Russia begins rocket deliveries to Iran

Russian rocket deliveries to Iran started
Nov 24 8:45 AM US/Eastern
--Agence France-Presse
Copyright AFP 2005


Russia has begun deliveries of the Tor-M1 air defence rocket system to Iran, Russian news agencies quoted military industry sources as saying, in the latest sign of a Russian-US rift over Iran.

"Deliveries of the Tor-M1 have begun. The first systems have already been delivered to Tehran," ITAR-TASS quoted an unnamed, high-ranking source as saying Friday.

The United States has pressed Russia to halt military sales to Iran, which Washington accuses of harbouring secret plans to build a nuclear weapon.

Moscow has consistently defended its weapons trade with Iran. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said the contract for 29 rocket systems, signed in December last year, was legitimate because the Tor-M1 has a purely defensive role.

ITAR-TASS reported that the rockets were to be deployed around Iran's nuclear sites, including the still incomplete, Russian-built atomic power station at Bushehr.

In August, Washington announced sanctions against several companies, including Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport, for supplying technology to Iran that could allegedly be used to develop missile technology and weapons of mass destruction.

Under the sanctions no US company can deal with foreign companies on the sanctions list for two years.

A spokesman for Rosoboronexport contacted by AFP would not confirm or deny the reports about the Tor-M1 delivery, which were also issued by the Interfax news agency.

The Tor-M1 is a low to medium-altitude missile fired from a tracked vehicle against airplanes, helicopters and other airborne targets.

The news came as the UN Security Council continued to consider possible sanctions against Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile activity in response to the Islamic republic's suspect nuclear programme.

The major powers have been debating a draft resolution drawn up by Britain, France and Germany that would impose limited sanctions on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile sectors for Tehran's failure to comply with an earlier UN resolution on halting enrichment.

China and Russia, both close economic partners with Iran, argue the measures are too extensive, while Washington has pressed for tougher action.

'Hi, my name is Ahmed and I want to be a suicide bomber'

FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
'Hi, my name is Ahmed and I want to be a suicide bomber'

Recruited attacker for terror group talks to WND about 'serving Allah by blasting unbelievers to hell'

Posted: November 24, 2006 1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

JENIN – WND was granted access through the Islamic Jihad terror group to a 23-year old Palestinian man who has volunteered to become a suicide bomber and who the organization says has "great potential" to carry out one of the next attempted suicide attacks against Israeli civilians.

According to Islamic Jihad leaders, the potential bomber interviewed is one of over "hundreds" of young Palestinians in the northern West Bank who passed necessary recruitment stages and is available to attempt to infiltrate Jewish population centers wearing an explosive belt with the goal of blowing up as many Israelis as possible.

The interview took place in a remote building in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, a well-known Islamic Jihad stronghold from which the majority of recent Palestinian suicide bombers have originated.

The Islamic Jihad terror group has taken responsibility for every suicide attack inside Israel the past two years, including a bombing in Tel Aviv in April that killed American teenager Daniel Wultz and nine Israelis. Islamic Jihad also has carried out scores of recent deadly shootings and rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.

Islamic Jihad leaders allowed WND to interview the potential suicide bomber in a room together with his recruiter, who is a senior member of the terror group.

Both the recruiter and potential bomber were aware WND's reporter is Jewish.

The recruiter several times ordered the want-to-be bomber to refrain from answering certain questions during the interview, which was conducted using an English-Arabic translator.

The potential bomber's face was not covered during the interview, but he was told by the Islamic Jihad recruiter not to provide his name or extensive biographical information.

Following are excerpts from WND's conversation with the potential bomber, which includes topics such as the supposed reward of 72 dark-eyed virgins for carrying out an attack; the belief among some Muslims that Jews descended from pigs and monkeys; and the potential suicide bomber's desire to kill WND's reporter in a suicide operation.

'I pray Allah makes me dead in a (suicide) operation'

WND: Tell me about your life and what you do with your free time.

BOMBER: I study at a West Bank university and I have great hopes of getting married within the next couple of months. My life is very normal. I watch television, particularly news, and historical and religious programs. From time to time I play soccer and lift weights.

WND: Is your family poor?

BOMBER: No. We are regular but far from being wealthy. I share my bedroom with my brothers but now there is less pressure because last summer one of my brothers was married and moved to live outside.

WND: Why do you want to become a suicide bomber?

BOMBER: I originally decided to become a martyr after I saw what the Israeli army did in the refugee camp of Jenin in the big military campaign of April, 2002.

But this idea became stronger when I understood what status I will have in heaven if I scarify myself for Allah. Every time somebody else dies as a martyr in a suicide bomb attack, I pray for him but I feel jealous. I want to be where he is now and I pray that Allah will one day offer me this occasion and this honor.

[Editor's note: The potential bomber was referring to an Israeli anti-terror raid in his hometown of Jenin in 2002 in which Palestinian leaders accused the Jewish state of a "massacre," claiming the Israeli Defense Forces killed over 500 Palestinian civilians, including many women and children.

It was later determined 56 Palestinians, mostly gunmen, were killed in the raid, which followed a series of deadly suicide attacks inside Israel that were reportedly planned and directed from the terror infrastructure in Jenin. Twenty-three Israeli soldiers died in the Jenin battle, in which IDF troops conducted house-to-house searches to minimize civilian casualties by avoiding air attacks.]

WND: Is your main motivation for becoming a bomber is to serve Allah?

BOMBER: Yes, of course. Allah gave Muslims the possibility to gain their prize and payment in different ways. There are those (Muslims) who pray and fast only and respect Allah's commandments, and there are those who wish a higher prize. And the highest prize is given to those who scarify themselves, their lives, their bodies and everything in this world.

WND: What you are saying is interesting because a lot of academics in the United States and many of my colleagues in the media claim Palestinians become suicide bombers because they are poor and desperate and because of so-called Israeli occupation. Are you telling me these are not the reasons you want to blow yourself up amongst Israelis?

BOMBER: The will to scarify myself for Allah is the first and most major reason. It is true that the Zionists are occupying our lands and that it is our religious duty to fight them, including through suicide attacks. The goal is not the killing of the Jews, but that this is the way to reach Allah.

The goal is satisfying Allah and his instructions. No money interests, nothing. No brainwash, no pressure; it is my decision. All the other lies are pathetic Israeli propaganda.
I pray that Allah gives me the honor to be dead in an operation. This is the supreme and the noblest way to ascend to Allah.

These martyrs have special status in the next world and have bigger chances to watch Allah's face and enjoy the magnificent pleasures he offers us.

'It is our duty to fight Jews but our goal is to please Allah'

WND: Did I hear you say your goal is not to kill Jews? Isn't that exactly what you will do as a suicide bomber?

BOMBER: Maybe the fact that I was born here has sharpened my religious conscience, but I believe that even if I was in Chechnya, in Iraq, Afghanistan on anywhere else I would want to be a martyr.

It is Allah's satisfaction that is important to me no matter where I live. But as we live in this part of the world the way to reach Allah for me is through fighting the Zionist enemy. It is the jihad, the sacrificing that is important.

WND: These cliches are impressive but I know you are aware that you are speaking to a Jew. Perhaps you are telling me what I want to hear. Tell me the truth. You want to kill Jews, don't you?

BOMBER: We were never taught to hate Jews but to hate the occupation of the Zionists to our Islamic land that the Zionist entity with the conspiracy of the world has stolen and occupied. Jews can have their state but not on our lands and until this goal is achieved every Muslim must fight this entity.

The Jews stole this holy Islamic land and we must fight them, but I am looking to receive what waits for me in the next world.

'Enjoy your tea and our hospitality before I send you to hell.'

WND: You talk about fighting them, the Jews. I'm an American Jew. Do you want to kill me?

BOMBER: You are here and nobody hurts you and nobody thinks to do so. But if, unfortunately for you, if you will be in a place where my (suicide) operation will take place, I will not feel sorrow.

You American Jews are fully partners with the Zionists and even more dangerous than the Israelis because of the international support you give to the Israelis in their massacres against our people and the maintenance of the occupation.

WND: So if after today's meeting you saw me in a cafe in Jerusalem that you were sent to attack, you'd still try to blow it up?

BOMBER: At the moment there will not be a place for feelings and hesitations. If I go in an operation it means that I decided to leave behind my loved ones – my mother, my father, brothers and sisters, all my family and my friends. And if I am capable of this I would not give you a break just because we met for one time.

Meanwhile and before I drive you to hell in an operation, enjoy your tea and our hospitality.
(Laughing).
'And Allah shouted: Be pigs and monkeys'

WND: Many programs on Palestinian television have been teaching viewers Jews are descended from pigs and monkeys and that we use Palestinian and Christian blood to bake our Passover matzos. Is this what you believe?

BOMBER: I know where this question comes from. You think that we all are naive or bad from birth or that we were exposed to brainwashing. We just follow what we are demanded in the Quran to do because if we do not do so we will be attacked, occupied, controlled and killed by these enemies of Islam.

WND: You didn't answer my question. Do you believe I come from pigs and monkeys?

BOMBER: The Quran tells us that Allah was upset with the Jews because of their negative behavior towards Moses and Allah's commandments and Allah shouted to the Jews, 'Be pigs and monkeys.'

I don't know if physically Allah turned them to pigs and monkeys, or it was a way to tell them that they are as terrible as pigs and monkeys. The most important thing is that this is what Allah, may he be blessed, thinks that the Jews deserve to be.

I don't know about the Passover matzo but I know the Jews are the nation who was known for killing Allah's prophets and the nation that in our days wants to control the world or at least this part of the world, from the Nile to the Euphrates.

Meanwhile they (Jews) are controlling the U.S., its media, its financial system and its administration.

'You'll go to hell while 72 dark-eyed virgins await me in paradise.'

WND: When you mentioned before the pleasures that await you after a suicide bombing, I assume you were referring to the 72 dark-eyed virgins you believe will be waiting for you in heaven?

(Potential bomber nods to signal yes.)

WND: You talk about so-called martyrdom being divine. About being rewarded in the next world on supreme spiritual levels for what you say is a gift to Allah. And yet you tell me that what awaits you after a suicide operation is an eternity of sex with virgins. This is the most baseline physical pleasure imaginable. This is your religious version of heaven?

BOMBER: Let me explain something to you. The world, the lower one we are in now, it is temporary. Allah examines the loyalty of human beings, asking you in this materialistic world to avoid all that is tempting, all that pleasures you on earth, and to dedicate yourself to Allah.

This doesn't mean that Allah does not think it is good to take part in these needs of sex, in the pleasure of drinking alcohol, enjoying nature and other stuff. The point is that non-Muslims do those things in this world while ignoring Allah and all moral rules, while Muslims are asked to do a tremendous spiritual effort on earth in order to gain these other (physical) pleasures in the next world.

I don't know how you Jews see these physical pleasures, especially after the Torah that Allah gave you was falsified, but in our religion all spiritual efforts are asked from us on earth and it is much more difficult. So it is not that all the story is about sex. You do free sex now, I do not.

But you will go to hell after living 50, 60, 70, 80 years, and I will go, I pray that Allah accepts, to heaven and there I will do and will enjoy what you did during these 80 years. The difference is that after these years you will burn in hell forever and I will, after my years in this world of faith, restraint and patience, enjoy Allah's pleasures forever.

WND: Let's say your concept of heaven is accurate. You are indeed rewarded with 72 dark-eyed virgins for living the kind of life you describe. Do you really think you will go to heaven for killing innocent civilians during a suicide operation?

BOMBER: You are treating in a ridiculous way this issue, but this is in the Quran. Go and, Allah forbid, ask Allah about this point. We are promised in the Quran to have the dark-eyed virgins and that's it. The Quran is full of verses glorifying the shahid, the martyr.

WND: Show me exactly where in the Quran it states you will get 72 dark-eyed virgins for blowing yourself up amongst civilians.

BOMBER: You and I, we do not discuss Allah and the Quran. I will tell you more the moment that I will explode myself when there will be one dark-eyed virgin who will carry up my soul to the sky.

This is the important part of our mission – fulfilling Allah's commandments and hoping to receive the prizes we were promised in the Quran.

'America is a culture of immorality and free sex'

WND: What do you think about the Unites States?

BOMBER: I have no interest in the American culture which is an empty culture with no values. It is full of immorality and elements that are forbidden by Allah, like free sex and violence.

WND: So I take it you don't listen to American music or watch American movies?

BOMBER: I do not watch American movies and regret those days before the intifada (the Palestinian terror war that started in 2000) when I used to watch American movies like "Platoon" and that film that was made under the water.

These are stupid things and I ask Allah to forgive me for those hours I spent watching this nonsense.

In my opinion, America is the big enemy leading the war against Islam, Muslims, Palestinians and against anything that threatens the Zionist enemy.

WND: In the last suicide bombing, which took place in Tel Aviv earlier this year, an American teenager named Daniel Wultz was severely injured and later died of his wounds. In general, are Americans part of your target?

BOMBER: America is destroying and exploiting the Arabic and the Islamic world as part of a Zionist and Crusader plan. The American Jews, we say, are the godfathers of this Zionist entity in America.

Therefore this Daniel, I am sure, participated in the army activity. If not, he collected money for this Zionist entity. If not, he would decide one day to come to live here as a settler. Therefore there is no way that he can be defined as innocent.

WND: Do you think your family will miss you if you became a suicide bomber or would blowing yourself up amongst Israeli men, women and children make them proud?

BOMBER: My family, I think especially my mother, they have the feeling that one day they will hear that I carried out an operation. I do not think that they will be sad that I killed myself in an operation. It is the will to satisfy Allah.

I do not think my family will be surprised if I do it but I never told them anything because there may be some pressure and all our ideology is based on avoiding pressures and temptations connecting us to this lower world. It is the other world that I am seeking to join with all the love I have to my mother and my family. Now they love me and I hope in the future they will still love me but also be proud of me.

The Essentials of Christianity

Essential Christianity. We hear a lot of discussion about essentials and non-essentials, but what are the essentials of Christianity?

When we talk about the essentials of Christianity we're referring to the basic elements that make up and characterize our faith, and which, of course, separate it from other beliefs. Let's survey these doctrines.

First, we believe in the authority of Scripture, which is another way of saying that the Bible is God's inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word. It's the ultimate source for knowledge about God, as well as the definitive guide for our daily lives.

Next we affirm the existence of a triune God or one God in three distinct persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This God is self-existent, eternal, unchanging, omnipotent, omnipresent, holy, righteous, and loving. God created the universe from nothing and He rules over His creation sovereignly including both human and angelic beings.

We also hold that man is a physical and spiritual being who is created in God's image. But because of his sin or transgression, man has lost his fellowship with God. The extent of sin is so great that its effects continue to this very day in the form of cruelty, suffering, and death.

By God's grace, Jesus Christ - Who is fully God and fully man - was sent to save us from our bondage to sin. We believe that Christ was born of a virgin, died for our sins, physically rose from the dead, and will one day return to judge the world and deliver His people. Faith in Christ is the only means by which mankind can escape eternal damnation and judgment.

Finally, we recognize the church as God's ordained institution headed by Christ. The church is composed of all believers, and is organized for worship, for fellowship, for the administration of the sacraments, for spiritual growth and support, and for evangelizing the world.

Much more can and will be said, but we hope this summary has encouraged you to explore the links on the right and continue studying the essentials.

Christian lawyers are ready to fight 'war on Christmas'

Michael Clancy
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 24, 2006 12:00 AM

As regularly as the Christmas decorations hit the stores, the drums start beating about the "war on Christmas."

"About this time every year, our phones start to ring off the hook from people reporting cases of discrimination," said Mike Johnson, a Louisiana attorney who works for the Scottsdale-based Alliance Defense Fund.

Every year for the past four, the fund has issued a news release before Thanksgiving to tout its free lawyer service and to point out what it contends is an organized plot to remove all religious meaning from the holiday.

The plotters are the American Civil Liberties Union, People for the American Way, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and others, Johnson says.

Each of those organizations denies such a plot.

"The plot against Christmas is a manufactured plot," said Bill Straus, Arizona director of the Anti-Defamation League, a group that defends the rights of Jewish people."

I have not heard of one complaint where somebody was berated for celebrating Christmas. If saying 'happy holidays' is offensive, then it is not us who has the thin skins."

Johnson, who has led the campaign for the Alliance Defense Fund since it began, says the organization got 400 phone calls last year about possible discrimination.

He said that more than 350 of them were resolved with a letter explaining what is and is not permissible in classrooms, on city hall lawns and other places where issues of the separation of church and state are fought.

He declined to say how many cases were taken to court.

Johnson acknowledges that most of the cases are the result of efforts to be inclusive and sensitive to non-Christians, not part of an organized plot.

"A lot of people have been misled by the far fringe left groups," he said. "A very vocal minority has a clear objective to silence religious expression."

He cannot point to any such objective in writing. But, he says, just look at the cases the ACLU takes to court.

"The proof of the tree is in the fruit it bears," he said.

For its part, the ACLU denies any such objective.

Alessandra Soler Meetze, the executive director of the Arizona branch, said the campaign "is a well-organized attempt to demonize us."

"The reality of the matter is that there are millions of places where people can celebrate Christmas without fear of conflict," she said. "State bureaucrats should not be the ones deciding which symbols to display on government property."

As for the Anti Defamation League, Johnson accused the group of mailing to schools holiday guidelines that go too far.

But Straus said, "We don't tell people anything about the holidays. We make it clear if the public schools have any questions, rather than cross the line, contact us, and we will help them.

"Can you mention Christmas, Jesus in school? Yes, but you cannot promote Christianity. That is against the law."

Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center in Nashville says the distinction is relatively simple: Students and citizens may institute Christian activities, but school and government employees may not sponsor, endorse or promote them.

In an article on the organization's Web site, he quotes former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She wrote, "There is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion, which the establishment clause forbids, and private speech endorsing religion, which the free-speech and free-exercise clauses protect."

Paul Eppinger, a retired Baptist minister, said he has noticed a greater number of people toning down their Christmas celebrations "out of sensitivity to others."

Eppinger, who leads the Arizona Interfaith Network, said a better idea would be to go ahead and celebrate Christmas in all its glory.

But don't do it on government property, and make sure all the other religious groups get their due for their holidays, as well.

"Because the United States is such a conglomeration of people from all cultures, peoples, races and faiths, we need some way to recognize and celebrate all their traditions with them," Eppinger said.

Islamic-American Group Calls for Probe into Airport Incident

Religion Roundup
Islamic-American Group Calls for Probe into Airport Incident

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A spokeswoman for the Phoenix office of the American Council on American-Islamic Relations says "prayer is not a suspicious or criminal activity."

Bushra Khan says six imams who were removed from a U.S. Airways flight bound for Phoenix on Monday are shocked and hurt by the incident.

The Council is now calling for an investigation into the behavior of the airline's staff and airport security. Council spokesman Ibrahim Hooper says there's a "growing problem of singling out Muslims or people perceived to be Muslims at airports."

The six Muslim scholars were returning from a conference in Minneapolis. A U.S. Airways spokeswoman says passengers raised concerns after three of the Muslim scholars said their evening prayers before boarding the flight.

An airport spokesman says police were called after the captain and airport security workers asked the men to leave and they refused to do so.

The airline has released a statement saying it does not "tolerate discrimination of any kind." U.S Airways says it's interviewing crew members and ground workers about the incident.

Religious Leaders React to Same-Sex Marriage Ruling in Israel

Religious Leaders React to Same-Sex Marriage Ruling in Israel

JERUSALEM (AP) - An ultra-Orthodox lawmaker in Israel says a landmark ruling that requires the government to recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad amounts to "the destruction of the family unit" in Israel.

The lawmaker, Moshe Gafni, tells Israel's Army Radio, "We don't have a Jewish state here. We have Sodom and Gomorrah."

Israel's Supreme Court has approved same-sex marriages performed abroad. The case involves a couple married in Canada after that country approved same-sex marriage in 2003. The two are among five couples who'd petitioned Israel's high court to have their marriages registered.

In the past, Jews, Muslims and Christians in Israel have jointly opposed gay rights efforts such as gay parades.

Fund for Amish School Shooting Victims Tops Three Million

Fund for Amish School Shooting Victims Tops Three Million

NICKEL MINES, Pa. (AP) -- A community group says donations to help the survivors of last month's Amish school shootings have topped $3 million.

The Nickel Mines Accountability Committee says the contributions are being used to make the victims' homes and new school handicapped-accessible. Additionally, contributions are being set aside for the victims' long-term medical expenses.

The group also says it has been in touch with the wife and children of the deceased gunman and will make sure adequate support is available for that family.

Five girls were killed when Charles Roberts opened fire in their one-room school, and five others were injured. Roberts committed suicide.

The committee says three of the girls have returned to school, at least part-time. However, two are still recovering from extensive injuries.

Meanwhile, a fourth girl who suffered severe head wounds remains hospitalized and the fifth girl is home but semi comatose and will probably have lifelong disabilities.

'Lost tribe of Israel' returns home

FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
'Lost tribe of Israel' returns home
Group from India 'descended from Joseph' arrives in Jewish state

By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

TEL AVIV – About 50 Jews from a group of thousands in India that believes it is one of the 10 "lost tribes" of Israel landed here today, fulfilling for many a life-long dream of returning to what they consider their homeland.

"I truly believe this is a miracle of immense historical and even biblical significance," Michael Freund, chairman of Shavei Israel, the organization leading the charge for the return of the tribe, told WND.

"Just as the prophets foretold so long ago, the lost tribes of Israel are being brought back from the exile," Freund said.

For a decade, Freund's group has been working to facilitate the immigration to Israel of the Bnei Menashe, about 7,000 Indian citizens who believe they are the descendants of Manasseh, one of biblical patriarch Joseph's two sons, and a grandson of Jacob. The tribe lives in the two Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, to which they claim to have been exiled from Israel more than 2,700 years ago by the Assyrian empire.

The group, which has preserved ancient Jewish customs and rituals, has been trying the past 50 years to return to Israel.

Over the last decade, Freund's Shavei Israel, working with other organizations, brought about 800 Bnei Menashe members to the Jewish state. Many settled in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. About 80 lived in Gaza's slate of Jewish communities, which were evacuated by the Israeli government last summer.

They originally were brought to Israel as tourists in an agreement with Israel's Interior Ministry. Once here, the Bnei Menashe converted officially to Judaism and became citizens.

But diplomatic wrangling halted the immigration process in 2003, with officials from some Israeli ministries refusing to grant the rest of the group still in India permission to travel here.

To smooth the process, Freund enlisted the help of Israel's chief rabbinate, which flew to India last year to meet with and consider converting members of the Bnei Menashe. Once legally Jewish, the tribe can apply for Israeli citizenship under the country's "Law of Return," which guarantees sanctuary to Jews from around the world.

Six rabbis were sent by Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Shlomo Amar, to begin converting the Bnei Menashe. The rabbis met with hundreds of tribal members, testing their knowledge of Judaism and assessing their conviction, converting 216 individuals – over 90 percent of the members interviewed.

"The rabbis were incredibly impressed with the Bnei Menashe," said Freund. "They saw for themselves that the group is very serious and should be integrated into the Jewish nation. That they are a blessing to the state of Israel."

Now 218 are set to fly here this month, including all who were converted, plus two of their newborns.

Fifty-one Bnei Menashe arrived here Tuesday on an El Al flight from Bombay. Many were received in emotional reunions at Israel's international airport in Tel Aviv by family members who immigrated here previously.

Fifty-three more tribe members arrived early today. The remaining 114 will fly here next week.
Freund accompanied the first batch of arrivals in their flight here Tuesday.

"Every once in a while, there are moments in life when you feel like you are not just witnessing history but actually playing a part in helping to shape it. The flight out of Bombay was just such a moment," said Freund.

"The excitement in the air was palpable, despite the obvious exhaustion that everyone clearly felt," Freund said.

The new immigrants will live at first in absorption centers in the northern Israeli communities of Nazareth and Carmiel. They will receive assistance from the Jewish Agency, the main Israeli absorption organization and from Freund's group and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an American-based grassroots coalition of Jews and Christians.

"The immigration of these Jews should jump-start the process of bringing back the rest of the 7,000 Bnei Menashe who are in India yearning to return home," said Freund.

Freund pointed to the successful integration of the first batch of Bnei Menashe brought here before 2003 as a model for the group's future immigration. Many attended college and rabbinic school, moved to major Israeli communities and even joined the Israeli Defense Forces.

Twelve Bnei Menashe served in the Israeli army last summer in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon. One of them, Avi Hanshing, a 22-year old paratrooper, was injured during a clash with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

"As much as we might think that Israel is helping the Bnei Menashe, it is the reverse that is true. It is they who strengthen us – with their faith, with their commitment and with their undying love for Zion," said Freund.

According to Bnei Menashe oral tradition, the tribe was exiled from Israel and pushed to the east, eventually settling in the border regions of China and India, where most remain today.

Most kept customs similar to Jewish tradition, including observing Shabbat, keeping the laws of Kosher, practicing circumcision on the eighth day of a baby boy's life and observing Talmudic family purity.

In the 1950s, several thousand Bnei Menashe say they set out on foot to Israel but were quickly halted by Indian authorities. Undeterred, many began practicing Orthodox Judaism and pledged to make it to Israel. They now attend community centers established by Shavei Israel to teach the Bnei Menashe Jewish tradition and modern Hebrew.

Arbi Khiangte, one of the Bnei Menashe who arrived here Tuesday, said, "The Holy One, Blessed be He, commanded us to live there. It is a mitzva (positive good deed), and it is one that my ancestors have been waiting for so long to fulfill."