Month: December 2013

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in his recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly: “Iran threatens the existence of its own country.” He accused Iran of being organized against Jews and referred to the new President of Iran as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

But one of the groups that rejects such claims is the large community of Iranian Jews; a reminder of the long-standing relationship between Iranian culture and Judaism, which has become more complicated alongside the intensification of tensions between the Iranian government and the Jewish community.

Nowadays, less than 70,000 Jews live in Iran compared to the 1940s when their population was over 100,000. However, alongside a significant period of migration after the revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, their numbers have remained stable and they still make up the largest Jewish community outside of Israel in the Middle East.

The report of the US Department of State on religious freedom in the world, recently published, states: “The anti-Semitic statements of some Iranian government officials have caused the Jewish community in this country to be in a hostile environment.” However, the report adds: “With the exception of a few cases, the Iranian government does not interfere or impose restrictions on Jewish religious affairs; although the Iranian Jewish community experiences official discrimination.”

These references usually include the prohibition of Jews from government jobs or their exclusion from entering state universities. However, Jews here have the freedom to practice their religious rituals and can also leave Iran. Therefore, those who remain do so by their own choice, not because they are forced to. In fact, those who leave Iran do so voluntarily and there is no coercion involved in this matter.

Some Iranian Jews who have mainly immigrated to the United States or Israel, talk about the pressures they face during their stay in the country to convert to Islam or other forms of harassment or mistreatment. They also complain that they are unable to see their relatives outside of the country, especially in Israel.

“However, several Jewish activists were executed in the days following the revolution in Iran, and in several cases, Iranian Jews were arrested on charges of spying for Israel; nevertheless, such incidents have gradually decreased.”

Annoyance from words.‌

Netanyahu.

Members of the Iranian Jewish community say that Israel’s accusations, such as the recent claim of thwarting an Iranian terrorist plot in Tel Aviv and the claim that Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons to use against Israel, are damaging the relationship between the Islamic Republic and Judaism and the Jewish population.

Netanyahu’s warnings and constant questioning about whether the Iranian government recognizes the Holocaust cast a negative shadow over Iran, especially just a few days after the historic phone conversation between Hassan Rouhani, the new president of Iran, and President Obama as signs of a new chapter in relations between Tehran and Washington.

Israeli leaders are practically opposed to the warming of relations between America and Iran, but the Jews here, along with the majority of Iranians, believe that improving relations with America can lead to the lifting of international sanctions and a reduction of pressure on this country, which is being accused of trying to acquire nuclear weapons.

Homaion Samieh, the head of the Iranian Kameelian Association, said in an interview: “The congratulations for the Hebrew New Year by President Rouhani and Javad Zarif, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which were posted on Facebook and Twitter last month, showed a more friendly interaction with Jews around the world from a part of Iran’s leadership.” He noted the difference between Rouhani’s approach and that of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Samia said, “During the Ahmadinejad era, due to the denial of the Holocaust, some Jewish activists had problems here and now we see that Rouhani’s perspective is different. We hope that we have overcome the previous difficulties.”

For over a century, since the Qajar dynasty in the 19th century, Jews have had representatives in the Iranian parliament. However, Iranian Jews have rarely entered politics, even when their government did not prohibit them from doing so.

Siamak Moreh Sedgh, the only Jewish representative in the Iranian Parliament, has said: “We are not tenants in this country, we are Iranians and we have been here for more than a century.” Moreh Sedgh, as a member of President Rouhani’s entourage, recently traveled with him to the United Nations.

Marah Sadeq, in his diary at Dr. Sapir Hospital, one of the oldest medical centers in Tehran, criticized the Israeli government and others for claiming that his presence in the Iranian delegation to New York was only a display of the anti-Semitic nature of Iran’s political system. He said, “As a member of parliament, it is my duty to consider the interests of all Iranians, not just the Jews.”

Support for their homeland.

Community leaders say that Jews here have become more religious after the revolution; they have sixty active synagogues in different parts of Iran, twelve of which are only active in Tehran, and their sermons and religious study classes are accompanied by active participation. However, religious tendencies mentioned do not include accepting Zionism or immigrating to Israel.

Haroun Saketi, owner of a clothing store in Isfahan, said: “There is a difference between us as Jews and Israel.” He continued: “We consider ourselves Iranian Jews and this has nothing to do with the issue of Israel; it is a country that we love.”

Iranian Jews usually point out that, aside from their religious beliefs, there is no significant cultural difference between them and other Iranians; for example, at Tappo, one of the three Jewish restaurants in Tehran, lunch is served with traditional Iranian dishes such as kabab koobideh and ghormeh sabzi.

David Shomer, the person who manages this restaurant during the day, says: “Our food is exactly what other Iranians eat, there is no special difference except that our meat is kosher.”

With the occurrence of the revolution in Iran and the establishment of a government based solely on religious ideology, specifically of the Islamic type, and the emphasis of the new rulers on laws being based on Islamic law and the Shia religion, one of the ongoing challenges in the behavior of Islamic rulers towards minorities is evident in the issue of legislation. The rights of minorities have been one of the sensitive topics in the field of legislation in the post-revolution era.

The way the government treats religious minorities and their rights and access to basic – and sometimes not even equal – rights and their human dignity, has been and continues to be one of the challenges of recent decades and a constant demand of minority groups living in Iran. Among them, followers of Judaism in Iran, who are referred to as “Kalimi” in the constitution, have faced sensitive and complex issues due to the special view that Shia jurisprudence, especially in the past, had towards Jews, as well as government policies towards Israel as a Jewish state.

Although in principle, the thirteenth article of the Iranian Constitution recognizes the rights of many religious minorities and considers them free to practice their ceremonies and duties, when it comes to performing Jewish religious ceremonies, the issue becomes a bit sensitive. Although they do not actively promote their religion or try to convert followers among other people, due to their religious beliefs, they are always accused of collaborating with their fellow Jews in Israel and, consequently, with the Israeli government.

Also in Article 20 of the Constitution: “All individuals of the nation, regardless of gender, are equal in the eyes of the law and are entitled to all human, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, in accordance with Islamic standards.” Although this article mentions the equality of rights for all men and women, the important and noteworthy point in this article is the final section, which emphasizes the adherence to equality and legal protection for Iranians in accordance with Islamic laws, regardless of the minorities living in Iran, which is interesting and worthy of consideration.

On the other hand, according to Article 14 of the Constitution: “By the order of the noble verse ‘Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes – from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.’ The Islamic Republic of Iran and Muslims are obliged to act with good morals, fairness, and Islamic justice towards non-Muslim individuals and respect their human rights. This principle applies to those who do not conspire or act against Islam and the Islamic Republic of Iran.” It is so excessive that any form of government can label the actions of minorities, including the Baha’is, as conspiring against the system and Islam, and carry out certain actions such as arrest and trial under the jurisdiction of this constitutional principle, which is a clear violation of human security and is emphasized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Jews in Iran have a representative in the Islamic Consultative Assembly (parliament) from a legal standpoint, but since the number of minority representatives is very small and they have almost no role in legislation, and the government itself has a specific policy towards minorities, which is to gain international recognition through minorities, usually representatives from minorities who are advocates of this thinking and policy are able to enter the parliament.

According to Article 382 of the Islamic Penal Code: “If a Muslim woman is intentionally killed, the right to retribution is established. However, if the killer is a Muslim man, he must pay half of the full blood money before retribution. If the killer is a non-Muslim man, no payment is required for retribution. In the case of a non-Muslim man killing a non-Muslim woman, the payment of their respective blood money is necessary.”

Yes, there is a great disparity between the rights of minorities and Muslims, and it is evident in the fact that if a Muslim woman is murdered by a Christian or Zoroastrian, the death penalty and retribution will be carried out; but if the killer is a Muslim man, he must first pay half of the man’s blood money to the victim’s family. The latest example of this is the case of a young man who killed his Christian friend on Farshat Street by shooting him, and after being tried in criminal

According to article 177 of the new Islamic Penal Code, one of the conditions for being a witness is “faith”, and according to valid and explicit texts of Shia jurisprudence, faith refers to being a “Twelver Shia Muslim”. Therefore, Baha’is, like other religious minorities in Iran, are deprived of the right to testify, or according to what is stated in paragraph P of article 224 and footnote 1 of article 234 and footnote of article 236 of the new Islamic Penal Code, in cases where in adultery (unlawful sexual relationship between a man and a woman), the man is the adulterer and in homosexuality (sexual relationship between a man and another man), the man is the homosexual, and in sodomy (placing the male genitalia between the thighs of another man), the man is the sodomizer, if he is non-Muslim, his punishment is execution; so if a Jew has sexual relations with a Muslim, which for a Muslim

On the other hand, Article 310 mentions another issue, according to which “if a non-Muslim commits a deliberate crime against a Muslim, dhimmi, protected or treaty person, the right to retribution is established. In this matter, there is no difference between religions, sects, and ideological tendencies. If a Muslim, dhimmi, protected or treaty person commits a crime against a non-Muslim who is not a dhimmi, protected or treaty person, retribution will not be carried out. In this case, the perpetrator will be sentenced to disciplinary punishment as prescribed in Book Five, “Punishments”.” This means that if a Muslim commits a crime against a Jew, according to the text of this law, they will be punished, but if the opposite happens, the Jew will be subject to retribution.

It is also necessary to mention that the new punishment law considers the blood money of religious minorities equal to that of Muslims.

One of the other issues that can be mentioned in regards to the violation of minority rights in Iran and consequently the rights of Baha’is, is the issue of marriage. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, marriage is a human right and everyone has the freedom to marry anyone they choose. According to Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.” However, according to Article 1059 of the Civil Code, “A Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man.” This means that if a Jewish man sincerely and emotionally desires to marry a Muslim woman and the Muslim woman also agrees, their marriage is prohibited.

There are other cases in which Jews are deprived of, for example, a Jew does not have the right to hold important positions such as military and national positions, or to run for presidency. Of course, these cases come with justifications, such as these conditions being determined by the constitution and it is natural that in a country where the basis of its constitution is Islamic law, according to the “rule of negation of superiority”, a non-Muslim can never dominate and rule over Muslims.

There are also unofficial reports that indicate that Hebrew language education, which is the religious and official language of the Kalimian community, is also facing restrictions and difficulties, and in addition, in Kalimian schools and educational centers, Muslim administrators and officials are appointed.

Based on real social evidence, today’s Iran and what the Jewish community itself secretly and ultimately conservatively expresses, the Jews of Iran are not in a desirable situation and it can almost be said that they are experiencing the most difficult conditions in at least a hundred years; to the extent that many of them have taken the path of migration and the population of Iranian Jews has decreased to the point that marriages rarely take place, or the few synagogues that remain have been maintained by the efforts of a number of religious Jews as a religious duty.

Sources:

The Law Newspaper, Monday, 26th of Aban month, 1392.

Sam Kermanian is currently the senior advisor of the Federation of Iranian Jews, having previously served as its president. The Federation of Iranian Jews was formed in America shortly after the February 1979 revolution and the beginning of pressure on this religious minority.

We asked Mr. Kermanian about the history of the federation and the relationship between the Jewish community and human rights organizations…

Please briefly define the nature and goals of the Iranian Jewish Federation at the beginning.

The Iranian Jewish Federation was formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, and the circumstances that led to its formation were the execution of the then-leader of the community, Habibollah Elghanian, by the new regime. This was a warning sign for all Iranian Jews, as Elghanian had truly dedicated his life to serving the Iranian people and the perception that arose in the Iranian Jewish community was that the Islamic Republic was an anti-Jewish regime and therefore Jews in Iran were in danger. At that time, a few months after the revolution, a group of activists and leaders of the Iranian Jewish community who had left Iran and were living abroad, came together to address this issue and the only conclusion they reached was to draw the attention of the international community to the situation of Iranian Jews. This became a common ground for other Iranian Jewish organizations (at that time there were only one or two small organizations in Los Angeles) to come together and establish a central organization. At that time, the

The population of Iranian Jews inside the country is estimated to be around twenty thousand, do you have any statistics on the population of Jews outside the country as well?

There is no accurate statistics available, neither for inside Iran nor for outside. Especially outside, because when you want to gather statistics from a society, you first have to define that society. For example, let’s assume that there are people in our society who were born in America and have four or five-year-old children who are considered the second generation of Americans, and in fact, they were born to an Iranian-Jewish father and mother. Now, when it comes to statistics, should we count them or not? If we want to gather statistics in this way, we have to call it the Iranian-born community, who consider themselves Iranian in terms of culture or history, but in reality, they have never seen Iran and are not born in Iran, and some of them can’t even speak Persian. In Iran, there is also no accurate statistics because even though religion is asked in some official surveys, some people either don’t want to reveal their religion or are afraid to say it and mention the

Mr. Kermanian; it seems that we cannot deny the deprivation and problems of the Jewish community in Iran, especially within the country; however, why do we hear less about this issue?

This matter of hearing voices is like a double-edged sword; deprivation and problems must be examined in a relative manner. For example, we know that other minorities are also oppressed in the country and perhaps Jews, as fellow citizens, are more harassed and abused, so they are less likely to speak up. But this is an issue; in Iran, apart from the issues of deprivation related to religious minorities, unfortunately, human rights issues exist at all levels of society. Now we hear that even in the past three or four months, more than a hundred people have been executed. When one talks about deprivation, one must measure oneself in relation to the society in which one lives. Aside from these issues, if one wants to speak up about any issue, after a while, it becomes the case that those communities that you want to draw their attention to, lose their interest. Therefore, for any issue, speaking up is a double-edged sword, one must know when to use this sword and when

To what extent can we consider the statements of individuals such as Mr. Mareh Sadegh, who is the representative of Kalimian in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, as reflecting the views of Kalimian inside Iran? Is the process of these elections transparent and acceptable?

In this regard, I must explain a few points: Mr. Mareh Sedaghat does not have credibility outside of Iran and among Jewish communities outside of Iran. They were chosen by the community inside Iran, but if I’m not mistaken, they were the only candidates allowed to receive votes from the community and, like other elections that take place inside Iran, the candidates have already been determined and not everyone can run, including the Iranian Jewish community. On the other hand, both he and a large part of the leadership of the Iranian Jewish community are individuals who have been approved by the regime and can act within the framework set by the regime.

Is the Federation of Iranian Jews willing to cooperate with human rights activists and organizations? Is there any limitation in this regard?

There is no restriction whatsoever, but any kind of cooperation must be within the framework of bilateral policies; for example, human rights organizations may want to do a lot of advertising in a certain case, but the federation may not be ready for it. In any case, there are issues that are a cause for concern for us, or vice versa; there are issues that we are interested in raising, but you may not be interested in. For example, in the past few decades, especially in the past ten to fifteen years, there have been countless cultural products such as television programs, films, newspapers, and books that have a clear anti-Semitic aspect and are regularly published with the approval of the regime in Iran. These are truly worrying and frightening for us, and issues that we discuss with our friends abroad and inform the US government and other European governments, as far as we have access. From your perspective, this may not directly relate to human rights, but for the Jewish community as a whole,

We thank you for the opportunity you have given us to be featured in the monthly magazine, “Line of Peace”.

Thank you for your love and I am grateful for the activities you do. I truly appreciate your efforts. The work you do is not easy, it requires a lot of honesty, which I am sure you possess. I wish you success.

Explanation: This text is simply an introduction to the topic by an Iranian Jewish social activist. For a detailed discussion on this subject, there is a need for multiple articles and even books.

One of the significant outcomes of the change in government in Iran during these hundred and twenty years has been that Iranians, as intellectuals and politicians, have been compelled to review and question their own perspectives and beliefs. The contemporary and even past history of Iran must be reconsidered and beliefs that have never been questioned before must be seriously examined. In any case, a dynamic and progressive society must be able to criticize itself and if this criticism is present, it is in the position of improving itself.

One of the taboos that is less openly discussed in Iran compared to Western societies is the issue of anti-Semitism. This is a topic that has wide dimensions due to the historical and long-standing presence of Jews in Iran and the current issue of Iran-Israel relations. It is necessary for those interested in democratic Iran to know, talk about, and listen to this issue.

From the perspective of the writer of these lines, the Iranian Jewish community, especially those who are living abroad and could speak more freely, should have dealt more decisively with such an issue. Perhaps historical considerations have played a role in the negligence of Iranian statesmen who have always used our vulnerable community as a propaganda tool and have not hesitated to harm them in the past.

It is also necessary to mention that there are among Iranian intellectuals who always deny the existence of “antisemitism” among Iranian politicians and consider it a purely Western phenomenon specific to Christian societies. This claim is based on ignoring the realities of Iranian society and its past history. There are certainly differences between the anti-Jewish sentiments in Iran and Europe, but one cannot deny the existence of this social illness.

Definition of anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism means harassment, persecution, and false and unfair propaganda against Jews, solely because of their religion.

Undoubtedly, the emergence and influence of Islam as the dominant culture in Iranian society, especially after the Safavid’s rise to power and the recognition of Twelver Shiism as the official religion of the country, marks a turning point in the situation of Jews in Iran. Although there were instances of mistreatment towards Jews before the reign of Shah Ismail and the elimination of his opponents, it is during this time that the fatwas of Shia clerics are declared against non-Muslims and they are required to pay jizya (tax) and are subject to laws of diya (blood money) and qisas (retaliation), which have their roots in this era. During this time, those who did not accept the Prophet of Islam as the messenger of God were considered enemies of Islam and were forced to live under the banner of Islam. Negative propaganda began in Iran, and false claims such as not allowing Jews to enter public places on rainy days due to their supposed impurity became

A part of Shia clerics who have always been a center of political and social power among Iranians, have advocated for the restriction of Jews in their list of orders to their followers in opposition to the central or local government. In important documents during the Qajar era, European travelers’ travelogues were used to better understand the situation in Iran, where they wrote about their observations of the conditions of Iranians. In these notes, Iranian Jews in the 18th and 19th centuries were considered the weakest social class at the time. During this period, reports from international representatives such as England, Russia, Ottoman, Germany, as well as memoirs of those involved in Iranian political affairs confirm this reality.

The novel “Jahud Kushan”, considered the oldest Persian novel, and its handwritten version found in the Marashi Library in Qom, depicts the period before the Constitutional Revolution in detail. It shows the abnormal treatment of Jews by both government officials and clergy, including the planning to incite unaware masses to attack the Jewish neighborhood, looting their homes, and taking their daughters and women.

Perhaps the most famous example of anti-Semitism in Iranian religious and political culture can be found in the famous speech of Mr. Khomeini in Khordad 1342. In his protest against Mohammad Reza Shah, he asks him: “Are you a Jew?” Meaning, because you are a Jew, you are causing these troubles for the people of Iran. Let us not forget that just a few years ago, during the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, someone raised the baseless issue of Ahmadinejad being of Jewish origin, purely for the sake of promoting himself among the reformist spectrum. It’s as if among all the damage and harm that Ahmadinejad has caused to the Iranian nation, whether economically, politically, or in terms of civil liberties, it is his Jewish origin that has caused these issues.

Nowadays, anti-Semitic remarks are easily made by many officials of the Islamic Republic, television series in the media of the Islamic Republic that are made in opposition to Jews, are no longer a coincidence and have been repeated many times; and with an empty apology and sometimes nothing, the issue has been resolved.

What is mentionable is the change in the attitude towards Jews in Iran; meaning that if in the dominant Islamic culture, a Jew, like other non-believers, had to endure difficulties and pay jizya (a tax), now with the influence of European anti-Semitism in Iran, we are witnessing a different form of anti-Semitism, which is showing a distorted and false image of our compatriots as conspirators and greedy creatures who have a plan to control the world; he is essentially leading imperialism and world domination and starting wars and crises to seize the wealth of third world countries. The same Jew who was supposed to be silent and accept restrictions to “stay” in this country, has now changed his status and is ruling over the entire Western world, its politicians, banking system, and culture with a special and hidden conspiracy. The widespread printing and distribution of the book “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” by the Islamic Republic must be seen in this context. A book

Another example of the manifestation of anti-Semitic thoughts and consequently, behavior of the government or semi-governmental entities, is the promotion of the historic tomb of “Esther and Mordechai” in Hamedan. This site, which reflects the long presence of Jews and their close relationship with Iranians, as stated in historical writings, has been introduced and advertised as a symbol of “Jewish enmity towards Iranians” by some opportunistic individuals; to the extent that it has incited a group to take action and cause damage to this historic site.

In Iran, what has caused thousands of people from this society not to immigrate is the boundless love for Iran and Iranians, and the pride of being Iranian, which may have never been worthy of attention, but it is hoped that it will be in the future. Iranian Jews are the oldest, most law-abiding, and most friendly towards Iran and it is good to allow them to live in peace and tranquility. The issue of Jews in Iran is not separate from the desire for democracy and respect for the rights of all individuals. When tolerance and acceptance of diversity is accepted as the norm in society, then the elimination of any discrimination and the establishment of understanding among all members of the nation will become possible.

This is a picture of a beautiful sunset.[/caption]

این عکسی از غروب زیبا است.

This is a picture of a beautiful sunset.
Changing the name of Atfagh High School to Ghods Elementary School.

Throughout the thousands of years of civilization, the land of Iran has been a station and origin for many tribes, followers of religions, and various customs. Their descendants include the current people of Iran and diverse populations in other parts of the world who have been scattered far and wide due to the separation of lands or the escape and migration of certain groups of Iranians.

Jews have also been one of the ancient peoples of the region, with many of them residing in the land of Iran. They have maintained their religion and ancient culture, and have influenced millions of Iranians in the present time, alongside other powerful religions and cultures, both in preserving their own identity and in assimilating with other ethnic groups.

The young generation of our country, due to living under the control of an ideological and strict government that has presented them with a one-sided and fabricated version of Iranian religion through propaganda and uniform historical narratives, has remained unaware of the social and cultural history of their land. Iranian youth, due to the majority of non-Muslims fleeing and immigrating from their ancient homeland in the decades after the Islamic Revolution, rarely interact and have familiarity with non-Muslim Iranians, and may not know that Iranian identity has no inherent connection to religious beliefs. Throughout history, whenever the rights and respect of other human beings and their beliefs have been upheld, our land has also blossomed like a garden in spring.

Studying the history of the people of Iran will undoubtedly be beneficial for our young generation. In this regard, the three-volume book “The History of Iranian Jews” written by the late Habib Levy in the 1930s, which has faced neglect and unofficial government censorship in both the Pahlavi and Islamic eras, is recommended.

The first major migration of the “Children of Israel” tribes to the vicinity of Iranian lands took place 2700 years ago during the time of the Assyrians. After invading their ancient land and destroying one of their two kingdoms known as “Israel”, the majority of these people, 10 out of 12 tribes, were forced to migrate to nomadic areas in present-day Kurdistan. They later became a part of Iranian lands for thousands of years. These tribes gradually settled in the regions of Kurdistan, northern and western Iran, between the rivers and the Caucasus, and became an integral part of the local population. Some groups among them, while preserving their religion and culture, have had a prominent presence in these lands up to the present day. The language of these tribes is still a mixture of Assyrian Aramaic and Hebrew words, at least among the Jews of Urmia and some areas of Kurdistan.

The second major migration of the Israelites to the region of Iran took place when Cyrus conquered Babylon and expanded the Achaemenid Empire. A large group of them, who had been taken captive by the Babylonians after the destruction of their kingdom known as “Judah” and were settled in Jerusalem and had their religious center destroyed by the Babylonians, were freed.

This population, which was mainly dependent on the tribe of “Judah” and were descendants of the Jewish monarchy, has been known in history as “Jewish”.

A part of the Jews, with the permission and guidance of the Achaemenids during the time of Darius, returned to their homeland and, with the revival of the rule of Judah and the construction of their religious center, remained as military allies and border guards of the Achaemenid and Parthian empires, in alliance with the ancient Iranians for centuries. Another part of them remained in Babylon until just 50 years ago, and a large part settled in the heart of Iranian lands in regions such as Susa, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, Fars, Shiraz, and Isfahan, and were recognized as one of the oldest Iranian tribes.

Iranian Jews have been a civilized and cultured people throughout the millennia, as well as brave warriors, whether as powerful satraps, defenders of the borders of Iran, or as scribes and statesmen. They have always been an integral part of the Iranian nation. Under the tolerant rule of Iranian governments, the religious Jews have produced their greatest religious and legal work, the “Babylonian Talmud,” in their universities in Tisphon. They have also provided mutual services to the Iranian governments, to the extent that one of the common lines of government in Iran during the Achaemenid era was a branch of Hebrew. The Achaemenids, Jewish commanders stationed in Babylon, and the independence-seeking Jews had common interests and sometimes fought together against the Greeks and Romans.

In general, the revered and ancient Jewish cemeteries throughout the Iranian lands, which have mostly been turned into buildings, streets, parks, and parking lots due to plunder and seizure, are evidence of the presence and economic and cultural activities of this group of Iranians in the main centers of Iranian civilization. Some of the Sasanian kings were born to Jewish mothers and some of the Sasanian queens were Jewish.

In general, except for the periods when religion was intertwined with the Sassanid government, Jews were not subjected to harassment and persecution, and alongside their compatriots, actively defended the authority of Iran. Even among those who rebelled against the invasion and occupation of the Arab invaders, there was a Jewish commander who, for clear reasons, has been erased from the history of the resilient and combative Iranians.

The first inhabitants and builders of the ancient city of Isfahan were Jews, and the majority of the population in that region, including villages and surrounding cities, were Jews until the rise of the Safavid dynasty, which converted most of the people of Iran to their own religion in a short period of time.

After the establishment of Islamic rule in the history of Iran, Jews emerged as a prominent and active ethnic-religious group and settled throughout the greater region of Iran, from Baghdad to Balkh and Herat, Kabul to Bukhara, Nishapur to Bushehr, Shiraz to Rey, Rasht to Tabriz, Urmia to Hamadan, Kurdistan to Kermanshah, and Badkoubeh to Transcaucasia and Georgia. However, due to specific religious laws that were put in place to prevent the progress and superiority of non-Muslims, known as “dhimmi laws,” and the continuous effort to gradually assimilate non-Muslims, Jews, like many other Iranians, were pushed to the margins of society.

After the arrival of Islam, the language of the Jews in Iran was mostly a mixture of Iranian languages from before the Arab invasion, known as “Pahlavi language”, with Hebrew words and metaphors. This was the mother tongue of most Iranian Jews until a few decades ago. While speaking their local languages such as Persian, Turkish, and Kurdish, Jews often used the Hebrew script, which was also used to write Persian texts and other languages. Some of the oldest Persian texts discovered were written in this Hebrew script. Another characteristic of Iranian Jews was their preservation and promotion of the music of this land, which was practiced as a semi-hidden art among Jews due to the prohibition of music in Islam. They also had skills in making and producing musical instruments.

One of the services of the Jews in recent centuries, which may be considered their greatest service in the history of Iran, has been the revival of civilization and economy in Iranian lands after the invasion of the genocidal and destructive Mongols. This was carried out by recognized ministers such as Saad al-Dawla and Rashid al-Din Fazlullah, and the third generation of Mongol kings organized the country and revived its economic and productive life, saving them from mass murder and destruction by their predecessors.

The number of Jews in ancient Iran, before the emergence of the Safavid dynasty, is estimated to be around 400,000, which on the other hand indicates the intensity of religious and ideological oppression in the last five hundred years; because the current number of Jews in this land barely reaches 20,000.

At the end of the Qajar period, the Jews of Iran were a largely impoverished community on the verge of decline. This was due to their exclusion from participating in major economic activities such as land ownership, agriculture, and government and military positions, as well as professions such as writing and judging. As a result, they were often engaged in smaller trades, traditional medicine, alcohol production, jewelry sales, and music.

The Constitutional Revolution and the subsequent rapid growth of civic thought in Iran marked a turning point in the revival of Iranian society, including the revival of non-Muslim communities. The Pahlavi monarchy, with its modernizing and Westernizing tendencies, established a level of secularism in Iran that disregarded discriminatory laws against “dhimmi” minorities and promoted equal rights for Iranians regardless of their religious beliefs. As a result, the suppressed talents of minorities were able to flourish. Young Iranians, in the midst of modernization and continuous development, blended with their fellow countrymen in their work and daily lives. With the significant reduction of discriminatory laws from the past, minorities, including Jews, were able to achieve a considerable level of education, culture, and prosperity, and after centuries, they were able to regain their sense of usefulness, Iranian identity, humanity, and dignity, and confidently engage in social activities.

During the 20th century, after the establishment of French and Jewish schools, known as the “Alliance”, which transformed a generation of Jews into educated and capable youth, Iranian Jewish schools were also allowed to be founded one after another and Jews were accepted into both public and private non-Jewish schools. Until the Islamic Revolution, most of the 100,000 Iranian Jews were literate in Persian and a significant portion of them had achieved relative prosperity. The Jewish youth during the late Pahlavi era were mostly engaged in higher education, both domestically and abroad, and their level of patriotism and sense of Iranian identity was likely higher than others. Thousands of Jewish doctors and engineers were working in Iran, and many were employed in government offices. Dozens of Jews had reached the elite class of society by establishing modern and large industries. They were pioneers in industries such as plastic, aluminum, agriculture, and modern poultry farming, and many others were involved in smaller production industries. Some Jews also achieved great

Gradually, young Jews began to participate in scientific, artistic, sports, and film fields, and some of them even had a prominent presence in political affairs, including among intellectuals, leftists, and freedom-seekers. Several educated Jews held positions as university professors, prominent scientists of modern Iran, and renowned journalists, while Jewish doctors were seen providing healthcare services in villages and holding high positions in hospitals both in Iran and abroad. Some Jews also participated in road construction, dam building, and city planning and have been successful in these endeavors.

Jews in Iran were also very active in charitable work and, in addition to participating with others in supporting earthquake victims and the oppressed, they have set examples such as the “Dr. Sapir Charity Hospital”, which is still active and deliberately serving the Muslim community in southern Tehran, and the “Ort Industrial High School”, which has delivered thousands of Iranian technologies to the community. There is no doubt that the continuous presence of the Jewish community in the Iranian society could have brought thousands of times more benefits than looting their properties and establishments, while also ensuring that their rights as citizens are not neglected or trampled upon.

The Islamic Revolution of Iran was another turning point in the history of the Jews, this ancient people of Iran. Following the declaration that Iran sees itself at war with Israel, by Ayatollah Khomeini in Paris, which was reflected on the front page of Kayhan newspaper on January 16, 1979 in Tehran, and with the emergence of a great social and religious transformation in Iran after the revolution, many Jews decided to leave their homeland.

A short time after the revolution and the establishment of the Islamic system, discriminatory actions began against Jewish leaders and prominent members of the community, including executions, confiscation of property, and both overt and covert threats. Jews were experiencing issues that their predecessors had only feared. The revival of discriminatory laws against “dhimmis” (non-Muslims) that were designed to humiliate and pressure them, along with the gradual dissolution of their rights, was accompanied by a constant atmosphere of fear and the constant danger of being accused of being a “Zionist.” This led to the majority of Jews, like other non-Muslims, leaving their homeland in the years following the revolution. Currently, the estimated population of Jews living in Iran is around 20,000, and emigration continues. Jews living in Iran still hope for their safety as long as they fulfill their duties as agents of foreign propaganda for the Iranian regime. They remain in their country, caught between hope and fear, longing for a better

Among the thousands of Iranian Jews who migrated to Israel in the mid-20th century, or the tens of thousands who were forced to flee to Israel, America, and other countries after the restrictions following the Islamic Revolution, and even among the tens of thousands of Jews expelled from Iraq, who considered Iran their homeland for decades, we find thousands of the most successful experts, doctors, scientists, industrialists, politicians, and intellectuals who still hold Iran, its memories, and its culture dear in their hearts and are saddened by their distance from their homeland. Without a doubt, the removal of these people from the Iranian society, along with the removal of many other elements of the Iranian nation, has caused severe damage to the country that may be difficult and perhaps impossible to repair from a historical perspective.

The historical experience of the small Jewish community in Iran is a great lesson for the larger Iranian society. This experience shows that eliminating discrimination, promoting tolerance and accepting the participation of all individuals in a larger society in social, economic, scientific, artistic, human and other aspects, is capable of elevating a developing and progressive country to a level of power and respect within less than a century. This is the aspiration of every Iranian and is in line with the wishes of our ancient and historic nation.