25,000 Jews live in Iran

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
Insights into the life of jews living in Iran.

en.wikipedia.org...

The Constitution of Iran says that Jews are equal to Muslims. Imam Khomeini visited with members of the Jewish community and issued a decree ordering the adherents of Judaism and other revealed religions to be protected. Jews are entitled to self-administration and one member of the 290-seat Majlis is elected by only Jews. Jewish burial rites and divorce laws are accepted by Islamic courts. Tehran has over 20 synagogues. Iran has one of only four Jewish charity hospitals in the world. The hospital has received donations from top Iranian officials, including President Ahmadinejad. Kosher butcher shops are available in Iran. There are Hebrew schools and coeducation is allowed.

I love how people always cite Wikipedia for source material it's hardly reliable.

By the way I love how none of you responded to my last post. I guess when you can't back up your claims you just ignore the problem in hopes that it will go away.

reply to post by Poker

The only place on the net that I can find any sort of reference to "The Association of Tehrani Jews" is the article posted by the OP and Wikipedia. Can someone provide any reputable sources as to their existence? I doubt it.

The Association of Tehrani jews is cited at #65 in the reference section of this article on persian jews.

en.wikipedia.org...

this is the link... www2.irna.ir...
but I cant seem to able to translate the page on my computer... see if you have any luck.

In case that does not work, here is another jewish page that strongly suggests the presence of a Tehrani Jewish Association.

www.iranjewish.com...

Cultural gathering held at Tehran Jewish communitys central library




Now, I hope you dont dismiss that as a hoax site perpetrated by propaganda pushers.

Also, I suspect that "The Association of Tehrani Jews" is simply an english translation of their official name, which is probably in Persian or a Hebrew.

reply to post by sk0rpi0n

Now, I hope you dont dismiss that as a hoax site perpetrated by propaganda pushers. Also, I suspect that "The Association of Tehrani Jews" is simply an english translation of their official name, which is probably in Persian or a Hebrew.

Actually I will.
Forgive me but I in no way can accept those links as viable proof. Those are websites are run by Iran which is a theocracy that is also a police state. Iran does not have free press and is widely known to pander propaganda not just to its citizens but to the world at large.

I also can not for one minute believe the video it is all too hunky dory for my tastes. There is no doubt in my mind that that whole thing was a ruse to con the global media. I admit it was well executed, no doubt that the Iranian propaganda machine worked hard on that one.

An article from the BBC website dated 2006

About 25,000 Jews live in Iran and most are determined to remain no matter what the pressures - as proud of their Iranian culture as of their Jewish roots.

"Because of our long history here we are tolerated," says Jewish community leader Unees Hammami, who organised the prayers

He says the father of Iran's revolution, Imam Khomeini, recognised Jews as a religious minority that should be protected.

As a result Jews have one representative in the Iranian parliament.

I personally don't think this should detract from the fact that Iran would like to see Israel annihilated, but it is easier to appease a large number of the popultation than be confrontational or percecute which would incur the wrath of the West let alone Israel.

reply to post by Poker

Actually I will.
Forgive me but I in no way can accept those links as viable proof. Those are websites are run by Iran which is a theocracy that is also a police state.

Haha. Wow. First you dismiss wikipedia saying its unreliable. Then you get an Iranian website and you still dont accept it as proof of the existence of a Tehrani jewish association because you think its propaganda?

Let me ask you, do you have any evidence, even an American run website... that demonstrates iranjewish.com is a fake jewish site run by the Iranians?

I'd love to see it.

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
reply to post by Poker

 

Actually I will.
Forgive me but I in no way can accept those links as viable proof. Those are websites are run by Iran which is a theocracy that is also a police state.

Haha. Wow. First you dismiss wikipedia saying its unreliable. Then you get an Iranian website and you still dont accept it as proof of existence of Tehrani jewish association because you still think its propaganda?
Do you have any evidence, even an American run website... that demonstrates iranjewish.com is a fake jewish site run by the Iranians?

I'd love to see it.

What you think Iran is credible? Ohh that's right I forgot boo Zionism. Israel and America are the great Satan don't believe their lies. Don't worry though our white knight is on it's way yay! Iran save us from the western world's lies.

I don't doubt that there are Jews in Iran, I doubt it's the five star resort that you and this propathread followers believe it to be. "tehrani jewish association" probably does exist, I just believe that if they do they are probably government propaganda agents. If they are jewish I doubt their comfort level is as high as you would have us think.

...Jews also suffer varying degrees of officially sanctioned discrimination, particularly in the areas of employment, education, and public accommodations.

...In Tehran there are still three schools in which Jewish pupils constitute a majority. The curriculum is Islamic, and Persian is forbidden as the language of instruction for Jewish studies. Special Hebrew lessons are conducted on Fridays by the Orthodox Otzar ha-Torah organization, which is responsible for Jewish religious education. Saturday is no longer officially recognized as the Jewish sabbath, and Jewish pupils are compelled to attend school on that day.

At least 13 Jews have been executed in Iran since the Islamic revolution, most of them for either religious reasons or their connection to Israel. For example, in May 1998, Jewish businessman Ruhollah Kakhodah-Zadeh was hanged in prison without a public charge or legal proceeding, apparently for assisting Jews to emigrate.

Source Site

Before I start getting bashed for spewing Pro-Zionist Lies I'll have you know that the all the claims in the link are "Cited" with proof linking from the US State Department and The AssociatedPress.

Forgive me but I'll believe the US and the AP over Iran and Wikipedia any day.

reply to post by Poker

I don't doubt that there are Jews in Iran, I doubt it's the five star resort that you and this propathread followers believe it to be. "tehrani jewish association" probably does exist, I just believe that if they do they are probably government propaganda agents. If they are jewish I doubt their comfort level is as high as you would have us think.

Again, you are just basing your posts on your beliefs and doubts. You asked for evidence of a tehrani jewish organization, and you got it... but you still dismiss it because you have your personal doubts/opinions on its authenticity and the integrity of the Iranian people. Fine.

Now, how about you back your earlier claim that iranjewish.com is a propaganda site by posting evidence for a change? Ill say it again, I will even accept an American run site.

Or are your doubts and beliefs about Iran good enough to stand as evidence?

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
reply to post by Poker

 

I don't doubt that there are Jews in Iran, I doubt it's the five star resort that you and this propathread followers believe it to be. "tehrani jewish association" probably does exist, I just believe that if they do they are probably government propaganda agents. If they are jewish I doubt their comfort level is as high as you would have us think.

Again, you are just basing your threads on your beliefs and doubts. You asked for evidence of a tehrani jewish organization, and you got it... but you still dismiss it because you have your personal doubts/opinions on its authenticity and the integrity of the Iranian people. Fine.

Now, how about you back your earlier claim that iranjewish.com is a propaganda site by posting evidence for a change? Ill say it again, I will even accept an American run site.

Or are your doubts and beliefs about Iran good enough to stand as evidence?

Yes you gave me proof that there is a group out there claiming to be a tehrani jewish organization. I now don't dispute that there is such a group only that they are either Iranian propaganda or Jews that are forced. Either way I believe it is not legit.

The misunderstanding was probably my fault because I've been up all night and haven't had an adequate amount of coffee to keep me focused.

reply to post by Poker


The archived Associated Press article on Google Newspapers, although titled differently by the newspaper as routinely done so far currently, the text was unchanged.

And the Iranian Jewish organisation seems to exist, but name translated from an IRNA news agency article from Persian/Farsi.

Many Jews Choose To Stay in Iran

SCHEHEREZADE FARAMARZI

TEHRAN, Iran

Copyright 1998 Associated Press

news.google.com/newspapers?id=wYlGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=U-kMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5614,4639606

With his unshaven face, graying moustache and suit worn without a tie, Dr. Manouchehr Eliasi looks much like any other member of the Islamic Republic's Parliament. He says he feels, too, like any other Iranian.

But Eliasi is the single elected representative in the 270-seat Majlis of the country's 25,000 Jews, a small minority in overwhelmingly Shiite Muslim Iran, which is an avowed enemy of Israel.

Still, Iran's Jewish community, although it has dwindled over the decades, remains the Middle East's largest except Israel's. Human rights activists and Jews inside and outside the country say Iranian Jews aren't persecuted for their religion.

Eliasi burst into tears when a reporter asked him why Jews have stayed.

''We love our country,'' he said. ''This is my birthplace. I love its smell.''

Jews are free to leave Iran, and hundreds do each year, but the overall number of Iranian Jews has remained fairly stable in recent years because of births, Eliasi said.

He proudly noted Iran has more Jews than any Arab country, reeling off the experiences of other nations: Iraq's Jewish population fell from 150,000 in 1951 to 100 today, Morocco's dropped from 250,000 in the 1940s to 8,000, Tunisia has 2,500 Jews, Yemen 250, Syria about 300, Lebanon only 80 and Libya just five.

At its height, Iran's Jewish community numbered about 100,000 and was still around 80,000 just before the 1979 Islamic revolution. The strict Islam of the revolution's religious leaders scared many Jews into leaving.

Most went to the United States, Europe and, to a lesser degree, Israel, Eliasi said. ''We have no contact with these people'' in Israel, he added quickly. In one restriction they face, Iranian Jews are not allowed to visit Israel or write relatives there,

But Eliasi, who traces his ancestry back 2,600 years in Iran, denied Iranian Jews are persecuted, although he said they do face some problems in Iranian society.

He said the major discrimination against Jews is in government jobs. He doesn't argue with the provision of Iran's constitution that limits senior jobs to Shiite Muslims, but he said Jews can't even get junior government positions.

''Our people want social justice,'' he said. ''They want to have the right to participate in all spheres of public life.''

Eliasi also is trying to amend Iran's Islamic law on ''blood money'' compensation paid by a murderer's family to the victim's relatives as a way to prevent revenge killings. Under current law, blood money for a slain Jewish man is set at one-eighth that of a Muslim male. That for a Muslim woman is half a Muslim man's.

''We believe Jewish men and Muslim men should be the same,'' said Eliasi, a father of three.

Other than these problems, Jews are free to go about their lives, he said.

''I don't see myself separate from the rest,'' he said. ''I live freely with my religion.''

Eliasi, who practices internal medicine at Tehran's Sapir Jewish Hospital, said 95 percent of his patients are Muslims. ''They like me and I like them.''

Some Jews of Iranian descent outside the country and human rights activists agree Iranian Jews are not persecuted because of their religion. However, the New York-based group Human Rights Watch adds that Iranian Jewish leaders sometimes play down instances of mistreatment.

Menascheh Amir, head of Israel radio's Persian-language program and an Iran specialist, says the situation of Iranian Jews has actually improved in the past few years.

Amir, who was reached in Jerusalem by telephone from The Associated Press office in Cairo, Egypt, said the main concern was that children at Iran's Jewish schools cannot be taught in Hebrew and are forced to attend class on the Jewish Sabbath.

The only Jewish newspaper, Tamouz, was banned seven years ago after it criticized the confiscation of Jewish school buildings, Amir said.

But, he added, ''There is no one in jail in Iran for being a Jew. Iranian Jews are part of Iran. Like others, they live with all the good and the bad of the country.''

Yousef Kermani, a Jewish textile dealer in Iran, said his problems were the same as most Iranians mainly the high cost of living.

''I have a lot of complaints, but not as a Jew, as an Iranian,'' Kermani said. ''In fact, I think it isn't easy to differentiate between a Muslim and a Jew in Iran. ... Nobody recognizes us as non-Muslims. Even those who do, don't care.''

Eliasi said Iranian Jewish leaders are trying to discourage youths from leaving, with some success. ''But we don't prevent them from leaving,'' he said. ''It's up to them to stay or leave.''

He said he had never had an urge to go to Israel and condemned ''Zionist aggression'' against the Palestinians.

''In this respect, we agree with the Islamic Republic,'' he said, ''and the Islamic Republic has no unpleasant reaction toward us.''

Iran is also known for displaying interviews on TV from suspected criminals that suddenly admit to their guilt after years of denying it. Coincidentally they confess to national TV and are then set free. This has happened with foreign travelers they claim are spies, women charged with adultery, political protesters etc.

While this story may be true, given all of the propaganda by Iran, one would never be able to know or not. Parading people around to spew their propaganda is par for the course in Iran.

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n

Just out of curiosity, does this guy speak Persian? His location is Colorado Springs, United States.

He's from Baghdad and yes he does speak Persian. I'm very pleased to hear that he's finally made it to the US. His life was under constant threat from his work as a translator to the Marine Corp.

Originally posted by MrWendal
reply to post by OldCorp

 

So are you suggesting that there are no Jews who live in Iran? Or are you suggesting that there are Jews who live in Iran but they live in a constant state of fear that they will be killed simply for being Jewish?

Please explain how this is "blatant propaganda"

Of course there are Jews living in Iran. They have been there since the Babylonians captured and enslaved the entire nation. Why they didn't return with the rest of the Jews when they were freed by the Persians is something unknown to me. Maybe they are part of a sect that believes they can't return to Israel until the Messiah comes, who knows (I'm sure someone does, just not me.)

As far as it being propaganda, I'll point to the fact that the Jews are NOT equal to Muslims, not in Iran, and not anywhere in the Muslim world. If they were, they would be allowed to build synagogues, which they are not. They have to make do with structures that have existed for hundreds of years, or meet in private homes. They also have to pay extra taxes just to BE Jewish - the Jizyah tax - reserved for non-Muslims only. And that is only what I know and can prove. There are very probably other persecutions they must endure.

Originally posted by BiGGz

Originally posted by OldCorp
What's been "clearly shown" is that Dinnerjacket is a liar.

and what? Obama isn't? NetanYahooooooooooooooooo isn't?

Come on

edit on 30-5-2011 by BiGGz because: (no reason given)

Don't be silly. ALL politicians are liars; but this thread isn't about them, it's about Iran.

Ahmadinejad is an intelligent man, I would think he would try to make every effort to show that Jews in Iran are treated as every other citizen. Imagine what the media would say if Iran did treat jews like Israel treats non-Jews, they would have a field day with it. It would be just one more excuse to claim an invasion was a necessity.

reply to post by backinblack

It's been clearly shown that he is against Zionism..Not Jews...

No, it's been clearly shown to US. Everyone else still thinks he wants to "wipe Israel off the map". Those of us getting honest news know the score, those still listening to the MsM are getting something altogether different.

reply to post by OldCorp

This "mistranslation" BS is just an excuse by Iranian/Muslim apologists to obfuscate his true intentions.

That's a load of crap and you know it, anyone can translate it, well, anyone who knows Farsi, and anyone who has, much like most of the bin Laden audio tapes, notes a serious discrepancy between what translators report, and what the US translators report.

but I forgot, the MsM is always lying except when they say stuff you agree with. Pfft.

Imagine what the media would say if Iran did treat jews like Israel treats non-Jews, they would have a field day with it. It would be just one more excuse to claim an invasion was a necessity.

It doesn't matter, as evidenced here the people are already brainwashed, and even Jewish groups from Iran, refusing to immigrate to Israel for free, isn't enough. The thousands of Iranian jews living in freedom isn't enough, they are all lying, they are all staying away from Israel for some religious reason or mental instability.

The lengths some of you cats will go to get your racist agenda across here is amazing. I applaud your efforts, you have managed to do this consistently, without repercussions. Bravo.

I assume you are all signed up for active duty ready to be on the front lines invading Iran to protect Israel right? You would be saying all this blissfully aware that you will never be in harms way, would you? Do your friends who have kids in the military know this? Know that you will openly pledge their lives, based on lies, to protect a country that isn't even yours?

Amazing.

The government and mainstream media lies, except if they say anything you agree with? Do you see how hypocritical you guys are? Amazing, it's past passion, and it's now on the verge of lunacy.

don't worry, soon enough someone will connect Iran to Elenin and we're all doomed.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c4b264faebfb.jpg[/atsimg]

these must be muzzies dressed up as jews. lol

reply to post by OldCorp


Hey dude, thanks for slandering an entire people.

Thanks for further advancing an agenda of division and war against my birthplace.

Thanks for causing division amongst people based on religious doctrine.

You're an esteemed(according to you and yourself only) journalist? Trying to cause a stir, divert some attention from apocalyptic minded people like yourself onto yourself for some form of gains?

Go ahead, post more, it will hurt your credibility later when you as a "journalist" turn out to be spreading false information. First of all, when you want to absolutely prove something you learn it yourself - you don't rely on speculative information from a person who's life is in danger - whom it would suit to make up stories for personal gains. If you'd know Farsi you'd understand you were wrong, but you don't...and I do...so it can't be any more clear to me here, just exactly who is spreading the propaganda.


I'm not going to talk the wrongs right, there exists oppression in Iran. But that doesn't make it okay to spread lies, because of your own PERSONAL beliefs, mister journalist.

reply to post by OldCorp

He's from Baghdad and yes he does speak Persian.

One can't speak Persian.

It's Farsi.

People who use the word Persian when referring to the Farsi language are usually oblivious to many things, like history. Of course, the vast populations of "Persians" in LA would love to say they speak Persian, it has a nice ring to if after all - but it is still incorrect.

reply to post by Zamini

If you'd know Farsi you'd understand you were wrong, but you don't...and I do...so it can't be any more clear to me here, just exactly who is spreading the propaganda.

you know he's going to call you a liar right? What might be smart, as it's related, would be to post a word for word translation of the text for us. Explaining the nuances, for one, and also explaining the difference between an honest translation, and the one these guys are referring to.

Anyways...

I know some guy, somewhere, who heard from some guy "in the know" that most of these peoples problems are based on Race, which is awesome, because they hate Mulsims, which is a religion. Mind boggling.