10 Facts About Persian Jews

chabad ^ | By Menachem Posner

[Morgana]

1. Jews Have Been Living in Persia Since Biblical Times

Jewish people have been living in Persia (roughly modern-day Iran) since the second part of the First Temple era. In fact, the events of Purim (as recorded in the Book of Esther) took place in the Persian capital city of Shushan (also known as Susa), now the site of the modern city of Hamedan.

2. Several Biblical Figures Are Buried in Iran

Iranian Jews (and Muslims) proudly and reverently point to tombs of Mordechai and Esther in Hamedan, Habakkuk the Prophet in Toyserkan (around an hour away from Hamedan), Daniel the Prophet in Shush (southern Iran), and even Serach, Daughter of Asher, in Isfahan, reflecting the region’s long and rich Jewish history.

3. Their Rabbis Are “Mullahs”

Along with the terms rav and hakham, popular among many Sephardim, Persian Jews often referred to their rabbis as mulla, Arabic (and Persian) for “master.”

4. Persian Jews Are Not Technically Sephardim

European Jews sometimes lump all Middle-Eastern Jews together under the general rubric of Sephardic. However, Persian Jews have their own ancient traditions that far predate the rise of Sepharad in the 10th century. It is more accurate to refer to Persians, Sephardim and others from the region, as Eidot Hamizrach, “Communities of the East.”

5. Most Jews Have Left Iran

Today, the Persian Jewish population is believed to be more than 10,000, the largest of any Middle-Eastern country other than Israel. However, it's a mere skeleton of the approximately 300,000 Jews who lived there a century ago. What began as a trickle of migration became a stream following the establishment of the State of Israel, and then an urgent torrent following the 1979 revolution.

6. Jews Come From All Over Persia

Many Persian Jews will tell you that their family are Teherani (from Tehran), Shirazi (from Shiraz), or Isafahani (from Isfahan), reflected in cultural nuances, food traditions, and customs that vary from region to region. Even second- and third-generation Americans maintain the identity and practices of their family’s city of origin and often (but not always) marry men and women whose families are from the same region.

7. Their Family Names Are Distinct

Many Persian family names contain the given name of a male ancestor (such as Rahamim or Abraham) followed by “zadeh,” “yan,” “pour,” or “far” — producing names like Davidzadeh, Yomtovian, Chayempour, and Nikfar. Others reflect professions or cities of origin (Teherani, Shirazi, Kashani, etc.).

8. Most Persian Jews Live in Israel

Today the Iranian Jewish community is scattered. The largest concentration (estimated at 200,000 souls) lives in Israel, followed by the United States, which has significant concentrations in Great Neck, a village on New York’s Long Island, and Beverly Hills, California.

9. Mashhadis Are Different

Among Persian Jews, those who stem from Mashhad are a class of their own. In 1839, facing persecution and death, the community “converted” to Islam, all the while maintaining their Judaism in secret. Due to their uniquely perilous situation, many of them relocated several times, including to what would soon become the USSR (oops!). Even today, Mashhadi Jews maintain their distinct names and customs and typically only marry fellow Mashhadis. Currently, they mostly live in Milan, Italy, and Great Neck, NY.ec

10. There Is Still Jewish Life in Iran

Jews in Iran today maintain kosher food production, synagogues, mikvahs, and even yeshivahs and kollels of their own. The Jewish community has a representative in the Iranian parliament (majles) and is generally tolerated within the Muslim society.

The author thanks Iranian-born Goldie Yeroshalmi for reviewing this text and providing insights and corrections.

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TOPICS: General Discusssion; Judaism
KEYWORDS: jewsinpersia

[Lurker]

So what’s your point?

L

[Morgana]

Another freeper asked about Jews in Iran and I gave the answer, from a Jewish source no less.

[onthelookout777]

Interesting info. Thanks for posting.

[oldplayer]

In the early 1970’s I played on my universitiy’s NCAA soccer team. We had a number of foreign players from Central America, Mexico and the Middle East. Our great goalie was from Iran.

At an after game dinner I saw that he was wearing a Star of David. I was confused. He said he was Jewish! I didn’t know there was such a thing as a Persian Jew! He educated me.

I worried many years about him and his family after the revolution. No email in those days and we lost contact. Great guy and was accepted by all his teammates, including Saudis and othe Mohammedans.

[Lurker]

Now do the Bahais.

L

[Morgana]

You do the Baháʼís.

I covered the Jews

Oh and BTW Iran has an estimated Jewish population of about 8,000 to 10,000 people today. It remains one of the largest Jewish groups in the Middle East outside of Israel.

Sorry not sorry if that gets your knickers in a wad.

Iran has an estimated 100 total historical and structural synagogues across the country, though only about 20 to 60 are actively used by the remaining Jewish population.

The Iranian Parliament includes one reserved seat for the Jewish minority, a constitutional provision established in 1906 and maintained after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

[Lurker]

So once again I ask. What’s your point? The Iranian government are nice guys?

L

[PGalt]

Interesting. Thanks for postting. Human beings have been alive for a long time.

[Vermont Lt]

That’s quite a leap. Nowhere is that suggested and the reason for the post was explained.

Whats YOUR point? You seem to be inferring something, but you are being sketchy about it.