Posted February 23 2008
Iranian Jew
Born in Iran in 1951, there usually would be no question as to who holds my father’s allegiance, except for the fact that he is Jewish. His father a true Iranian, his mother an Iraqi, they never had any doubt within their own minds. Being in Iran became a danger and a threat. The five times a day when the words “Allah Ahkbar” boomed through the cities and it seemed as if all life had stopped was not how it was in my grandfather’s household. They had to be their own mashgiach’s, schechting (killing) their own meat, determining the kashrut of their own food as no one in Iran would do it for them. Coming to America changed everything for him. They moved to a predominately Jewish town with at least 40 different synagogues for them to choose from. Being Jewish and Iranian had never been something that was questioned, as over 90% of the town was the same.
For me, growing up there was never a question- Israel had our allegiance, our love and our prayers while Iran, while a large part of the family’s customs and heritage, had simply become a memory of what once was. Coming to law school where most people aren’t Jewish, they did not comprehend that I could be both Iranian and Jewish. The barrage of questions as to who I will vote for, who I see as a real leader and how I would solve the Middle East crisis never ends.
One student in my section is an Iranian, raised Christian, whose Father is Muslim (nominally). He asked me if I would ever go to visit or if my family had ever thought of going back. I was shocked. Why would my family want to go back? All Iranian Jews had suffered so much, and are persecuted so much for just being born Jewish that to go back would be a death wish. As much as I would love to see Iran and the land my father and grandfather grew up in, to actually go would be insane. I am an American (strike one), a woman (strike two), and a Jew (strike three). No matter what I do, I’m what they do not want.
Do I consider myself Iranian? Of course. I am a full blooded Sephardic woman who happily enjoys rice on Pesach, has our little “dayenu” fun (we hit each other with scallions to represent the fact that we were beaten in Egypt), we kel at every single happy occasion and we have some of the best food in the world. Do I have love for Iran? Not in any way, shape or form. My allegiance is with Israel and America.
Add This Blog to Your Technorati Favorites
Jewish Blog, Jewish, Jewish Leadership, Jewish News, Jewish Values, Jewish Events
