Then at some point Michael said to himself -
“Here I am three times a day praying “God please bring me back, bring me back” It was almost like I was expecting God to be my travel agent to order my ticket. We now live in a time when we can do something about it.”
So in 1995, Michael made Aliyah and the next year served as deputy director of communications for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While in that position he received a small crumpled orange envelope with an appeal from the leaders of a tribe in India claiming to be from the Bnei Menashe (sons of Manasseh). The letter stated that they have been writing to Israel’s prime ministers for decades and have yet to receive a response. For some reason, Michael felt compelled to answer the letter.
Still an avid baseball fan, Freund said that there is a difference between going to a ballgame and being in the best box seat and being the guy on the field.
“Before I got the letter, like many Jews I had learned about the Lost Tribes in the Bible in the second book of Kings and the first book of Chronicles. Talking about the split of the nation of Israel into the Northern Kingdom of the 10 tribes and Southern Kingdom of the tribe of Judah which had to do with taxes.”
According to Biblical and other historical accounts the house of Israel was exiled into Assyria in 722 B.C. and later the House of Judah was exiled into Babylon 140 years after the house of Israel was exiled.
“We learned about it in passing but not really in depth. It wasn’t something that was front and center in my consciousness.”
He believes Israel is the ball field and that the Diaspora (term used for Israeli scattered around the world) are sitting in the stands.
With that the roots for Shavei Israel would be born. Shavei means those that return to Israel.
Michael arrived in Northeastern India skeptical about the claims made by the tribe.
During his trip as he learned more about the tribe’s history, traditions and custom from local historians, academics and their neighboring tribes, he became convinced that their claim was indeed true.
Michael Freund with a member of Bnei Menashe
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