COVID-19 delays new life for Bnei Menashe Jews; 105 test positive before flight to Israel

As many as 105 members, including many children of the Bnei Menashe Jews Community from Manipur, await to go back to their home in Israel as they tested positive for COVID-19 in Delhi, just a day before boarding their flight to Israel. These people are under quarantine in the Guru Tegh Bahadur Covid care centre run by Rakabganj Gurudwara in New Delhi. The first batch of Bnei Menashe community with 38 people and 2 children had to board their flight on Monday, but after testing positive for COVID-19 at the airport, they were sent to the COVID care facility. The second batch of 67 more people who were heading to Israel tested positive and was sent again to Guru Tegh Bahadur COVID Care centre.

105 Bnei Menashe Jews test COVID positive ahead of flight to Israel

The community was staying at a hotel in the Karol Bagh area in the national capital.

President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management committee Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, "There are children, infants, ladies and they do not understand Hindi. Only few of them understand our language. All of them are doing fine. I have personally spoken to them and they are being taken care of."

Sirsa also informed that English-speaking staffs have been deputed for their care.

"We are expected that everyone will return back healthy," he added.

"We were informed that around 38 people who had to go to Israel have been tested positive for COVID. They were staying in the Karol Bagh area. Out of more than 100 people, 38 were tested positive. Later on, Friday 67 more people were sent to the facility after testing positive. There were children also who are being treated at Gurdwara Rakabganj COVID Care Center on the orders of the district magistrate," the in-charge of the COVID care centre Bhupinder Singh Bhullar said.

As many as 15 -20 families of the Bnei Menashe Jew community had to shift to Israel because they had dual citizenship and they had to go there and take citizenship.

Two of the patients, who were serious, were shifted to the LNJP hospital. Everything from medicines to food is being taken care of. If anyone's health is deteriorating, they are being shifted to the LNJP hospital on doctors advice as this COVID care centre is linked with the LNJP hospital.