This really is a serious question I have. And I don't know enough about the situation to have an educated opinion.
It is estimated that there are 25,000 Jews still living in Iran (down from 100,000 before the Iran revolution), and many live in Tehran, which has 11 functioning synagogues today.
Jews in Iran are pretty much Dhimmis. From Wikipedia:
Discrimination
Like other religious minorities in Iran, Jews suffer from officially sanctioned discrimination, particularly in the areas of employment, education, and housing. They may not occupy senior positions in the government or the military and are prevented from serving in the judiciary and security services and from becoming public school heads.[26]
The anti‑Israel policies of the Iranian government, along with a perception among radical Muslims that all Jewish citizens support Zionism and the State of Israel, create a hostile atmosphere for the Jewish community. In 2004, many Iranian newspapers celebrated the one-hundredth anniversary of the publishing of the anti-Semitic forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.[26] Jews often are the target of degrading caricatures in the Iranian press.[27] Jewish leaders reportedly are reluctant to draw attention to official mistreatment of their community due to fear of government reprisal.[26]
The legal system also discriminates against religious minorities who receive lower awards than Muslims in injury and death lawsuits and incur heavier punishments.
It is impossible to find out exactly what the Persian Jews are thinking right now. According to this article, they are caught in no man's land:
Any public expression of sympathy for Israel would invite a sharp crackdown from authorities and hard-line Islamic groups.
"We are Iranians. We work for what's best for Iran. The fighting, fortunately, does not affect the Jewish community in Iran," said Moris Motamed, who holds the single parliament seat reserved for Jews. Other seats are set aside for the Christian Armenian and Assyrian minorities and followers of Iran's pre-Islamic Zoroastrian faith.
But Iran's Jews have undeniable bonds with Israel -- most notably Israel's Iranian-born president, Moshe Katsav. Thousands of Iranian Jewish families have relatives in Israel. The historical links between Persia and the Holy Land go back to antiquity and are celebrated each year with the festival of Purim.
In January, the leader of Iran's Jewish community, Haroun Yashayaei, issued a rare challenge to Islamic authorities after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the Holocaust a "myth." He said Ahmadinejad was questioning "one of the most obvious and saddening incidents in human history."
Israel, however, presents a red line no one will cross. Iran's Jews have remain publicly silent as Iranian leaders have called for Israel's destruction, including Ahmadinejad's call last year for Israel to be "wiped off the map."
The Iranian Jewish website reminds me of Communist Russia Propoganda. Check it out:
http://www.iranjewish.com/English.htm
'Last week, Jews in the southern city of Shiraz held a pro-Hezbollah rally that was covered by state-run television -- a sign that the march was likely overseen by the Islamic regime to reinforce the idea of national solidarity.'
I'm not sure, because I can't speak for them, but the Iranian Jews seem to be taking a page out of the people of Peakville in the famous Twilight Zone episode, It's A Good Life, where everyone feared the 6 year old boy, Anthony Freemont.
Ahmadinejad right now, is focusing on wishing Israel into the cornfield, and he might be thinking that the Iranian Jews are potential human shields right now. How will Israel deal with the Persian Jews, who are deeply rooted in Iran? Who knows what their ultimate fate will be?
One thing is for certain: Israel will never let Iran build nukes, and I believe an attack on Iran is a given. It is just a matter of when.
Hmm... Another Operation Moses, using Iraq as a conduit?
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Jews are allowed to live in Iran, albeit under brutal dhimmitude, but are forbidden to live in Gaza, the site of the battle between David and Goliath, and the biblical home of Sampson.
ReplyDeleteAlso interesting that Jews are being threatened with total expulsion from Judea and Samaria, but are still permitted to live and even hold a parliamentary seat (useless as that may be) under Ahmedinijad.
In some ways, Olmert is worse to the Jews than even the most vile moslem vermin.
Insanity.
They must be conflicted. In all honesty, Jews don't have it so bad in Iran... its not what we would describe as equal rights but I much rather be an Iranian Jew than an Iranian Bahai. If they catch a Bahai praying they kick you out of College, fire you from your job, throw you in prison... My girlfriend knew a few Bahai who had to flee for their lives.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, the Iranian Jews sneak over to Israel to see their families all the time. Chances are, they are pro-Israeli but not dumb enough to tell anyone. I mean, their president called the Holocaust a lie and not one protesting march in the community. Instead, they are compelled (forced) to march for Hizbollah, a group dedicated to killing Jews. That is the mark of a society engulfed in true fear.
Israel is not going to attack Iran.
ReplyDeleteIsraeli air force does not have the range to penetrate the Iranian interior and fly back to Israel without refueling. They would have to land somewhere (and no they won't land in Iraq or Turkey or anywhere).
It's not going to happen.
And no, you can't be an athiest Jew. I don't care if your mom is Jewish, quit trying to sound like a dumbass.
"Most Jews are nowadays living in Tehran, the capital. There are currently 100 synagogues in Iran, a quarter of them in Tehran.[23] Traditionally however, Shiraz, Hamedan, Isfahan, Nahawand, and some other cities of Iran have been home to large populations of Jews."
ReplyDeleteSo know you know where they will have their nuclear launch sites.
The unbreakable rule is "Do not negotiate with terrorists".
If anybody dies it is the terrorists responsiblity.
When terroists take hostages , try to save the hostages, but regard them as already dead.
Make no exceptions.
Only this tough attitude will ensure survival , all else leads to failure and death for all.
Rewarding terrorism breeds terrorism.
Punishing terrorism deters terrorism.
It's a simple equation but takes a tough will.
Israel is paying today for Israel's prisoner exchange when the Israli leftists won the day and lost the country.
Anon, you can't tell me whether I can be an Atheist Jew or not. I'm not sure if you know about the last time Israel took out nuclear reactors in Iraq. The planes made it back and forth without refueling 25 years ago. I don't know much about war planes, but I'd be surprised if they couldn't make it back, and besides missiles don't need a return address.
ReplyDeleteMax, you'll like the comment a couple of blog posts down by Major Combs:
To my atheist friend from a self-confessed "weak-kneed agnostic."
To quote me, "Israel will know peace only when they have won the hearts and minds of their enemies. Their hearts will be still, their minds at eternal rest."
Some Unsolicited Advice For Israel – attack! Attack! ATTACK!
This is not a message of hate. It is just sound military tactics. You can't get rid of an implacable foe by wishing them gone, or hoping they switch to "placable." When you can't placate them, then you have to pound them - plant them - posthumously convert them to your point of view.
The Mormons do it for their departed non-Mormon ancestors. This is just an expansion of the concept.
06 August, 2006 19:59
The salient fact that Israel accepts all forms of plurality (i.e., it's the only place in the middle east that a Muslim Lesbian, Black Jew, Palestinian Communist, or Christian Fundamentalist can live without fear of violence or repression every 14 seconds) is always ignored.
ReplyDeleteJust another fact to stick into the Middle East Analyzator.
"That being said, the Iranian Jews sneak over to Israel to see their families all the time."
ReplyDeleteWikipedia says they are forbidden to visit or contact any pro-Israeli groups or countries and probably monitored.
..
Someone said not make it back??!!!!
Not wiseed up!
"Chris at Home" has links and posts on the the military possibilites. They can hit Iraq even without American persmission. They ordered and obtained bunker busting bombs and airplane refulers several years ago.
Guess what they were planning for? Lebanon?
Nope! Don't need those things for Lebanon.
Everything is in place; the plan, the materials, only the order is needed
That order has probably been given contingently. If Israel goes down in flames, there will be nothing left most of those countries including Mecca but radioactive active dust.
If the Iranian government were so good to Jews, there wouldn't have been hundreds of thousands of Iranian jews migrating to Isreal. I now that There are about 150 000 to 200 000 Kurdish Jews living in Isreal. Many migrated after the 1979 revolution. The last prime minister of Iran under Shah was a Jew, and they killed him after the revolution.
ReplyDeleteI know Kurds living in Iran who have families in Isreal. The Iranian people are very much pro-west and pro-Isreal (With the exception of about 15 000 000 LOL) and they especially resent the fact that there is a percentage of the Iranian Budget dedicated to supporting Hamas and Hezbullah when the people of Iran is under so much economic pressure.
By the way the march is just a stunt organised by the Government. I myself have been forced to attened anti-Isreal marches in Iran by our school. It was compulsory.
Hi Roya, long time no see. Thanks for the information. I figured the march was bs, that is why I used the Twilight Zone analogy.
ReplyDeleteRoya, can you talk a little bit about what it is like to be an Iranian Jew? My girlfriend is an Iranian Muslim, and she describes how she had to walk on the Israeli flag, "death to Israel" forced marches, etc. Turned her remarkably pro-israeli :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to imply that Iranians do not live in fear of a fascist government and Relegious Police who can only achieve an erection by punishing people for living. Not to mention the neverending inflation which makes life misrable.
I just meant that life in Iran for Jews, as far as it is described in the west, is not much worse than the general misery for everyone else in the country. I hope I did not cause you any offence.
The situation is very complicated, though the Jewish spokesperson in Iran is a Kapo.
ReplyDeleteI am just glad I am not an Iranian jew...or an Iranian, period!
Since you mentioned that you don't know enough about the situation of Jews in Iran, I strongly recommend that you read Roya Hakakian's memoir ("Journey from the Land of No"). She speaks of Iranian Jews who supported the Revolution of '79. I've met Hakakian in person and she has a lot of interesting stories to share. Persian Jews are more loyal to Iran than we might think.
ReplyDelete