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The Jews of Iran: Past and Present
 
PIIS086919080009133-3-1
DOI10.31857/S086919080009133-3
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Marina S. Kameneva 
Occupation: Senior Research Fellow; Associate Professor
Affiliation:
Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Address: Moscow, Russian Federation
Journal nameVostok. Afro-Aziatskie obshchestva: istoriia i sovremennost
EditionIssue 2
Pages131-137
Abstract

The article analyzes the position of Iranian Jews in modern Iran, primarily the cultural aspects of this problem. It is being noted that in spite of the fact that the Jewish community is a small percentage of the total population – 25–30 thousand people, however, its study is of special interest on the background of the prevailing between Iran and Israel uneasy bilateral relations. The author focuses on problems that are important both for existence and survival of Iranian Jews and for the study of ethnic and cultural features of the Jewish community: the system of traditional and modern education, their colloquial language, Jewish-Persian literature. Currently, the Jews of Iran use the Persian language as a first language or as a second one in areas dominated by their own dialects. Literature in the Judeo-Persian community is mainly represented by poetry. The relatively famous works on it belong to the 1920s. Since the late 1920’s – early 1930-ies the Iranian Jews in their literary work used the modern literary Persian. Special attention in the paper is paid to different social problems of the modern Jews that are mainly employment, education, possibility of mixed marriages and communication with relatives who live in Israel and others. The questions of cultural life of the Jewish community in Iran are closely related with the social side of it. In everyday life its members are allowed to comply with Jewish tradition in the families, including the use of wine. Outside the Jewish community its members obey the laws which rule the entire Iranian society.

KeywordsIran, Jewish community, Islamic revolution, language, literature, cultural tradition, Iranian society
Received07.04.2020
Publication date20.04.2020
Number of characters22469
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1 Now the Jewish community in Iran numbers only around 25–30 thousand people, but its study is of particular interest in the context of the uneasy relations prevailing between Iran and Israel. Moreover, the Iranian Jewish diaspora is the most significant in the Middle East; only the Jewish community of Turkey can be compared to it in size. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Jews of Iran faced the same difficulties as other ethno-religious minorities there, such as Armenians, Assyrians and Zoroastrians: these hardships included persecution, trampling of their civil rights and curtailing of their freedoms.
2 It should be noted that at this time about 50–55 thousand Iranian Jews left Iran. Yet despite this, Iranian Jews today are proud of belonging to the Iranian civilization as well as of their Jewish roots [The Jewish Community…, 2006]. Indeed, their ancestors settled on the territory of modern Iran nearly three thousand years ago after being liberated from the Babylonian captivity by Cyrus the Great (Kurosh), the founder of the Achaemenid Dynasty. In Jerusalem, the street was named in honor of this Persian king, and the street sign gives his name in three languages: Hebrew, Persian and English [BBC Television, 2012].
3 The Jewish community of Iran has deep historical and cultural roots, and their traditions are closely intertwined with the Iranian ones. One of examples is the Iranian holiday of “Sizdah Bedar”, which comes on the thirteenth day after Nouruz (the Iranian New Year). On this day, Iranians leave their houses and head out to the countryside because they see a potential omen in the number thirteen. The Jews also have a holiday called “The Day of Nature”, which is celebrated in a similar way: they leave their homes in the city and go into the country to commemorate dead relatives. In addition to such living cultural traditions, ancient monuments of material culture associated with the history of Iranian Jews are preserved throughout Iran and revered by all Iranians.
4 The most significant of these – also for the world’s cultural heritage – are the Mausoleum of Esther and Mordechai in Hamadan (ancient Ecbatana) and the Tomb of the prophet Daniel in Shushi (ancient Susa), who may have first brought monotheism into these lands, and whom Iranians consider partly their own saint. As about the Mausoleum of Esther (the Biblical Esfire) and Mordechai, an entire book of the Old Testament (called “the Book of Esther”), is devoted to this woman, who, according to legend, was of extraordinary beauty. By means of palace intrigue she became the wife of Ahasuerus, one of the kings of the Achaemenid Dynasty. She used her status to greatly improve the position of the Jews on Iran’s conquered lands.
5 Thanks to Esther’s powerful influence on her husband and her heeding the advice of her uncle Mordechai, the Jews of Ecbatana received unprecedented benefits. In honor of this victory, they proclaimed the holiday of Purim [Iran: Historical Guidebook, 2010, p. 253, 266–268]. Another religious and historical monument sacred to the Jews is located in the vicinity of Isfahan and called Esterahatun. There is the stone slab mounted on its wall, with an inscription in Hebrew, which, according to the opinion of German famous Orientalist and archaeologist Ernst Hertsfeld, refers to the queen Shushandokht, wife of one of the Sassanian kings – Yazdgerd [Kolbasi, 1995, p. 15].
6 All of the important historical monuments of Jewish culture are revered in Iran and are inseparable from the shared values of Iranian civilization. This is why one can hear from Iranian Jews that first they feel themselves Iranians, and then Jews. I should note that modern Persian has two words for the word “Jew”: these are “yahudi” and “kalimi,” with the latter more often used specifically to designate Iranian Jews, thus differentiating between Iranian Jews and their compatriots living in Israel.
7 Iranian Jews live mostly in major cities, with almost half of them living in Tehran. Jewish communities also exist in Shiraz, Isfahan, Yazd, Hamadan, Kermanshah and some other cities. There is no exact information on the number of synagogues in Iran, but the Association of Jews in Tehran estimates them at about a hundred, with 26 in the capital. However, estimates of sources differ: some refer to the fact that there are 7 synagogues in Tehran, others – 21, and so on. But it should be noted that two synagogues in Tehran and one in Shiraz are the largest in country, with a capacity of 500–600 people, and all of the main religious ceremonies are held in them, even though they are rather new – not over 40 years.
8 One of the most famous synagogues in Tehran is called “Yusef Abad” [Association…, 2005, p. 8]. With regard to Isfahan, according to official data, there are 21 synagogues, and religious rites are held freely in the operating synagogues [Kolbasi, 1995, p. 15]. It should also be noted that in today’s Iran, new synagogues are not being opened because of the decreasing number of Jews due to emigration. Old synagogues, however, in cities with large communities, are undergoing restoration thanks to their cultural and historical value. Several synagogues in Tehran, Isfahan and Yazd with unique architecture are protected by the Iranian Organization for the Preservation of Cultural Monuments. According to information provided by the Association of Jews of Tehran and another information sources, the Jewish community in Iran also has at its disposal special schools, cultural centers, student and women's centers, libraries, computer training and music centers, halls (rooms) for meetings and gatherings, and special spaces for slaughtering cattle in accordance with the requirements of Judaism [Association…, 2005, p. 5–7; Iran: The Cradle, 2016, p. 166–170, 174, 178, 184–189].

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