Das Verhältnis der Juden zum Iran ist einerseits durch Solidarität zu Israel geprägt und der Angst vor einem möglichen Nuklearschlag gegen Israel (der auch sehr viele nichtjüdische, arabische Opfer fordern würde und eventuell den Felsendom in Mitleidenschaft ziehen würde) und Misstrauen. Dabei ist es die Führung des Iran der man misstrauisch gegenübertreten sollte und nicht dem gesamten Volk dort. Während also vielerorts lamentiert wird, fuhr Rabbi Brant Rosen einfach hin und informierte sich selber. Irgendwie liegt auf der Hand, zu welchem Ergebnis er kam, wenn er in seinem Blog auf die Reise zurückblickt:
The most essential thing Ive learned is in some ways the most basic: Iran is a beautiful country with a venerable history and wonderful, gracious people. It is also a powerfully complicated country, marked by a myriad of cultural/political/religious/historical layers. I am now more convinced than ever that we in the West harbor egregiously stereotypical assumptions about this country - and that we harbor them at our mutual peril. von hier
Die einzelnen Beiträge in Rabbiner Brants Blog zeichnen ein sehr persönliches Bild des Lebens im Iran, aber natürlich schaut er auch, wie Juden im Iran leben:
Earlier in the day, we visited with the leaders of the Shiraz Jewish community. Its obviously a smaller community than the Jewish community of Tehran, but its vital and active nonetheless. We learned that there are approximately 6,000 Jews in Shiraz and that their presence here dates all the way back to Cyrus the Great. The current Shiraz Jewish Community Center was founded 70 years ago ; there are 17 active synagogues and though there is no rabbi specifically the city, the community has been trained to take care of all of its essential religious needs. von hier
Auch aus der Hauptstadt berichtete er:
In short: there are roughly 20 22,000 Jews in Iran. The majority live in Tehran, followed by Shiraz and Esfahan. Jews have had a long and noble presence in Persia - they have lived there for almost 3000 years, making them the oldest Diaspora Jewish community in the world. von hier
Natürlich blieb er auch über Schabbat in Teheran:
Later in the afternoon we went to Shabbat services at the Abad Yosef synagogue, also in Tehran. Although it is a relatively new shul by Iranian standards, it definitely has a venerable quality about it. The sanctuary is breathtaking, the ark decorated by exquisite tiling and mosaic in the Persian/Middle Eastern style (see pic above). We were the first to arrive and when we settled in for services there were maybe only 20 elderly worshippers with us. That soon changed. Like shuls everywhere, folks gradually trickled in and before we knew it, we were surrounded by over 200 people. The vitality and vibrancy of the community was truly something to behold older men davening, people chatting animatedly, young children running and playing throughout the sanctuary. The service was led by a variety of members at different points, including young teenagers. The style of the service was what is typically referred to as Mizrahi (Eastern), sung in distinctive Middle Eastern nusach (melody). von hier
Im Großen und Ganzen ist die gesamte Reihe von Artikeln aus dem Iran lesenswert, insbesondere dann, wenn man schauen will, wie es im Iran mit dem Miteinander ausschaut…