Arts & Culture

Listening to a Persian Jew

Dear alaaf,

If you have the time (or the open mind), listen to this interview.  It's 55 minutes long:

 //www.royahakakian.com/new/new/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewvideo&Itemid=73&video_id=1

Listen to the part when she describes "enriching Persian culture" by going beyond religion in Iran.  

alaaf

alaaf says: 

"I wish Jews would express their love of Iran and Persia with action"

With all due respect, how dare you question the loyalty of Persian Jews?  I'm not Jewish, but living here in NY I see how they show their love of Iran with action.  The biggest contributors to Iranian cultural efforts are Iranian jews!  They collect and value all the paintings and artwork of Iran.  Right here on 67th Avenue in Rego Park, Queens, in 1981, for the first time I saw any Iranian group call themselves Iranian and put a flag of Iran on the awning of their social club.  

By the way, it wasn't Iranian Jews, Armenians, Assyrians, Zartoshtis, and other religious minoritities who helped bring this horrible "Islamic" regime to power in Iran.  They just looked at how crazy we were, left their own homeland, came here and built a better life for themselves.  But, they still love Iran.  Maybe not the people of Iran, but the history, art and literature of Iran. They miss Iran terribly.  Can you imagine for how many centuries these people have to live under the rule or influence of hateful mullahs and their fanatic followers?  It's a wonder they even mention the name Iran, let alone have to prove themselves.  

I really can't understand why Iranian Jews still love Iran so much.  I know I love them, they are my equal countrymen- if not better, and I apologize to them for having been quite while all the discrimination was going on in Iran.  

alaaf

Ari pointed out your distortion of history and instead of showing a bit of class and acknowledging your error, you come out with even more misinformation.

You go on about Jews demonising Iranians, which is another typical tactic of the supporters of the current regime in Iran. So, let's see who is really demonising whom.

First, this exhibition has nothing to do with Hollywood. It has been organised by Jews of Iranian origin, now living in Israel (thanks to the wonderfully tolerant IRI you frequently defend here), to help bring the two nations together.

Now, before anything let me first be clear about my views towards Israel in terms of its foreign policies. Israel's actions towards the Palestinians are indeed shameful in colonizing their lands and mistreating their people. Equally shameful is Israel’s disregard for UN resolutions, the international law. So, while I think the Israeli people (like everyone else) have a right to live in peace and security, their country bears its share of responsibility in the problems of the Middle East. So I hope it’s clear that I’m no blind defender of Israel.

But let's examine who the real demonisers are here. You see, what you have omitted from your from your post here is the context and the history prior to your complaint of demonisation of Iranians by Jews.

Previously Israel and Jewish people had no issues with and no hostile intentions towards Iran. That was until IRI made it clear who it had chosen as its enemy. All the way through the past 32 years, from the pretty much the moment it took power, the IRI has very openly declared its “marg bar Israel” stance, time and again. Officially sanctioned demonstrations, slogans of threat and annihilation of Israel and burning of Israel’s flag have become a regular ritual by IRI’s supporters.

But more than that, without any prior provocation from Israel towards Iran, the IRI instigated a proxy war against that country by funding and arming Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah in their intermittent conflicts with the state of Israel. The current president of the IRI constantly declares his wish to see Israeli regime “removed from history”. Mr. Ahmadinejad has branded Israel’s regime a “stinking corpse” and “on its way to annihilation. He even takes time out of his supposedly busy schedule to run Iran, to hold conferences questioning and casting doubt on the Holocaust.

My point is, any reasonable person should see the threat from Israel towards Iran and how Jews have started to view Iranians is entirely of IRI’s making. It is the IRI that has brought about this increasingly hostile atmosphere. As distasteful as I find Israel’s foreign policy, I can see why they would want to demonise Iran, as you call it. What would we say and how would we react if Israel had continually interfered in Iran’s internal situation by funding and supporting suicide bombings and rocket attacks on civilian areas of the country, while their leaders had openly declared their wish to see Iran wiped out?

So next time you, you get gheyrati about Jews not saying nice things about Iranians, you might want to take a few minutes first to reflect on how all this hostility started and why the IRI is sticking its nose into a situation (the Israeli/Palestinian conflict) that should be none of its business.

fussygorilla

by fussygorilla on Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:32 PM PDT

Hate to spoil your Zionist-loving dream.  None of the "Arabs" have stolen Persian artifacts to put them up on show like the jews did....

=====================================================

That's because they Arabs beat the Jews to Iranian Persian goodies long ago. When the Arabs invaded Persia, to impose their religion on the country, not only did they steal massive amounts of Persian artifacts, but they destroyed an awful lot of it including the magnificent Tagh-e-Kasra palace and the famous and highly precious Baharestan carpet which was torn into pieces and distributed among Arab tribal chiefs after the their invasion.

Two brief comments

First, I am delighted to see some event in Israel that puts a "positive" face about Iran and Iranians, I much wish similar thing could take place in Iran.

Secondly, I share the same sentiment and experience of Roozebeh and the great and true points brought up by him.

Mehrdad

Alaaf

I rememebr the excellent Performance given by Sir Ben Kingsley in House of Sand and Fog. A tragic story but excellent portrayal of Iranian virtues and values. This was produced by Spielberg's (a Jew) Dreamworks. By the same token Dreamwork also produced the excellent Kite Runner which did not sterotype our Afghan brethren.

Also Prince of Persia was made by Bruckheimer, another Jew.  

Fussy Gorilla

Please allow me to correct your ignorance although there isn't much I can do to cure your Jew hate. 

Firstly, the majority of Persian artefacts are in the British Museum, the Lourve in Paris and museums in the USA. Many of those historical objects were 'stollen' or brought cheap from the corrupt 'Qajar' dynasty. The small number of Persian artefacts which happen to be in the possession of Jewish charitable trusts and private individuals were bought legitimately at auction although I believe historical objects should be kept museums rather than privately owned. At least they are in the hands of Iranians, Jewish or otherwise, rather than in the hands of the corrupt regime which has never valued Pre-Islamic Iranian culture and even sought to destroy Persepolis, sold many artefacts in the Tehran museum; and has built the Sivaand Dam near Marvdasht putting in danger Cyrus's Tomb  and major archeological areas of importance. That is the difference.

Also bear in mind that the commercial trade of historical artefacts is not exclusive to Persia and nor is it an exclusively Jews reposible for this. Blame the Eruopean art lovers for this trade. 

Finally, if you were paying attention to the video many of the stone tablets are  Babylonian and where is Babylon today? Iraq. Iran conquered Babylon and therefore the Babylonian culture and Persian culture mixed inexricably. Its the same issue with the Cyrus Cylinder found in modern day Iraq and the government of Iraq can also make a claim to its rights accordign to International Law and the rules of domicile. The tablets you have seen in the video are undoubtedly part of Iranian heritage but most of them were probanly found in Iraq which the Arabs would also claim as part of their history.

Let me finish and say that I agree that the Iranian government should try and recover all the objects from Persepolis skulduggerusly stollen from Iran. And therefore, since you agree with restoration then you would also demand that all Palestinians vacate East Jerusalem where some of them are living on archeological Jewish sites including houses belonging to Jews centuries ago including the Mount of Olives where the ancnet graveyard will tell you that Jews lived there thousands of years before Islam. You would also agree that the Al Aqsa Mosque should be demolished as it has been built on Solomon's Temple. Infact, the whole of Judea and Samaria (West Bank and Gaza to you) should be vacated. Would that be ok with you as an anti-Iranian Arab supporting activist? 

Why do Islamists try to

Why do Islamists try to paint Purim as anti-Persian while they are themselves the most anti-persian population in Iran and abroad??

Their anti-semitic views compells them to re-write history for the Islamist agenda.

"No Persians were killed in Purim"

nice

Great to see our brothers and sisters in Israel showing off their heritage.

Long live our only friend

We Iranians should realize that our only friend and natural allied  in the region, against Arab intrusion and thievery were and still are the people of Israel.

As a good example to support my claim I can mention the fact that as at the moment all Arab countries and most of the Western countries with lead by UK are trying to change the name of Persian Gulf, the only country who stood by us and guarded the name of Persian Gulf against all those who want to obliterate our identity, were the people and state of Israel.

So I say long leave Israel, God bless people of Israel and may their enemies be wiped of the face of the planet, whether them being Arab stooges or murderer mullahs and heir cronies

David Duke & racist Iranian crackpots

Ari, you're trying to argue history with an ignorant racist (alaaf) for whom the notorious white supremacist, former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke ( //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_duke#Knights_of... ) is an authority on history (see the video alaaf references).

The 2 groups obssessed with the demented anti-semitic interpretation of the Purim story are the extremist nutjobs in Iran, //www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM... , and those advocating David Duke's model society, //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purim#Purim_and_the_N... .  These 2 groups, whose views are no-doubt well-grounded in reality & reason, insist on treating an ancient religious myth which has no independent historical corroboration as a source for arbitrarily extracting historical "facts," but adamantly reject all historical documents, which include living survivor & perpetrator testimonies, on the recent Nazi Holocaust as fabrications.  That's how the world appears when you bathe in the same cesspool as David Duke, who was a featured speaker at Ahmadinejad's "Holocaust conference."

Great Exhibition !!

I wish i could visit it and i also wish Iran was a land of love, progress and tolerance to organise such a exhibit in Tehran (or Hamedan)

As an Iranian i love Esther's Story and i'm proud of such iranian as Sardari //users.sedona.net/~sepa/sardarij.html

(it was so shameful few years ago when Iran organised a negationist conference !!!)

 Iran - Isreal friendship is crucial for bringing the peace in the middle east. Anything to built a better world should be appreciate and salué !!

Motasefam baraye kassani ke dar nefrat ghargh hastand !

yup!

the Jewish version of history repeated! 

Simorgh

Hate to spoil your Zionist-loving dream.  None of the "Arabs" have stolen Persian artifacts to put them up on show like the jews did.  Iran should demand the return of these objects. Can't expect more from BBC propaganda machine for Israel, their benefactor.

Jews and Persians, then Persian Jews

Hi Ari:

thanks for your courage in an atmosphere were blaming Jews and Israel is the easiest route to avoid the real issues. Intolerance and not accepting those who are different is the root cause of much of anxieties in middle eastern cultures.

Jews did not kill Persians!

Here's a chapter summary of  the book of Esther which gives the background to Purim.

Interesting post.

based on my limited interactions with Israeli citizens (almost all engineers and technologists like myself), I find them surprisingly open and friendly towards muslim people as a whole and Iranians in particular.

The anti Jewish sentiments which are fairly deeply rooted in Europe are simply not part of Iranian culture.

True, there are sentiments against the state of Israel in Iran, almost entirely due to relentless propaganda by the islamist regime, but anti Jewish feelings and propaganda are limited to the islamist regime and their paid agents.

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."

Iran and Israel

have connections long before Arabs were on the human scene.  Israel will help Iran regain its freedom from 32 and then 1400 years of captivity.

A report on Jews in Persia and nothing on Purim? lol

Nazarin Exhibition

I haven't visited but it looks awesome. As the curator of the exhibition says, "The Cyrus Cylinder is taught to children in Israeli schools". 

Have you seen a similar exhibition in the West Bank or Lebanon? How many children are taught Persian History in Beirut or Ramallah despte the Islamic Republic having given them millions of dollars? 

Of course not. What do you expect from Arab counries which call the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Gulf?  

Many Jews show an interest in Iran and Iranian studies. Compare the respect the Jewsh community shows Iran and its hisotry and compare that to Hassan Nasrollah who recently repeated Khomeini's views that there 'is so such thing as a Persian civilisation".  

Iran Second place after Israel

Someone told me Iran after Israel has the most number of Holy Places for Jews, that is something to think about....

 I just wish loving Iran was not equal to Hating Israel and USA.

Fantastic

can't wait to see the exhibition in Los Angeles.  All the best to the Nazarian family.

great vid

jews and iranian have a long history daniel is burid in iran and etc.. we should be friends i wish for a jewish friendly gov in our country

Thanks

Good to know that the only country in the region that respects Iran and true Iran is Isreal.  What's a chances of Palestenians ever creating any thing much less a museum dedicating to Iranian culture? NA, NADA, NEVER.....