August 14, 2023 — New York
In response to the recent ethnic unrest affecting the Bnei Menashe community in Manipur, India, American Jewish Committee's (AJC) Asia Pacific Institute (API) has announced a donation of $15,000 through AJC's Heilbrunn Humanitarian Relief Fund. The Bnei Menashe is a community of Indian Jews residing along the border of India and Burma.
The funds will be channeled through Degel Menashe, the Bnei Menashe community organization based in Israel, to provide essential emergency food and medical supplies.
API's commitment to assisting vulnerable communities during times of crisis has been a cornerstone of its work. API has consistently demonstrated its dedication to humanitarian relief efforts through collaborations with governments, relief organizations, and local Jewish community partners across the Asia-Pacific region.
"The recent ethnic unrest in Manipur has left many Bnei Menashe community members facing dire circumstances,” said API Director Shira Loewenberg. “Our Jewish values compel us to respond with empathy and much-needed humanitarian assistance.”
API Assistant Director Nissim B. Reuben, a member of the Indian-Jewish community, helped facilitate this grant in partnership with Degel Menashe Executive Director Isaac Thangjom.
For over three decades, API has maintained steadfast connections with the vibrant Jewish communities in various cities across India, including Ahmedabad, Cochin, Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, and the northeastern states of Manipur and Mizoram.
AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York City, 25 offices across the United States, and 14 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world.
