As news of the Israel-Hamas war broke, my immediate thought was of my friend Reuven Darngawn, currently serving in the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). Is he alright? Is he on the battlefield? Although I have never met Reuven in person, we became friends through a Facebook community group called ‘Mizo Manchester United Fans’ and have remained friends for almost 11 years now, keeping up with each other’s lives.
Born in a small town in Mizoram, he was one of the many Mizo Jews who migrated to Israel. I have seen his journey from joining the IDF to his marriage, to becoming a father of two and now, preparing to fight for his country. Reuven moved to Israel from Mizoram as part of the Bnei Menashe exodus in 2005 and has been serving in the Israeli army.
I dropped a text to find out if he is safe. His response gave me some sort of relief. He was at home but prepared to serve his nation at a moment's notice. He keeps vigil over his mobile phone, expecting a call anytime. His two younger brothers have already been deployed and he asked me to keep them in my prayers.
Two days later, I reached out to him again. This time, he was already in the training camp, preparing for the battlefield. Fear and uncertainty loom over his family, both in Israel and Mizoram.
200-300 Mizos Serving in the IDF Against Hamas
Like Reuven, many Mizos Jews, who moved to Israel are armed to protect their promised land. At present, there are over 5,000 Mizos settled in various parts of Israel. They identify themselves as Benei Menashe, one of the ten lost tribes of Israel.
When Israel's Parliament passed the Law of Return (Aaliyah) in 1950, many non-Israeli Jews returned to Israel to settle and become its citizens. And, as part of the Aaliyah process, members had to undergo mandatory training in the military. Some people work in government and private companies, while others continue with the military service.
There are reports that some Mizo Jews have made it to the ‘elite’ Israeli armed corps, playing a crucial role in the IDF. At present, about 200-300 Mizos are serving in the IDF, fighting against Hamas.
Another Facebook friend Aaron Khawlhring, currently posted in Jerusalem states, “It's been two weeks since I started my reserve duty. I am the only Mizo in my camp and in my mind ‘I am representing the Mizos as a military policeman’. I am very proud to serve my country, but this time the massacre caused by Hamas feels personal for everyone. I would further like to add that the war is against terrorist organizations, not Palestinians.” He further adds that although it is a bit calmer now, his base constantly witnesses Hamas rockets over their base.
Fear casts a shadow across homes. For some, it is a call of duty, mixed with fear and excitement. An honor to finally serve a country that ‘embraces them’. A moment to prove their patriotism. “I am quite excited to serve my country,” said Reuven. His wife, on the other hand, is too scared to talk, he said.
'We Have Complete Trust in our Army'
I also spoke to Jvulun David, 32, a resident of Afula who just dropped off his two younger brothers to join the force and I could sense his excitement and concern at the same time as he spoke of his brothers, “as someone who had served in the border police force for 3 years, I was used to minor conflicts, rocket attacks, etc but I have never experienced something as large scale and horrific as this, it would have been an honor to fight for our country. When I think about my brother's deployment to a war zone, of course, there is definitely a feeling of concern and fear but we have complete trust in our army, and that somehow puts us at ease”.
In another town, Nof Hagalil, Meir Phaltual has been waiting in anticipation for his two younger brothers who are currently serving in the IDF. “Both my brothers, Harel Phaltual, 28, and Nakshon Phaltual, 21, were called for duty to fight against Hamas. It is difficult to talk to Harel regularly since he is posted in a conflict zone, but I do talk to Nakshon regularly and he is doing well. My parents are surprisingly doing well but it could be just that they are putting on a strong face."
Indeed, in times of war with patriotism at its core, pride supersedes fear, blood boils with passion and vengeance and these Mizo Jews have perhaps more to prove than the other Israelis. But proving one’s allegiance and patriotism also comes with a price; the price of killing another human being.
For Mizo Jews who are fighting to prove their allegiance to Israel for the first time, perhaps it is not easy to comprehend the complexities of war and the tragic consequences of it. In Aaron’s words, “Unfortunately civilians may get hurt especially when we are facing terrorists like Hamas who are using civilians as their shield. IDF always warns civilians before attacking a certain place in Gaza, which happens to be a school, hospital, community center, etc”.
Coping — the Mizo Way
The Mizos are known for their strong cultural values and cultural practices where members of the society support each other through thick and thin. Social codes of conduct like ‘Tlawmngaihna’ or ‘service before self’ have created distinct cultural characteristics. Stemming from these values, ‘lengkhawm’, which literally means ‘get together’ or ‘fellowship’, is another practice that makes a Mizo ‘Mizo’. In times of sorrow or happiness, the community gets together to celebrate or comfort one another. This practice extends beyond the home state and it can be witnessed in Israel too. Ever since war broke out, the Mizo community has been comforting and supporting each other by holding prayer meetings and candle vigils.
F Lallianthluanga, a resident of Nof Hagalil, in Northern Israel states “Although we are a bit far off from the war zone, schools and colleges have been shut down. The fact that over 30 Mizo people from our town alone are being deployed to the battlefield leaves this sense of fear and anxiety but pride at the same time. There are some families where two or more members are currently serving in the conflict zone. We only hope and pray that we don't lose anyone”. Every night, the community would organize a get-together in one of the houses and pray together for the safe return of their members.
Seni, a mother of three, is holding with bated breath for the return of her two young sons who are currently deployed in the conflict zone. “This is the first war we ever experienced since we moved to Israel in 2014,” she said.
While her older son Khizkia Renthlei, 23 is in Gaza fighting Hamas, the younger son Azaria Renthlei, 21, is on the Lebanon border because of the imminent threat posed by ISIS. Since regular phone calls are not allowed, text messages are the only way to communicate. “As a mother, there is never a moment of peace. I am working but my heart is never at peace. When I read news of soldiers killed in combat, I pray that they are not my sons. I worry and leave a text for them to read and when I read their responses, I feel extreme relief”, she adds.
Collectivism, voluntary, community, etc are prominent terms often associated with the Mizo people. Through its massive civil society organizations like Young Mizo Association- youths association, Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP)- a women's association and churches-a spirit of ‘tlawmngaihna’ binds the communities. In Israel, Mizo welfare committees and associations continue to spread the spirit of togetherness and solidarity by visiting each other's houses and comforting one another.
Will Their Participation Make Them Entrenched in Israeli Society?
While many members of Bnei Menashe from Mizoram and Manipur have already migrated to their ‘ancestral home’, many are still waiting anxiously for the next cycle to migrate. Their dream to reach the ‘promised land’ is cut short as war breaks and normal lives are disrupted. It is uncertain when the immigration process will begin again. Nevertheless, many Bnei Menashe members have already accepted Israel as their homeland and are ready to defend it. Jeremiah Hnamte, Community Chairman, Shveth Menashe in Aizawl, said that the war may put a halt to their immigration application process but they are ready to travel and fight in the forces if Israel calls them, “We are ready to pick arms and fight for Israel, they just have to call us”.
The Bnei Menashe has two synagogues in Aizawl and since the beginning of the war, they have been holding candlelight vigils to show solidarity with victims of the Hamas attack and special prayer services under the guidance of the Chief Rabbi. As some of their family members have also migrated, there is concern about their safety.
Mahruaii, a senior member of Bnei Menashe in Aizawl talks of how they feel helpless but remain strong through prayers, “two of my siblings are in Israel and both their children are serving in the Air Force. We are happy that the Mizo community has not lost a single life nor sustained major injuries''.
Irrespective of the capacity in which the Mizo Jews are involved in this ongoing war, it is noteworthy to witness their journey - especially from a marginalised community in Mizoram to another in Israel while defending an ‘embraced ancestral home’. Will the participation of Mizo Jews in this conflict make them entrenched in Israeli society? Will it make them more proactive in the mainstream narratives of society? Or will it also bring with it the baggage that a war riddled with human tragedies is bound to?
[Dr Embassy Lawbei is an Assistant Professor at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore. She was a former journalist, working in Mizoram. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.]
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