Tuvia Kipgen

As "Operation Menashe" kicks into full swing, with the aim of bringing nearly 900 Bnei Menashe from India to Israel in the next year (160 have already arrived), one of the biggest challenges for Shavei Israel is identifying appropriate employment opportunities for the new immigrants. 

One of the fastest growing and increasingly popular professions for the freshly-minted Israelis is working as a bus driver. There are already 10 Bnei Menashe working for Egged (Israel's national bus network) along with several smaller, local transportation companies.

Tuvia Kipgen has his hopes set on becoming a bus driver as well. He raised the NIS 5,000 ($1,500) he needed to study for and take his theory examination entirely on his own - and he recently passed with flying colors. However, the practical course, where he moves out of the classroom to learn on an actual bus, is much more expensive. And at NIS 20,000 (nearly $6,000), it is beyond the reach of Tuvia's limited financial resources.