More than 100 Jews from India's northeastern Manipur state have had to delay plans to emigrate to Israel as family members fell ill with COVID-19 and were placed in quarantine in New Delhi.
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Soizagin, 40, who will soon renounce his Indian citizenship, calls his permanent move to Israel a "golden opportunity."
"We have been very excited," said Soizagin who goes by only one name and is recuperating at a Sikh temple, which has been turned into a COVID care center.
Video: Reuters
"[We've been delayed] just because of this COVID positivity. Otherwise...we should have left by 31st of last month."
Soizagin is part of India's roughly 6,000-member Bnei Menashe community, which lives largely in Manipur and neighboring Mizoram state and has formally been recognized by Israel's rabbinical leaders as Jews.
On Wednesday, about 40 Bnei Menashe were quarantined at the New Delhi Sikh temple, said Soizagin, who was dressed in an olive green T-shirt and black pyjamas and donned a kippa.
Shavei Israel, a Jerusalem-based organization which has been locating descendants of the lost tribes of Israel and bringing them home, has previously called the Bnei Menashe's return a miracle.
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