A relatively placid situation for Iranian Jews … today

The Jewish Voice and Herald By Naomi Lipsky Friday, 07 December 2012 02:37 If Israel and Iran are at war, Iranian Jews may suffer anti-Semitism Jewish life in Iran Since the turn of this century, the Jewish population of Iran had been widely reported to be about 25,000. A recently released census by the Iranian presidency’s planning and strategic supervision department, based on 2011 figures, suggests there are currently fewer than 9,000 Jews remaining, with about 120,000 Christians, a smaller number of other minorities and about 73 million Moslems. Before the 1979 Revolution, there may have been as many as 30 synagogues in the country, with 11 or 12 of them in Teheran, as well as kosher butchers and restaurants. It is difficult to document the current numbers of these institutions. The World Jewish Congress asserts that there are three synagogues in Teheran, though there is no functioning head rabbi. The position of Jews in Iran today remains a unique one. Interviews of Iranian Jews by the media show people living normal, comfortable lives. The Iranian constitution of 1906 mandated that minorities were entitled to representation in Parliament; since then, there has always been one Jewish member of the Parliament. The government today is rabidly anti-Israel and anti-Zionist, but professes no sanctions against Jews who are not Zionists. When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, made one of his many speeches denying the Holocaust, the Jewish member of Parliament at the time, Maurice (Morris) Mohtamid, wrote a letter of protest and did not suffer any repercussions. Though Jews are a minority, Roohi Radparvar said that she believes they are treated better than people of other minority religions, such as Christians and Zoroastrians and those who follow Bahai, which Iran does not recognize as a religion. The only time she felt any anti-Semitism, she said, was at the beginning of the Revolution. “People were being brainwashed,” she said. As for today, she believes that “things aren’t as bad as people think. There are about 10,000 to 15,000 Jews who are doing fine.” Any anti-Semitic pressure, said Radparvar, is from the government rather than the people themselves. “That’s one thing the film ‘Argo’ unfortunately doesn’t represent correctly; Iranians as a whole are very hospitable people. [In the movie], all you see is hatred; that’s unfortunate.” “Argo,” for those who haven’t seen it, depicts what happened to six employees of the U.S. embassy who escaped capture when the embassy was overrun and then found temporary shelter in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Disturbing childhood memory Dr. John Yashar, however, is not as confident or trusting as is Radparvar. He recounted a childhood experience of visiting the Teheran home of a Muslim friend whose family was very religious. “We’d have tea and they would put my cup of tea on the side [separate from the others]. They had to wash mine in a separate dish because I wasn’t clean.” That’s how Muslims think about other religions, said Yashar. They don’t assimilate; they have the same problem in France, England and Germany, and will have in the future with this country, he added. From their perspective, said Yashar, “Anyone who isn’t Muslim is [an] infidel [and] is not clean. I am sure they do the same to Christians; they tolerate them …” Anti-Semitism in 21st century Iran Is there anti-Semitism today in Iran? “Of course,” said Fred Barcohana. The fanatics “don’t like anybody. They don’t like Christians, they don’t like Jews.” Still, he feels there is no imminent danger for Jews living in Iran today. Radparvar believes, she said, that , with the sense of isolation, Iranian Jews are focusing more on Judaism. With the synagogue becoming the main social gathering place, synagogue members are becoming more traditional in their observance and girls are learning Hebrew. Although she knows of a few Iranian Jews who returned to visit and were able to leave again, she wouldn’t advise it for any other Iranian Jews. Her grown sons, who live in New York, want to visit Iran, but she fears for their safety, given their name and their religion. Although she’d love to return to visit with her children, she said, “It’s just too scary.” Expressing gratitude that Jews had the freedom to practice their religion without fear of retribution or punishment during the Shah’s regime, Barcohana said, “He was a good man. Jews liked the Shah because [there was] democracy. [Iran under the Shah was] a good country.” The future remains unknown Radparvar said that, 25 years ago, she never expected this regime to last this long. Yashar worries that if it comes to war, the U.S. will have a bad fight on its hands, as Iran has a huge army and is very strong and has the physical protection of the mountains. Most of the atomic research facilities are 200 feet deep under the mountains. “Israel is a small country,” he said. “All they really need is one or two bombs to destroy Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa or any [other] part of Israel.” If war breaks out between Iran and Israel, Radparvar believes there could be trouble for Iranian Jews. Some people, she said, automatically consider Jewish Iranians as Israelis, while many Iranians fully understand that Iranian Jews have nothing to do with the State of Israel. Barcohana said, “So far, things are good, but God knows what will happen tomorrow.” His prediction is as accurate as any. NANCY KIRSCH, executive editor, contributed to this story. NAOMI LIPSKY, a freelance artist, lives in Johnston. Contact her at lipskyart@gmail.com.%A %B %e%q, %YPosted on No Comments

The Jewish Voice and Herald

By Naomi Lipsky
Friday, 07 December 2012 02:37

If Israel and Iran are at war, Iranian Jews may suffer anti-Semitism

Jewish life in Iran

Since the turn of this century, the Jewish population of Iran had been widely reported to be about 25,000. A recently released census by the Iranian presidency’s planning and strategic supervision department, based on 2011 figures, suggests there are currently fewer than 9,000 Jews remaining, with about 120,000 Christians, a smaller number of other minorities and about 73 million Moslems.

Before the 1979 Revolution, there may have been as many as 30 synagogues in the country, with 11 or 12 of them in Teheran, as well as kosher butchers and restaurants. It is difficult to document the current numbers of these institutions. The World Jewish Congress asserts that there are three synagogues in Teheran, though there is no functioning head rabbi.

The position of Jews in Iran today remains a unique one. Interviews of Iranian Jews by the media show people living normal, comfortable lives. The Iranian constitution of 1906 mandated that minorities were entitled to representation in Parliament; since then, there has always been one Jewish member of the Parliament. The government today is rabidly anti-Israel and anti-Zionist, but professes no sanctions against Jews who are not Zionists. When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, made one of his many speeches denying the Holocaust, the Jewish member of Parliament at the time, Maurice (Morris) Mohtamid, wrote a letter of protest and did not suffer any repercussions.

Though Jews are a minority, Roohi Radparvar said that she believes they are treated better than people of other minority religions, such as Christians and Zoroastrians and those who follow Bahai, which Iran does not recognize as a religion. The only time she felt any anti-Semitism, she said, was at the beginning of the Revolution. “People were being brainwashed,” she said. As for today, she believes that “things aren’t as bad as people think. There are about 10,000 to 15,000 Jews who are doing fine.”

Any anti-Semitic pressure, said Radparvar, is from the government rather than the people themselves. “That’s one thing the film ‘Argo’ unfortunately doesn’t represent correctly; Iranians as a whole are very hospitable people. [In the movie], all you see is hatred; that’s unfortunate.”

“Argo,” for those who haven’t seen it, depicts what happened to six employees of the U.S. embassy who escaped capture when the embassy was overrun and then found temporary shelter in the home of the Canadian ambassador.

Disturbing childhood memory

Dr. John Yashar, however, is not as confident or trusting as is Radparvar. He recounted a childhood experience of visiting the Teheran home of a Muslim friend whose family was very religious.

“We’d have tea and they would put my cup of tea on the side [separate from the others]. They had to wash mine in a separate dish because I wasn’t clean.” That’s how Muslims think about other religions, said Yashar. They don’t assimilate; they have the same problem in France, England and Germany, and will have in the future with this country, he added.

From their perspective, said Yashar, “Anyone who isn’t Muslim is [an] infidel [and] is not clean. I am sure they do the same to Christians; they tolerate them …”

Anti-Semitism in 21st century Iran

Is there anti-Semitism today in Iran?

“Of course,” said Fred Barcohana. The fanatics “don’t like anybody. They don’t like Christians, they don’t like Jews.” Still, he feels there is no imminent danger for Jews living in Iran today.

Radparvar believes, she said, that , with the sense of isolation, Iranian Jews are focusing more on Judaism. With the synagogue becoming the main social gathering place, synagogue members are becoming more traditional in their observance and girls are learning Hebrew.

Although she knows of a few Iranian Jews who returned to visit and were able to leave again, she wouldn’t advise it for any other Iranian Jews. Her grown sons, who live in New York, want to visit Iran, but she fears for their safety, given their name and their religion. Although she’d love to return to visit with her children, she said, “It’s just too scary.”

Expressing gratitude that Jews had the freedom to practice their religion without fear of retribution or punishment during the Shah’s regime, Barcohana said, “He was a good man. Jews liked the Shah because [there was] democracy. [Iran under the Shah was] a good country.”

The future remains unknown

Radparvar said that, 25 years ago, she never expected this regime to last this long.

Yashar worries that if it comes to war, the U.S. will have a bad fight on its hands, as Iran has a huge army and is very strong and has the physical protection of the mountains. Most of the atomic research facilities are 200 feet deep under the mountains. “Israel is a small country,” he said. “All they really need is one or two bombs to destroy Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa or any [other] part of Israel.”

If war breaks out between Iran and Israel, Radparvar believes there could be trouble for Iranian Jews. Some people, she said, automatically consider Jewish Iranians as Israelis, while many Iranians fully understand that Iranian Jews have nothing to do with the State of Israel.

Barcohana said, “So far, things are good, but God knows what will happen tomorrow.”

His prediction is as accurate as any.

NANCY KIRSCH, executive editor, contributed to this story.

NAOMI LIPSKY, a freelance artist, lives in Johnston. Contact her at lipskyart@gmail.com.