Iran: The Plight of the Jewish Community

Iran: The Plight of the Jewish Community

by

Jerrold L. Sobel

September 11, 2013

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  For Jewish people it’s the most promising and invigorating holiday in their calendar.  A time of reflection and taking stock of one’s life and resetting our personal compass for the year ahead.  It’s also time for fellow tribesmen to gather around the kiddish; the banquet following services and partake in a favorite Jewish pastime, arguing world politics.  This year, 5774 was certainly no different.

Needless to say,  Assad’s use of chemical weapons and the ramifications of an American response were prime topics around the table.  But much discussion was also made about Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani’s  tweet, wishing the Jewish people, particularly the Jews of Iran a blessed Rosh Hashshanah.  Not surprisingly some hailed this as a new beginning, a refreshing opening between the Mullahs and worldwide Jewry so recently decried by the Holocaust denying former President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. 

Oh skeptical me.  Being familiar with the mythical story Helen of Troy and the Trojan Horse I needed more proof before sitting down on my Persian rug and deeming this a Kumbaya moment in Jewish, Iranian relations.  Let’s examine the facts.

The Jewish community in what was once called Persia, modern day Iran, has existed for almost 2600 years.  For most of that period the Jewish population prospered and expanded throughout the region.  This all changed in 642 C.E. with the invasion of Arab Muslims and the installation of of Islam as the state religion.  From that point until the secularization of modern day Iran in 1925 under the Phalevi Dynasty, the socio/economic plight of the Jews was degraded to second class citizenry.

Throughout the 19th century, Jews were persecuted and discriminated against.  Sometimes whole communities were forced to convert.  The most egregious of these denigrations took place in 1839 in the city of Mashhad and became known as the Allahad Incident.  

In a pogrom all too familiar throughout Jewish history 

the local synagogue was burned to the ground, between 30-40 people had their throats slit, and the remaining 2400 people were forced to convert to Islam or face the sword as well.  Although converted, most continued practicing Judaism in secret.  They became known as “Crypto Jews”   From that point on considerable emigration to the Land of Israel began, and the Zionist movement spread throughout the community.

Things changed under the Shah.  From 1925 until the dawn of the Islamic revolution in 1979 Jews flourished in all aspects of Iranian economic, social, and political life.  Unfortunately there was once again a reversal of fortune with the reintroduction of Sharia law subsequent the ascension of Ayatollah Khomeini.

In 1948 there were approximately 100,000 Jews living in Iran.  Today, unverifiable estimates put the numbers somewhere between 10,200 to a high of 25,000. 

Majid Rafizadeh is an Iranian-Syrian scholar and president of the International American Council on the Middle East.  He presently serves on the advisory board of the Harvard International Review.  Last week Front Page Magazine published an article written by him entitled: “Humanitarian Tragedy:  Iran’s Beleaguered Jewish Community”

According to Mr. Rafizadeh, at the outset of Khomeini’s rise to power he sought support from the influential Jewish community by  professing the Jewish people in Iran should enjoy the same citizenship rights as every other citizen.  But once the Shah was deposed those rights never materialized.  Almost immediately, both Khomeini and the ruling Mullahs began arresting the most prominent Jewish leaders and businessmen, many of which were accused of spying for Israel and soon executed.  Seeing the handwriting on the wall, those that could, particularly the wealthy began a mass emigration to both the United States and Israel.

In a Parliament of  290 seats, 3 or 1.1 percent are represented by Jews which are not elected but appointed.  None however are allowed to occupy key governmental positions.  Constitutionally, Jews cannot hold decision making positions such as being a member of the influential Guardian Council, a Commander in the Iranian Army, or serve as the President of the nation.  Furthermore, they are not allowed to serve as judges at any level nor assist in the judicial and legislative systems.

The author concludes by stating these “laws based on the Quran, and Shari’a law only begin to encompass the deep-rooted religious inequality of the region.”  Some disagree.

“They have no problems, praise God,” said Rabbi Yitzhak Ba’al Haness who before emigrating to the United States in 1990 was the chief Rabbi of the southwestern Iranian city of Shiraz.  Neglecting to mention the arrest and imprisonment of several of his former students on trumped up charges of spying for Israel, the Rabbi went on to say: “Life is perfectly fine and there have never been any problems.”  When asked why he left, he replied because his children went to the United States to study in American yeshivot and he just followed.  Once again, oh skeptical me.  When questioned, former congregants in the Shiraz Jewish community felt the Rabbi, fearing for his life, more fled than emigrated.

The director of the Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism, Dr. Esther Webman concurs: “There's still a very basic fear.  You can't paint a fantastic picture showing everything is alright....“Jews have to follow very clear and rigid rules.”

Others argue, with 30 active Synagogues in Teheran, despite the aforementioned, on a comparative basis Jews are tolerated far better in Iran than in most, if not all other Islamic countries in both the Middle East and Africa.  If you wish to use toleration as a measuring stick they’re right.

However, in an interview given to a reporter from the Institute for War and Peace, Moshe Hakimi, a Jewish man living in Iran’s second largest city Mashhad paints a different picture.  He had this to say:  “Every newborn is told from his first years of life that we are living in times of crisis and that they must lead a double life.  They are told we must not talk about our personal lives in front of non-Jewish people.  This absolute secrecy becomes second nature after reaching puberty.”  Some feel so threatened that many choose to convert to Islam, but continue to practice Judaism in secret.  As previously referenced, they too became known as “Crypto Jews.”

He goes on to say:  “All Jewish converts to Islam have two names: for example, my grandfather's Muslim name was Sheikh Aboulghasem and his Hebrew name was Benjamin.  My father's Muslim name was Ebrahim and his Hebrew name was Abraham. Outside they call me Mousa and at home, I'm called Moshe.  In my father's lifetime, many of the Jews had very Muslim names. They even went to Mecca on pilgrimage and became Hadjis.”

Further accentuating the deprivations of Jewish life in post revolution Iran, a female student named Sepideh had this to say about her chances of getting married to a Jewish man:  “There are almost no educated Jewish boys left in Iran to consider for marriage. Emigration is the last resort that we must consider so that maybe we can experience a future free of restrictions.”

All things considered, Rouhani’s gesture wishing the Jews of Iran a blessed Rosh Hashanah is welcomed.  Duplicitous or not, such words would never have left the lips of the despicable, Holocaust denying Ahmadinejad.  However if Rouhani truly seeks a rapprochement with his Jewish citizenry he should begin extending them full civil, political, economic, and social rights.  Likewise, ceasing the constant defamation of Israel would go a long way in breaking the rigid climate of fear and antisemitism Jews live under as second class citizens in Iran.  Actions such as these would belie skepticism and really mean a L’Shana Tovah; a good year, to the Jewish community of Iran.