Tehran Jewish community says it sides with regime amid Iran protests

times of israel ^

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

[SJackson]

Of the 150,000 or so under the Pahlevi most fled, mostly to the US or Israel. There are less than 10,000 left. Of those remaining, some may be comfortable with the government. Others, and I understand though wouldn’t stay myself, may be motivated by the fact that it’s been their home for nearlly 3 millenia. Rumor has it that among the first to arrive was Jacob’s granddaughter. A long time. Under both friendly and less friendly, as now, governments.

[Wuli]

I imagine many of the Jewish leaders were as much Leftist as they are Jewish. The Left joined the “coalition” against the Shah, expecting to be part of any new government, only to find, graduallly and then quickly, over time that the Komeini gang had other plans and the “grand” coaltion had been a sham all along. Koemeini never had any plans or desires to share power with anyone, Leftists, rigtists, democratic moderates and Liberals - no one.

The shame is the Jewish leaders in Iran cannot even now admit their orginal error of 1979, in spite of the years of the Mullahs proclaiming to the world they will destroy Israel. Israelis ought to consider ending the “right of return” to Jews still in Iran, giving a window of time before it takes affect.

[rmlew]

ACtually, Jews can and do visit Saudi Arabia now.

[rmlew]

The Christians of all stripes are allowed to live and worship freely. Proselytising is banned though and conversion from Islam is banned. But the life of Christians and Jews in Iran is better than any place in the Islamic world besides Lebanon.
Jews and Christians in Azerbaijan have religious liberty. Those in Iran are hostages and scapegoats. And you have absolutely no concept of Islamic repression in Iran over the centuries. The Shi'ites there believe that non-Muslims pollute the streets in the rain.

[Cronos]

rmlew "Jews can and do visit Saudi Arabia now"

Are you sure? As per the rules yes, but though being Jewish is not a strict reason to be denied entry to Saudi Arabia. However, some people have been denied entry and it may be because they indicated that they are Jewish (while completing visa paper work). It may not be the reason, however we may never know the real answer to this.

But again, you are legally correct that Jews can visit Saudi Arabia now

[rmlew]

I have a Jewish friend, who works for Zionist education, who is there with other Jews. According to her, she has had a harder time in Egypt.