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.

[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.

[Elsie]

Point?

Seems like more, detailed info about religions is a good thing.

[Elsie]

I had a similar experience on a jury once. One fella was a Jew but had emigrated from a country that was not on my radar as having Jews.

I have since learned there are melting pots (or at least enclaves) in EVERY country around the world - and to quit painting everyone from a certain region with the same, big brush.

[Elsie]

Aren’t they to Islam as LDS is to Christianity?

[Elsie]

I had a boss who was Bahai 40 years ago. Nice fella. strange thing, his grandfather was a protestant minister.

I’ve always wondered what has happened to him.

[Elsie]

Hecky durn. We are ALL kinda sketchy, jumpy, twitchy about something or other these days!

[AppyPappy]

And there is a good reason why they left.

[Elsie]

 COPILOT: The Bahá’í Faith is a relatively young monotheistic religion that arose in 19th-century Persia (Iran). Its central claim is especially interesting if you're approaching it from a biblical or historical angle: Bahá’ís believe that God has progressively revealed His will through a succession of divine messengers. Britannica’s overview of the Bahá’í Faith describes it as founded by Bahá’u’lláh and centered on the unity of humanity and religion. [britannica.com]

The basic idea

Bahá’ís believe in one God and regard figures including Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and eventually the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh as what they call“Manifestations of God.” The official Bahá’í Faith website says these divine educators appeared successively through history and that the world's religions come from the same divine source. [bahai.org], [bahai.org]

That doctrine is called progressive revelation. In simplified form: (ME: kinda like LDS)

one God → successive revelations → humanity develops over time

So Bahá’ís don't normally frame their religion as simply saying Christianity was false or Judaism was false. Rather, they understand the major religions as different stages in a continuing divine revelation. [bahai.org], [bahai.org]

Where it came from

The immediate background was the Bábí movement in Persia. The Báb proclaimed a new religious mission in the 19th century and anticipated another divinely appointed figure who would follow him. Bahá’u’lláh had been a follower of the Báb and in 1863 publicly claimed the mission anticipated in the Báb's writings. [en.wikipedia.org]

Bahá’u’lláh's name means roughly“Glory of God.” Britannica identifies him as Mírzá Ḥosayn ‘Alí Núrí. [britannica.com]

Some major teachings

The official Bahá’í description emphasizes:

• the oneness of God and religion
• the oneness of humanity
• freedom from prejudice
• equality of the sexes
• harmony between science and religion
• education
• justice
• spiritual development
• worship joined with service to humanity
• the pursuit of universal peace [bahai.org]

There is also no priesthood in the conventional Christian sense. Britannica notes that the religion instead uses elected institutions, culminating in the Universal House of Justice in Haifa, Israel. [britannica.com]

And here's the really important distinction for a Christian reading

Bahá’ís have considerable respect for Jesus, but their understanding of him is not the same as historic Christian theology. (ME: kinda like LDS)

 Jesus is placed within the larger Bahá’í sequence of divine Manifestations rather than treated as God's uniquely final revelation. Bahá’u’lláh is regarded as the latest of these divine Messengers. [bahai.org]

That means the interesting question isn't simply “Do Bahá’ís believe in Jesus?” They certainly incorporate Jesus into their theology.

The sharper question is:

“What do they mean when they say they believe in Jesus?”

That's where comparisons with the Gospel of John, Hebrews, Islam, and Judaism get quite revealing, because the dispute becomes one about finality, identity, and continuing revelation, rather than merely whether Jesus should be honored.

[Vermont Lt]

It just seems the last couple weeks people have gotten really, really “twitchy.” Not our normal grumpy old folks…but like animals knowing an earthquake is coming.

[Elsie]

 COPILOT:  The Bahá’í Faith in America has a surprisingly deep history, especially connected with Chicago. Here’s the American thread.

• 1893, Chicago: The faith was first publicly mentioned in the United States at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago. American converts began appearing soon afterward. [en.wikipedia.org]
• 1912:‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh, traveled through the United States and Canada, reaching roughly 40 cities and teaching about peace and unity. [en.wikipedia.org]
• Wilmette, Illinois: The famous Bahá’í House of Worship was eventually constructed there and dedicated in 1953. The American Bahá’í organization describes it as one of eight continental Bahá’í Houses of Worship and says it is open to people generally for prayer and meditation. [en.wikipedia.org], [bahai.us]

Christianity is particularly important to the American story

This is probably the part you'll find most interesting.

The American Bahá’í organization explicitly says that Bahá’ís recognize the divinity of Jesus Christ and understand the Bahá’í Faith as the fulfillment of, and next chapter in, Christ's promise concerning the Kingdom of God. [bahai.us]

But that phrase needs unpacking carefully. Bahá’í teaching places Jesus Christ among a succession of divine figures, including Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Muhammad, the Báb, and finally Bahá’u’lláh. They understand this succession as progressive revelation, with each revelation suited to its particular age. [bahai.us]

So when an American Bahá’í says"I believe in Jesus," that's not necessarily equivalent to what an evangelical, Catholic, or Orthodox Christian means by the same sentence.

And there's an interesting historical reason that became important in America: historian Robert H. Stockman reports that the largest group entering the American Bahá’í community historically has been white middle-class Protestants and specifically points to the presentation of Bahá’u’lláh as fulfillment of biblical prophecy as an important factor. [corinnetru...center.org]

Given the religious discussion you're looking at, that biblical-prophecy connection is probably the rabbit hole worth following. We can lay the Bahá’í claims about Jesus Christ alongside the actual New Testament passages they appeal to and see exactly where their interpretation and traditional Christianity diverge.

[Elsie]

 COPILOT: One Bahá’í source explicitly says Shoghi Effendi associated Bahá’u’lláh with several New Testament titles or figures:“Comforter,” “Spirit of Truth,” “Lord of the Vineyard,” and “Son of Man” coming in glory. Another Bahá’í source argues specifically that the“Spirit of truth” of John 16:13 is a person and ultimately points to Bahá’u’lláh, rather than only to the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. [bahaiteachings.org] [bahaiteachings.org]

So that's our first rabbit.

🐇 Rabbit #1: John 14–16

The critical question is not:

“Does Bahá’í teaching respect Jesus?”

It does.

The forensic question is:

Does the text of John allow Jesus’ promised Comforter/Spirit of Truth to be a new human messenger appearing centuries later?

That's where I'd put our magnifying glass.

The Bahá’í argument emphasizes John 16:13: the Spirit of Truth hears, speaks, guides and declares things, which‘Abdu’l-Bahá interpreted as indicating an individual person with the faculties to hear and speak. [bahaiteachings.org]

But we shouldn't isolate that verse. We'd want to trace the referent throughout John 14, 15 and 16, including what Jesus says about the Comforter's relationship to himself, the disciples, and the Father.

🐇 Rabbit #2: Matthew 24

An older American Bahá’í publication, Prophecy Fulfilled, explicitly starts with Matthew 24 and interprets Jesus' warnings concerning his coming and the end of the age in connection with the Bahá’í claim. [bahai.works]

That gives us another test:

Is their interpretation something Matthew itself naturally produces, or does the Bahá’í system have to supply the interpretive key?

That's a very Charlie-style distinction: don't start by arguing conclusions. Examine the mechanism producing them.

🐇 Rabbit #3: the vineyard

This one may be even more revealing.

A Bahá’í treatment identifies Bahá’u’lláh with the“Lord of the Vineyard” in connection with Jesus' wicked-tenants parable in Mark 12, Matthew 21 and Luke 20. [bahaiteachings.org]

That gives us an unusually good control specimen because the parable itself contains servants, a beloved son, tenants, and an owner.

We can therefore map:

Jesus' characters → Jesus' explanation/context → Bahá’í interpretation

and see whether all three layers actually line up.

That's the rabbit I'd chase first. 🥕

Mark 12:1–12 / Matthew 21:33–46 is unusually testable because we don't have to begin by deciding whether Bahá’í theology or Christianity is right. We can first ask the narrower question: Who does Jesus himself identify as whom in the story?