Brief History of Jewish life in Persia.
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Brief History of Jewish life in Persia.
Persian Jews were amongst the earliest settlers outside Judea; legend
connects their origin with at least three events in history. The first
is the deportation of the Israelites in 724 BCE from Samaria to the
cities of Medea and Persia (known as Iran from 1935). The second is the
migration at the time of the Assyrians (705BCE); the third, the
destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar (586BCE).
During the Cyrus declaration (538 BCE), some Jews were allowed back to
their homeland Judea. Those who were financially well established
returned to Babylonian-Persian soil. These communities were probably
the original Jews of Persia who also expanded into the provinces of
Ecbatan and Susan. The tolerant attitude of the rulers at the time
allowed personalities such as Ezra, Daniel, Esther and Mordecai to play
a role in the Persian court.
When Alexander established his empire, the size of the Jewish community
was unaffected; in fact, over the next four centuries it grew rapidly.
Jews migrated into neighbouring territories. Settlements during the
Babylonian period existed in the provinces of Medea, Elam, Khurdistan,
Susiana, Hulvan, Nehamand, Hamadan, Ahwaz, Susa, Tustar and as far as
the Persian Gulf. The favourable political climate allowed Jews
complete freedom in trades such as handicrafts, weaving, gold- and
silversmithing, jewellery and as merchants. The successful found their
way to Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasids (762), Ahwaz, Isfahan and
Shiraz.
It is noteworthy that although Zoroastrians dominated the country at
the time, they had no interest in proselytising, as did other
religions. Yet Zoroaster's teachings deserve to rank with the
utterances of the great Hebrew prophets in giving religious direction
and order to the uncertain world of the ancient Middle East.
Zoroastar's dualism in fact influenced Judeo-Christian-Muslim
traditions but by itself did not survive.
In the 10th century, Jews were trusted as bankers and holders of
depositories.The Caliphs of the period and the courts entrusted them
with large sums; they engaged in lending and borrowing.
Under Islamic rule, Jewish colonies were established in all the Persian
provinces. Jews outnumbered the Christian religious minority in
southwest Persia. In contrast, in other provinces such as Fars, the
Zoroastrians (who were the dominant religion before Islam) out-
numbered others. The geographers of the 12th century conducted a census
and put the regional Jewish population at around 200,000, although this
figure is questionable.
The presence of Persian Jewry also invited varying degrees of
persecution and discrimination under different rulers.
During the Safawid's dynasty shiism was proclaimed as the state
religion: hatred for minorities was at its peak (1600). The second half
of the 17th century was a difficult time for the Jews. Shah Abbas II
crusaded against Hebrew books and Jews were made to wear special hand
and head gear for identification purposes. This followed by forced
conversion especially in the city of Isfahan.
Despite the Islamization of the Jews, most adhered tenaciously in
secret to their religion and began to live a dual life. It was not till
Nadir Shah came into power that annihilation was avoided and Jews were
able to return openly to their religion. A central board based in
Isfahan dealt with their tax affairs and acted as their representative
in the government. However, this was soon decentralised and Jews began
to have their own representatives in the provinces. In the larger
cities 'Jewish Quarters' segregated the minority groups; these had
synagogues, Mikveh and institutions. Despite this the Jews of Persia
maintained contact with the outside world, and in all probability with
Eretz Israel too, through messengers who toured the provinces.
In the 18th century the Jews began to migrate to Afghanistan,
Turkestan, Samarkand, Bukhara, Kurdistan and Egypt and into India. The
Kajar Dynasty, until well into the 19th century, displayed intolerance
towards the Jews. Oppression and persecution followed as Jews were
forced to convert, notably in the city of Meshad (see footnote) under
Muhammad Shah (1839). It was only in the 19th century when Persian
Jewry acquired a powerful ally in their struggle for justice -
Western Jewry. Their plight moved the Anglo-Jewish community under Sir
Moses Montefiore and the Alliance Israelite Universelle, who intervened
with the ministers in Tehran (1865).
When in 1873 Nasir-ed-in Shah travelled through Europe, Anglo-Jewry and
communities in major continental cities presented him with petitions
asking him to improve Persian Jewry's lot. The Shah was met by
Disraeli and Sir Moses Montefiore, and following his visit to Paris, by
Adolphe Cremieux. He was impressed by the unity of the Jews and their
cause and promised to improve their situation and to establish centres
of Jewish learning in Persia. The rule of Muzaffarin-din-Shah was a
turning point. The Alliance Israelite Universelle school was
established in 1898 in Tehran. Later Alliance schools were set up in
Hamadan, Isfahan and Shiraz.
However, up to the outbreak of the first World War and between 1921 and
1924 uncertainties on the political and economical front brought
tremendous hardship to the lives of the community. In spite of this the
Zionist Federation was openly active in the country and responsible for
the immigration of Jews to Eretz Israel. Hebrew phrases were used in
printed text and in schools of learning. When Reza Shah (1921) deported
the last Kajar ruler and founded the Pahlavi Dynasty, conditions for
Persian Jewry changed funda-mentally. The King introduced radical
reforms into the community, fostering growth and prosperity. This
change would have been inconceivable in any of the neighbouring Islamic
countries except perhaps in moderate Turkey. At the outbreak of the
Second World War, the regeneration of Jewish life in Iran was again in
jeopardy. However the allied victory and the King's successor,
Muhammad Shah, created a very favourable climate and potential for the
re-growth of the Jews. Vocational training was further augmented after
1944 by the establishment of O.R.T. Azar-ha-torah encouraged the
learning of Judaism and Hebrew.
The revolution of 1978 resulted in uncertainty over the future of about
40,000 Jews still remaining in the country. Nonetheless, at present
Jews are fairly content living side by side with their Muslim
neighbours. They engage in all religious, educational and business
activities as in pre-Revolutionary times. They are also represented by
a Jewish member in the Iranian Majlis (Parliament).
Their freedom may be curtailed not because of religious differences but
perhaps because the country and region as a whole is facing economical
and political dif-ficulties.
*Footnote
The Jews of Meshad deserve a special mention, as their life in Persia
was so remarkable and rather different from that of their counterparts.
During the reign of Nader Shah (1736-1747) a group of Jews numbering
some forty families were ordered to be transferred from the northern
provinces to the city of Kelat (the proposed capital at the time). This
was in recognition of their enormous talent as business people, known
for their trustworthiness. They were invited to participate in the
running of the Shah's vast fortune and financial institutions. Hardly
had the first family settled in the city when the Shah ( a member of
the Sunni Moslem minority) was assas-sinated. There was no longer a
reason to keep them in Kelat and the community dispersed. Many
eventually moved to the nearby city of Meshad for the next two
centuries and were subject to all the usual constraints; probably even
more so because of the importance of the city as a centre of pilgrimage
and its holiness in the Islamic world. The community was disciplined
and self- motivated with almost negligible inter-marriage taking place
not just with the non-Jews but with the Jewish communities of other
Persian provinces. Although outwardly made to convert to Islam, it
never lost its Jewish faith or neglected its religious rituals,
remarkably surviving throughout its difficult history and continued its
Jewish religious activities to the full, even in secret. In striving
for survival it developed a highly organised society and resolved its
problems using an nternal and integrated network of people and
religious figures. At the same time it retained a good relationship
with the powerful Islamic community. The majority of its members were
engaged in business (which they had an exceptional talent for). A few
managed to break with tradition and went on to higher education,
becoming scholars, academics and medics.
It is now more than half a century since the community of Meshad left
the city for the Diaspora, living in major cities around the world.
However these people still maintain an apparent unity and the same
socio-cultural behaviour as in the past.
Dr. Mehran Lavy-Moheban
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