asked my father to get a DECLARATION from a lawyer from the court and also appostilled from the Indian government in New Delhi .

My uncle was coming to Israel, so my father gave him the document. We got it on 10th June 2013 . On 13 thjune2013, I went to the Misrat Hapinim to give her the document, but now she says that my wife needs to go to India and get the document herself which is basically not possible. I feel that alll my documents are clean and that i am being harassed only because i am Indian, why should my wife go and bring the document herself when the document is already given to her thru the marriage office also.. .

So I told her that this would not be possible because it costs a lot of money to go to India and come back . So she gives me an answer saying that why did u get married if you don't have enough money and if ur wife can't go to India and get the document then I have to cancel the visa n send her back to India and then when she comes back she has to start the whole procedure again . what is this if not harassment and Anti semitism. we want an answer from the government of interiors foreign affairs of the harassment to me and mental torture that me and my wife are being put through. i feel like committing suicide and all the blame of all this will be on this so called lady at the visa office Rachael and the Government of Israel. I need help at the earliest.

Everyone like All my friends and family are very upset because I am facing a lot of problems with this document work . I truly agree that she need all the documents for security and safety purposes but this is not the way she should be behaving ,because she is there to help us and not to misuse her power and authority .

I have been to her office a couple of times but every time I go, she refuses to recognize , If I ask her a question like how do I get it, she answers me' u are from India not me so u should know that ' but If i would know that why would I ask her and the other thing she thinks is everything in India is fake . She tells me if I give some money to people in India they will do anything, India according to her is Fake then what is the guarantee that Israel is not Fake.. She needs to understand that Indian government is also not easy and not Fake, she better take her words back. we have to pay a lot legally, to get an appostille done. . After being a citizen of Israel I don't understand why I am facing so many troubles..

I hope this problem is solved as soon as possible because its really being very tough for me to live here with unhelpful people.

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Reply forwarded to Mr. Moses through his father:

From my FaceBook posting:

Sammy Benjamin : Shared via father to Moses:

URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

Plea from Mr. Moses for Jewish recognition of his wife. First my reply to Mr. Moses. Please forward to him and send us his contact address, email, phone etc. so those who want to help can contact him directly.

Mr Moses,
I will post this all over the forums to see if anybody with a heart has the kindness to help you.

NOW THAT I AM ALL FIRED UP .....:
The Jews who seem to have taken over the authority to determine who is Jewish should be ashamed of themselves when they use discrimination to harass innocent folks with endless paperwork just because they are from third world countries. Some comments to your statements follow.

Q: My Jewishness in India is recognized but in Israel its has to be proved, why this treatment to me?
A: In short, because you are not white, or European or of Russian descent. It is immaterial what documents you provide.

Q: I feel that all my documents are clean and that i am being harassed only because i am Indian,
A: VERY TRUE, You are from a third world country and look different, dark colored, for those who consider themselves Jews.

Q: I feel like committing suicide and all the blame of all this will be on this so called lady at the visa office Rachael and the Government of Israel.
A: DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT YOUR FAMILY WILL REGRET AND SUFFER FOR ! RACHEL THE LADY AT THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE WILL NOT SUFFER ! LET HER HAVE HER TIME HARASSING YOU NOW ! HAVE FAITH THAT SHE WILL SUFFER AND PAY FOR HER WRONGDOING LATER BECAUSE GOD IS WATCHING !

Q: She thinks everything in India is fake
A: But not as fake as the Jewishness of the many European Jews who eat pork and violate every rule from the Torah and yet are honored as Jews because their mother was Jewish, who herself never cared about being Jewish. They just got a FREE pass to come to Israel so they can take over the control and make you prove to them if you were really Jewish.

Q: She needs to understand that Indian government is also not easy and not Fake,
A: Stick to the requirement of that office. Provide all they are asking for. If they think it is fake then they should contact their consulate in India and verify it instead of harassing you.

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From: Sammy Benjamin <sammybenjamin@gmail.com>
To: AllJews <alljews@b-inet.com>
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2013 PM
Subject: URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

After experiencing discrimination to my family not begin recognized as Jews by certain groups in the United States, and denied the privilege of the most basic Jewish rituals, I am compelled to share this account of yet another Bene Israel discrimination case which is happening in Israel.

I realize I might offend some of my most closest Jewish friends with my candid comments I have made, but the facts have to be exposed and all my pent up tolerance from 20 years of watching the Bene Israel suffer at the hands of the White Jews has reached critical mass.

If anybody who can understand why I am am presenting this to a wider audience can channel it to the correct people who have the power and authority to change the inferior treatment of ethnic Jews, then it will end the great suffering to the people who are truly Jewish and are asking only for their most basic rights.

It will need patience and great understanding to go through this document.

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Email communication with Mr. Moses:

From: Moses
To: Sammy Benjamin
Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2013
Subject: Re: URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

Thanks sir thanks a lot for doing this I also wanted to tell u that all that is left is to change my status I don't know why she is not changing my marital status to married as she has accepted my marriage certificate she knows we are married still she has not yet changed the status as she is waiting for the document stating that she was single before marriage what is the connection in this I don't understand as even if I had married a divorce I would have been still called married all over the world and my wife is facing a lot of problem due to this mentally so plz help or get in touch with someone who can really get my status changed

On Jun 15, 2013, at 7:35 PM, Sammy Benjamin wrote:

Send me the address or web page or any contact you have for their office (Rachael) so I can write to them directly and tell our other community friends to do so too.

We need here bosses and her directors to tell us why you are being treated so poorly. We have to fix this not just for you but the entire Bene Israel community.

Regards,
Sammy.

From: Moses
To: Sammy Benjamin
Sent: Saturday, June 15,
Subject: Re: URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

I really appreciate what u are doing for me n my wife and just to let u know that I know it the only misrad happinim Eilat I really don't know how I can tell u the address but I have been given the email address is:

Eilatashrot1-@piba.gov.il

Fax number: 086381344

We just need to explain them that we have given everything needed and she has accepted my marriage certificate then why not change my status she is just harassing me for one paper that I already have which my dad has already got from the court.

Thanking you.
Moses.

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Email send to Management of Israel Internal Affairs (Misrad Hapnim):

From: Sammy Benjamin <sammybenjamin@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2013
Subject: Fwd: URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

Dear Management of Misrad Hapnim,
Since I am from United States and don't know where to send this serious matter of harassment. I am contacting you for your awareness and to send it to the right person who can be kind enough to help this Bene Israel gentleman who has been driven to think about suicide because of the treatment he has received at the Eliat office by a lady named Rachael.

My many generations of Bene Israel relatives who decided to immigrate to Israel since the early 1960's have suffered silently at the hands of Israeli authority. They are even afraid to bring this up in public because of reprisals from the Israeli authorities. For God's sake this has to stop as you will agree that all Jews were created equal regardless of their ethnic origin.

I apologize in advance for my candid statements in the below document, but when I speak from the heart I cannot manipulate the truth as it will lose its significance when I am trying to make my point. Please help correct any problems that may exist that treat us Bene Israel folks like inferior Jews. My attached email and that from Mr. Moses will relay the problem and our emotion on this serious issue.

I will appreciate a respond in this matter to get your feedback and if there is anything we Bene Israel community can do to help ourselves and not continue to be harassed by offices of authority in Israel.

Thank You very much for your time and support to look into this matter.

Truly and Regards,

Samuel Benjamin

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Email reply received from Abraham, NY:

From: Shalomi Samson <>
To: Sam Benjamin <sammybenjamin3@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2013 8:52 PM
Subject: Re: URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

Hi Sam,

I have some comments , (its still 20 mins before Shabath begins here.) My email MUST be shared without editing, with all the Bcc's you have sent. If not, then I am not interested to be a part of this group. Let us debate..

I agree that the western Jews doubt our Jewishness, but whenever confronted One has to retaliate with facts to prove that we, Indian Jews are indeed pure halachic Jews. A simple e.g I recently sent this attached email to my '00s of contacts which include the whites. I did not get a single comment refuting my statement [ see attached, I have removed the email addresses to maintain privacy ] .We have to be proud of our bene-israeli heritage. You are 100% right that many European/Russian Jews eat pork, whereas we don’t even think of it.

Also it matters how one behaves when, in the company of white Jews, some of us, have inferiority complex, which must be overcome. My daughter, went to a private Jewish school, the only brown in the whole school, but throughout her years, she never ever faced any discrimination, infact all staff/students loved her. She once performed a Bollywood dance at their Purim function, which was a hit with all..

Re: Mr Moses :-- we do not know the facts from the other side.

It is also a well known fact ( you cannot disagree ) , that SOME Indian conversions are a joke, it is possible to convert a goi, without her knowing ABC of Judaism. Give a hefty donation or if you know the secretary etc. A friend of mine here , a Rabbi's son, ( paradoxically) fell in love with a phillipino. It took 5 years for her to be finally converted, after she underwent classes, coaching & a final interview with a panel of Rabbis. Of course, she was helped financially , too, if needed to visit newyork.

Shabath Shalom

ABRAHAM

From: Sammy Benjamin

To: Abraham

Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013

Subject: Re: URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

Hello Mr. Abraham,

Thank you for replying to my email. I am not going to share your email without your permission. I will take the opportunity to reply to it.

There are certainly some lucky people like yourself who may have ended up in the right place to not see any of the discrimination that many Bene Israel have experienced. While I have been able to get whatever Jewish recognition I needed, I have received discrimination from the orthodox Rabbi who did not agree to do my son's Barmitzva.

The Rabbi with his connection from Brooklyn would have offered the option that I could consider to convert under their supervision. That is a big insult I will never forget. I was not desperate and hence they could not manipulate me. But only God know how many people they harass to grant them their rightful recognition. Remember not all Jews have to be Orthodox to be recognized.

The Jewish community at large are very good people and rather curious of Jews existing in India.

I have myself overseen the process of conversion at Magen Hassidim in Mumbai and they are legitimately kosher and I support them 100%. While conversions in India may happen which are not 100% kosher, so do they occur in Israel. If the white Jews who don't follow a single rule of Judaism can get away with wives who are non Jewish, then an Indian Jew and his wife who is making an effort should also have the same opportunity.

We Bene Israel need to support our community as we are such a minority. If we sign up with the white doctrine then there is no hope for any relief for them from such discrimination. Such reasons are responsible for the assimilation of truly Jewish people and those who want to become Jews.

Regards,

Sammy.

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Email reply received from Levi:

From: Levi

To: Sammy Benjamin, John
Sent: Sunday, June 16,

Subject: RE: URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

Hi Mr. Benjamin.

Please note my comments embedded in the mail below.

Refered only to the Q & A.

A copy is being mailed to Mr, John (My Mama)

To VERIFY if required that my notes below are CORRECT.

And to my Father in law (Helped Indian immigrants to settle in Northern Israel-Haifa)

I think he can add some comments to my note below!

Please forward this to the person who wrote the following "FACTS" of discrimination of Indian Jews in Israel.

Comments added inline to statements below:

Q: My Jewishness in India is recognized but in Israel its has to be proved, why this treatment to me?

Not quite correct in this decade. I have three daughters two are married to Ashkenazim origins and we never had to prove of being Jews in any government or Rabbinate offices.
A: In short, because you are not white, or European or of Russian descent. It is immaterial what documents you provide.

Q: I feel that all my documents are clean and that i am being harassed only because i am Indian,
A: VERY TRUE, You are from a third world country and look different, dark colored, for those who consider themselves Jews.

Very wrong!! Some one is suffering not because the color the skin but of inferiority. I have a job where no one looks at me or refers to me because my skin color but to what I do or say professionally. My wife is an Indian too with the highest noncommissioned officer rank in the police force and received the best investigator award three years before her pension. We are both proud to be Indians and never felt any discrimination. Most of our friends or Non Indians. To be frank most are European Jews. We fought our way to be in this society and never complained about our origins.

Q: I feel like committing suicide and all the blame of all this will be on this so called lady at the visa office Rachael and the Government of Israel.

Do not do this. Fight back. If you are right and your cause is just you will prevail!!
A: DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT YOUR FAMILY WILL REGRET AND SUFFER FOR ! RACHEL THE LADY AT THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE WILL NOT SUFFER ! LET HER HAVE HER TIME HARASSING YOU NOW ! HAVE FAITH THAT SHE WILL SUFFER AND PAY FOR HER WRONGDOING LATER BECAUSE GOD IS WATCHING !

Q: She thinks everything in India is fake.

I do not think so. Many of our friends have been to India and came back with lots of positive points of view and sentiments to the state of India and the government officials.
A: But not as fake as the Jewishness of the many European Jews who eat pork and violate every rule from the Torah and yet are honored as Jews because their mother was Jewish, who herself never cared about being Jewish. They just got a FREE pass to come to Israel so they can take over the control and make you prove to them if you were really Jewish.

Best regards

Yours truly

Levy

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Sammy Benjamin
To: Levi, John, Menash
Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: URGENT ISSUE: RECOGNITION OF BENE ISRAEL FAMILY AS JEWS

Hello Mr. Levi Samuel,

Thank you for replying to my email. Most of the people who suffered through the immigration process will not talk about their painful experience as it is humanly degrading to do so. Also many of our lead Bene Israel do not want to ruffle any feathers as their position is secured and they do not want to get involved in this controversial issues. It is so bad that they will not even come forward or comment on the situation that other Bene Israel are currently dealing with.

There are certainly some lucky people like yourself who may have ended up in the right place to not see any of the discrimination that other Bene Israel have experienced. I or my family member will never be called to do the aliya during the Torha reading by the Chabad Rabbi unless a congregation member is picking the people at random. While I have been able to get whatever Jewish recognition I needed, I have received discrimination from the Chabad Rabbi who did not agree to do my son's Barmitzva. That is something I will never forget. That further build up an inferiority complex which did not encourage me to even ask about my daughter's batmitzva.

The Jewish community at large are very good people and rather curious of Jews existing in India.I have very good relationships with them.

We Bene Israel need to support our community as we are such a minority. If we sign up with the white doctrine then there is no hope for any relief from such discrimination. Such reasons are responsible for the assimilation of truly Jewish people and those who want to become Jews.

Regards,

Sammy

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Email reply received from John, NY:

From: John

To: Sammy Benjamin and 25 others
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 4:14 PM
Subject: My opinion: Treatment of our community in Israel.

Dear Sammy,

I was to reply to your email (that follows this email) but was busy with a community project. Apologize.

A YOUNG BENE ISRAELI COUPLE WAS GIVEN TOUGH TIME BY A STAFF OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, EILAT: I learnt about the problem from a note in FB by Menashe Moses and hence on the 'chat' asked for his phone number and had a talk with him. Once I received his son's phone number, who lives in Eilat, I contacted my friends in Israel including Noah Massil, Benny Walter, Nissim Moses and Joshua Naor, all well known leaders of the community.

Joshua called the young man right away but there was no answer. Noah asked one of our community leader from Eilat to get in touch with Menashe's son and you won't believe: just received a message on FB from Menashe that the lady from the Ministry of Interior, who had acted tough earlier, called him, was very sweet, has extended the visa till 16th of November and has advised them how to do change of status.

This was my way of doing things which I learnt both here in the USA during the last 32 years and ten years in Israel from where I represented an Indian newspaper as well as worked for El Al Israel Airlines.

Just to put some facts before you:

* There were over 1,800 employees in El Al when I stood for election for the post of 'Chaver Vaad', which represents the employees in Histadrut, the Israeli Labor Federation. There were barely 80 to 90 Bene Israelis working for the airline at the time, about 5 percent. About 80 percent were Ashkenazim. However, I received over 50 percent of the vote (the third highest among the slate) and got elected.

* Tamar, the daughter of Joshua Naor, is today, one of the top ranking officer of the airline.

During my stay in Israel, I saw so many of our kids marry Ashkenazis, one of my commander of my unit, 'Totkhanim' based in Machane Yiftach, was a Bene Israeli.

This was between the year 1970 and 1979. By now our people are to be seen occupying some of the highest positions in banks, The Israel Aircraft Industry, private firms et al. We still have to produce some good journalists!

As far as my treatment as a Bene Israeli in the USA.

* I was readily accepted by Chabad of Manalapan, NJ and they would call me for 'Aliyot' etc. In fact, I addressed one of their group meetings too.

* I also belonged for sometime to a very Orthodox synagogue at Lakewood, NJ, 'Kehilat Bnei Israel' and was given 'Aliyot' as also the Union Hill Synagogue, Manalapan, NJ.

* Since I have moved far away from these synagogues now, I have joined Beth Or of Brick, NJ where apart from getting the 'Mitzva' of carrying the Sefer Torah every Saturday morning, I am not only called for 'Aliyot' but once a month, given the opportunity to recite 'Haftorah' which I do along with reciting 'Maftir' that is recited before reading it. When our Rabbi goes on leave, the responsibility to recite all the portions of the Sefer Torah is given to me. And yes, I barely pay the minimum of the dues for membership.

* Romiel Daniel, one of our community member, is a Rabbi of the renowned Rego Park Synagogue in Queens, NY.

* My nephew, Levi Samuel, occupies a good post in north Israel whereas his brother Gabriel, is a senior officer at Coca Cola. Levy's wife, Sippy, daughter of M.D.Jacob, recently retired as a police officer. The son of my second sister, Avi, has a good post in Israel Police and lectures throughout the country.

* Nissim Moses represented The Israel Aircraft Industry in New Delhi for years.

* At the last Independence Day celebration in Israel, the daughter of late Samson Samson was given the honor to light the Menorah while a number of our kids serving the Israel Defense Forces were honored.

Of course I am unaware of the achievements of Bene Israelis in Israel during my residence in the USA but I am confident that they are doing very well.

Sammy, you will be surprised to know that during our annual visits to Israel, even some of our Bene Israeli synagogues have become too rigid, follow the Orthodox rules including not given 'Aliyot' to people who have driven to the synagogue , or those who do not have long sleeve shirts etc.

I will be reaching the age of 70 this December, have seen life at close both in Israel and the USA and have learnt the hard way to get work done without hurting anyone, if possible.

Of course, I do not want to contradict any of your statements since we all have a right to express our opinions and who will acknowledge it more than me, who has been in the field of journalism for decades.

With kindest regards,

John

From: Sammy Benjamin

ToJohn and 25 others

Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013
Subject: Correctly drafted reply: - Re: My opinion: Treatment of our community in Israel.

First I will attach the email I send to the management of the Israel Interior Affairs head office in Jerusalem, Israel:

-- Removed from here as it is already presented above -----

------------------------------------------------------------

It is a great honor to have very respectable people like yourself and those from USA, Israel and India looking out for the welfare of the Bene Israel community which is an ultra-minority in most parts of the world. As a rule of thumb, the people who have least representation will suffer the most. If Israel is a place where Bene Israel have thrived and prospered, then Bene Israel should not be reporting such discrimination issues.

You must have heard the derogatory saying from Israel made for Bene Israelis.

HODU, KHADDA KHODU !.

(Indian, Trench Digger)

Many of my uncles who migrated to Israel in the 60's and then my cousin's later in the 80's, even 90's will tell me about the discrepancy on how Bene Israel Jews and those of ethnic origin are treated versus those who came from Europe. None of them want to get involved with the authorities as there is a lot at stake during their immigration process. They do not want to risk anything by bringing up discrimination charges against the authorities who are handling their papers.

Moses is an exception who could not take it any longer and chose to speak up because he is in the grave situation of getting his wife deported from Israel. Many Indian Jews have suffered silently does not mean there is no discrimination. If the fortunate Bene Israelis do not get discriminated and get regular aliyah during Torah reading does not mean others will not be deprived of the same basic rituals at other locations. What I am hearing from your comments is that things are much better today and Bene Israel Jews now do not suffer as much as they used to do in earlier years, especially from the NY, NJ area. Also we have become more tolerant and have stopped complaining.

I was disappointed that the only response I received for the email I send to over 1000 people (including non-Bene Israelis) and posted it on my FB pages as a call for help for Moses, was from those few who tried to explain that there is no such discrimination in Israel. One of the good friends who you contacted in Israel (without naming him) advised me that these are mentally affected people and I should stay out of this affair completely, without providing any details of his basis.

The only useful information I received was an open ended tip with no contact information: "I understand that a Mr.Mashil of Jerusalem is the elected representative of us Bene-Israel Jews in Israel the family in question should contact him with their problem. "

To verify the story by chatting with the father and Moses and their uncle. First I wanted to make sure this young man will not do anything to hurt himself based on his comments in his email to his father.

What I have written is based on the information I have received, researched and understood to be true and factual. That does not mean it is perfect, but it is with the cleanest of intentions. I found out who the manages were at the Interior Affairs office at their head office in Jerusalem and wrote to them about this case with the complete unedited information.

I was happy to hear from Mose’s father today: “Hope all is well , Anyways thank you Very much for all the timely help to my Son in Eilat, He was called to the Misrat Happinim And the same tough lady Was in a different mood today and spoke to my son in a different tone and was much more loving, she gave an extension of visa till nov 16th 2013, and also told him to get his status changed in the meantime. So ,now there is a sigh of relief”

I know this issue is not resolved yet and we need to keep on whatever pressure is helping move this solution in the right direction.

Is there is a Bene Israel office or committee who looks out for the welfare of the Bene Israel when they need desperate help? I can create a web page to provide information on who to contact when there is a crisis in somebody's life.

We Jews are not very popular for great diplomacy but we are surely renowned for telling the facts and words come from the heart to expose and resolve problems. Everything I present is in writing so I cannot back off from what I said and I will apologize if I am wrong in what I presented.

I respect you and others elders from the Bene Israel community and will take advise and constructive criticism as good feedback to learn what is the correct thing to do and what is not.

Truly and Best Regards,

Sammy Benjamin.

sammybenjamin@gmail.com

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Email reply received from Sharon:

From: Sharon

To: 'Sammy Benjamin'
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Subject: RE: Correctly drafed reply: - Re: My opinion: Treatment of our community in Israel.

Dear Sammy

I am not sure if you know me but I have been following your emails and the others for quite sometime. Just felt like raising my opinion.

Discrimination exists for sure and I have faced and experienced it personally and in my own way I have fought it out – if interested I can elaborate. But the truth is to every story there are different sides, shades and then some issue that spoils everything.

I also feel that we as a community has failed miserably to address our own issues within ourselves first. Tell me apart from individual success stories what have we achieved collectively – how does our community treat our own community members. Discrimination rages among our own community. Forget others – this general trend has become a part of me - I see I myself the attitude of closing the doors behind ourselves so that others do not follow and so many things that are so easily found in our community. I dare to talk this way because I am proud of my ancestors and my heritage and my place in the Jewish world but for sure I do not use it to hide my shortcomings, ignorance and arrogance.

I have been working in the Indian Jewish community and had been a community worker and Jewish educator along with my wife – all this has come to us at a cost and sacrifice we dared to do something like this at a age when all others are focused on careers. Of course I do not regret but I feel I have experienced our community first hand on daily basis.

I think each case should be first treated with research to know what really went wrong. By the way you should know that Rav Ovadia Yosef was the one who stood firm and declared that Bene Yisrael are pure Jews and can marry with other Jews. Sephardic hence had no issue with us. Even Ashkenazi chief Rabbi had accepted our status and then unfortunately he was pushed to take his statement back and so on and hence the Ashkenazi “religious “ jews are unconvinced about us….. today the case is that Rabbi Ovadia is not sure of the status of the bene Yisrael coming from India…. think about it what made me so unsure about us in India?

Please note that I have created and working with a nice Bene Noach community in Andra and guide a lot of sincere converts who have made it to Israel and US and converted with proper education.

I just want to add that I do enjoy your mails, And here I am just raising my opinions and way of thinking. Please do not be offended just in case I sounded so.

Regards

Keep well

Sharon

From: Sammy Benjamin <sammybenjamin@yahoo.com>
To: Sharon
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Subject: Re: Correctly drafed reply: - Re: My opinion: Treatment of our community in Israel.

I appreciate your reply to my email because it shows that you care enough to voice your own opinions based on your own experiences. I can also tell you care about the Bene Israel community.

I am focusing on how the white Ashkenazim Jews are treated preferentially by the Israeli authorities versus the poor treatment for dark colored Jews inducing the Bene Israel. Since they took the reins of authority, they have changed the most basic laws of the Torah that Jewish lineage comes from the father.

They force you to believe that the mother is the ONLY giver of Jewish lineage to her kids. The father being given no importance. The Torah tells us, "I am the God of Abraham Issac and Yacov" , and never that of Sarah, Riva and Abigail.

History has documented the unfortunate war crimes of the Holocaust where many Jewish women were forced to bear children from German fathers. To protect the Ashkenazim Jews from becoming extinct, they completely changed the lineage rule to readily accept children born from German non-jewish fathers as Jewish and give them a FREE pass to enter Israel. My biggest issue with that is they took away the lineage coming from the father which is against the original rule. Good move, to suit themselves, but at the cost of using that rule to discriminate against all others ethnic people who are legitimately Jews.

I dedicated an entire webpage of facts, arguments and counter arguments to the entire lineage issue which is documented here : http://b-inet.com/sammy/who-is-a-jew/index%20.html

I want to add that it is not offending at all to get your feedback, it in fact it enlightens me with knowledge that you can add to help me understand the situation even better.

Shalom.
With Best Regards,
Sammy Benjamin.

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Some interesting articles and News Items from recent times and from old times sighting the state of affairs in terms of immigration of the ethnic Jews to Israel:

Ethnicity, Marginality and Identity

Bene Israel portion from documentary "The 10 Lost Tribes"

Very interesting article - A MUST READ to understand this issue and its background roots.

They were indeed Jews in India, but they remain Indians in Israel.

http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/4538-the-cochin-mizrahi.html

The first Jews and Zionists to arrive in Palestine from the diaspora were those from Europe, known as the Ashkenazim. The Law of Return – the 1950 legislation that allowed any person of Jewish origin Israeli citizenship – motivated thousands of Jews settled in Arab and other Asian countries to migrate to Israel, both for greener pastures and also for reasons of security. Known as the Mizrahi, Oommen writes, these Jews ‘were not Israel’s first choice but there was no alternative than to accept them.’ As immigration of Jews from Europe decreased, ‘Zionist leaders … changed their position in order to satisfy the economic, demographic and military needs of the newly created state with its Ashkenazim elite.

The Mizrahi have always been viewed by the Ashkenazim as culturally, religiously and intellectually inferior. Hence, for instance, Golda Meir referred to Jewish migrants from Yemen this way: ‘We do not want Yemenite way of life. We shall bring the immigrants to Israel and make them human beings.’ It is within this context that the assimilation of Cochin Jews in Israel needs to be viewed.

Indeed, they were greeted in Israel with an unexpected welcome, being sprayed with disinfectant. Perceived to be primitive and poor, they were put in mabaarot, or transit camps, for much longer than the Ashkenazim had been, and were then settled in unfertile, hostile environs in the Negev Desert and near border areas. This isolation, Oommen writes, inevitably ‘limited the Cochin Jews’ potential economic, social and cultural participation.’

In the beginning, in addition to their low levels of education and lack of knowledge of Hebrew, the community was handicapped by its cultural differences, extreme religiosity (unlike the Ashkenazim, most of whom considered themselves relatively secular) and lack of connections within the Ashkenazim elite. They were first assigned to agriculture and, when that failed for many, to lowly paid jobs within the remote moshavs (cooperative agricultural towns), where they settled. Oommen writes, ‘the settlement authorities, suspecting that the Jews of Cochin carried contagious diseases, forced them to settle in remote areas. Most of the Cochini Moshavs had no proper water supply and electricity in the beginning.’ He continues: ‘One of the Cochini settlements, Kefar Yuval, is on the Israeli Lebanon border, where they had a horrific life due to the enemy raids from Lebanon. In late 1970s, [Lebanese] attacked the Moshav and around ten Cochinis were killed.’

Over the years, the situation has improved. Domicile in Israel, the assertion of Mizrahi power after decades of neglect, and the community’s increasing participation in the country’s political life have helped to improve Mizrahi status, though the Ashkenazim remain the dominant group in Israel. But although their status has been improving, this has yet to translate into significant integration into Israeli political, economic or cultural life, and the Cochin Jews remain a marginalised community in their promised land.

Today, however, a younger generation that was born and grew up in Israel has helped to instil a level of self-confidence and pride in the Cochin Jewish identity. They were indeed Jews in India but they remain Indians in Israel.

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Being Indian, Being Israeli
http://asiasociety.org/policy/strategic-challenges/intra-asia/being-indian-being-israeli

Thousands of Indian Jews, who emigrated to Israel from Bombay, Calcutta, and Cochin were sent to remote development towns with migrants from North and West Asia or the "Mizrahis" who, unlike the Ashkenazis or Jews of European origin, were discriminated against because of their "backward" origins or "dark skin."

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Racism in Israel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_Israel

In 1962, authorities in Israel were accused by articles in the Indian press of racism in relation to Jews of Indian ancestry (called Bene Israel).^[176][177] In the case that caused the controversy, the Chief Rabbi of Israel ruled that before registering a marriage between Indian Jews and Jews not belonging to that community, the registering rabbi should investigate the lineage of the Indian applicant for possible non-Jewish descent, and in case of doubt, require the applicant to perform conversion or immersion.^[176][177] The alleged discrimination may actually be related to the fact that some religious authorities believe that the Bene Israel are not fully Jewish because of inter-marriage during their long separation.^[178]

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Jews of Two Worlds: Indians in Israel

http://www.khabar.com/magazine/cover-story/jews_of_two_worlds_indians_in_israel

The Cochinis were the darkest-skinned immigrants in Israel at the time. The country was run by the Labor Party, Europeans with socialist tendencies, but questionable sensitivity to non-whites. Yehuda Abraham, a second-generation Cochini married to an American, complained of hostile looks in the street as a boy, of being made to feel different. However, most Cochinis deny being discriminated against. And it can be argued that being sent to do rural labor was no indication of racism in a country that was still enthralled by the Zionist idea of the rural Jewish settler, the pioneer.

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Jewish Virtual Library: Bene Israel

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0003_0_02450.html

The government of India has received complaints from some Indian Jews who had returned from Israel that there was discrimination against them on account of their color. The government has not verified any of these complaints, and in any event, such individual complaints do not justify a general statement that there is a color bar in Israel."

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ISRAEL AND HALF-JEWISH PEOPLE

http://half-jewish.net/israel/

A problem that we have with Birthright Israel trips is that the trips are not honest about the discrimination against half-Jewish people in Israel.

Half-Jewish people participating in these trips are never told that Israel has a huge negative web of discriminatory policies and laws against them. They are encouraged to give glowing tributes to Israel as an accepting multicultural society in books and on Youtube, apparently unaware they themselves would face legal obstacles to becoming Israeli citizens and poor treatment within Israeli society.

Many half-Jewish people come back from Birthright Israel trips feeling very positive about Israel. They start talking about staying in touch with the people they met on the trip, making aliyah, or consider studying temporarily in Israel, joining the Israel Defense Forces, etc. They talk on Youtube and in articles and books about how the trip made them “feel Jewish” for the first time. They claim that Israel welcomes adult children and grandchildren of intermarriage with no reservations.

Unfortunately, that’s not true. One adult child of intermarriage reported being denied entry to an Israeli institute of higher learning after she had a very good Birthright Israel trip. Her application was rejected because she has a Jewish father, but her mother isn’t Jewish. She had no idea that some Israelis don’t accept children of Jewish fathers as Jews, unless they convert by Orthodox ritual.

The IDF has always opposed discrimination against half-Jewish people and tried to treat them fairly, but the IDF is increasingly being forced by the Israeli government and Orthodox religious groups to discriminate against half-Jewish people.

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Treatment of Ethiopian Jews in then mid 90's:

http://worldcrunch.com/world-affairs/after-decades-of-discrimination-israel-s-ethiopian-jews-say-enough-is-enough/c1s4530/

Approximately 5,000 other Falashas were waiting for him there to denounce the discrimination they face in Israel. “When our parents emigrated en masse at the start of the 1980s, they thought they were escaping to paradise. But all they have found is contempt,” says Adissu Mohal, a 40-year-old supermarket employee. “Not a day goes by without someone treating me like a cockroach because of the color of my skin.”

The Falashas discontent spilled over three weeks ago when the white inhabitants of Kiryat Malahi agreed in writing not to rent or sell any goods to the blacks. The town hall supported the agreement. “We don’t want these shits in our buildings,” town residents told television reporters. In response, the Falashas, who hadn’t protested since 1995, took to the streets. “We are just like you, listen to us!” the protestors shouted.

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Subject to bias, India's Jews make a go of living in Israel

http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=27&SubSectionID=25&ArticleID=11785&TM=30744.75

Originally sent to development towns in the Negev, these Jews -- particularly the Bene Israel -- were often discriminated against because of their dark skin and quiet manners, especially compared to the more aggressive demeanor for which native-born Israelis are known.

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Bene Israel of Mumbai, India

http://www.bh.org.il/database-article.aspx?48701

The Bene Israel community’s integration into Israeli society was not easy. In 1951 a small number of the Bene Israel claimed discrimination and demanded repatriation; after a series of strikes, they were returned to India. Most of these Jews re-emigrated at a later date. Furthermore, some orthodox Rabbis in Israel did not recognize the Bene Israel as Jews and therefore the Bene Israel faced difficulty marrying other Jews. After 1964, when the religious status of the Bene Israel was finally settled in Israel, emigration increased.

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Indian summer in the Knesset

http://www.jpost.com/Features/In-Thespotlight/This-Week-in-History-Indian-summer-in-the-Knesset

On October 18, 1962, the Council of the Chief Rabbinate decided that marriage with Bene Israel was permissible. However, the Council ruled that the rabbi registering the marriage must investigate their maternal ancestry to ensure that neither their parents or grandparents had remarried after a divorce and were not within the prohibited degrees of kinship.

This decision fueled a feeling among the Bene Israel community that they were victims of discrimination, leading to hunger strikes and demonstrations in Jerusalem in the summer of 1964. Hundreds of Bene Israel came to the capital from around the country and rallied the wider public behind them. During one rally, activists burned a portrait of Rabbi Itzhak Nissim, triggering a counter protest held by Orthodox rabbis the next evening. Some members of the Bene Israel community even returned to India due to the atmosphere of discrimination, most of whom re-emigrated to Israel at a later stage. The series of demonstrations spurred the Knesset to take action, passing the Bene Israel resolution on August 16, which was read in an emergency Knesset session the next day. The resolution stressed the equal rights of Bene Israel, condemned the Chief Rabbinate and called upon it to dispel any feelings of discrimination among Bene Israel and the general public. It passed with a 43 to 2 vote.

The Chief Rabbinate responded to the Knesset resolution, revoking all references to the Bene Israel in the directive and substituting it with a general order which was made applicable to anyone whose family status was in doubt. Years later in 2002, a DNA test confirmed Bene Israel's claims that they were descendants of the Kohanim, laying to rest any doubts concerning their Jewish origins.

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Israel: Balancing Demographics in the Jewish State

http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?ID=321

According to the Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews, there are about 85,000 Ethiopian Jews in Israel now; of those, about 20,000 were born in Israel. Many have had difficulty integrating into Israeli society. They often face discrimination in housing, education, and employment.

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A home away from home
http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/a-home-away-from-home/article4653200.ece

Only Indian Jews came to Beersheva. “There was no food, no water, but it was a good time — because we came with a passion to build Israel,” Raymond Abraham says.

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VIDEO 3 : ISRAEL – PASSION TO PERSEVERE

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Bene Israel Today

Journey from India to the Golani Brigade
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=6199

Ronen Birvdaker decided to immigrate to Israel from India at age 24, recently completed his training and became a Golani Brigade infantry soldier • Birvdaker: "I am 100% Israeli."
Ronen Birvdaker, a Jewish Indian from Mumbai, was so moved by the 2008 terrorist attack in his home city that he decided to immigrate to Israel last year. On Wednesday, he completed his training to become a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces’ Golani Brigade.

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Saris and Chuppahs for the B’nei Israel Jews of India
http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/02/saris-and-chuppahs-for-the-bnei-israel-jews-of-india/

There are roughly 6 million Jews living in Israel today, 80,000 of whom, like Ms. Talker-Shefer, are of Indian origin. While some of the other large immigrant sectors within Israel – Jews from Russia and Ethiopia, notably – tend to hold on to their customs, imprinting the communities where they resettle with their old languages and foods, the Indian community in Israel is a study in assimilation.

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A Big Fat Indian-Jewish Wedding
http://mattersindia.com/a-big-fat-indian-jewish-wedding/

The number of Jews in India is so few that the census lists them with the 0.6 percent of religious ‘others.’ But that doesn’t stop them celebrating their weddings in the lavish fashion typical of Indians.
So when Sharon Bhalkar and Shulamith Malekar tied the knot in March, their wedding had all the pomp of a typical big Indian ceremony, reports timesofisrael.com. There were elegant sarees and mouth watering fragrant curries and a DJ spinning the latest Bollywood hits. But this wasn’t just anther Indian wedding because both Sharon and Shulamith trace their ancestry all the way back 2,000 years to Israel.

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Bene Israel In USA & Canada
http://www.lassiwithlavina.com/thebuzz/india-a-nurturing-sanctuary-for-judaism/html
Many Indian Jews have migrated to North America for economic opportunities and today there are about 1500 in Canada and 350 in the US. It’s a small but vibrant community which observes all the high holidays and festivals. “We don’t want to lose our own traditions; we want to integrate but we don’t want to assimilate,” says Daniel who started organizing services for the community in 1995.
The Indian Jews are scattered in all five boroughs of New York and in New Jersey, so they attend services at mainstream synagogues. Since they don’t have their own synagogue they rent the Bene Israel Congregation in the Village every year to hold their events. While the liturgy is the same, the trope or musical notations in Indian Jewish traditions are totally different.

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