مجید تفرشی/ Majid Tafreshi

Full English version of Ms. Yashayai’s article in Etemad Newspaper:

Peaceful and safe Yom Kippur in Tehran
BY: Marjan Yeshayaie
October 16, 2024

Saturday 12 October was Yom Kippur.
This day is one of the most important days of the Jewish calendar.
Every Jew, even if he is not religious, brings himself to the synagogue on such a day to fast for a long time, approximately 26 hours, to be present in the company of his fellow believers, to ask God for his secrets and needs, and to ask for forgiveness for his sins.
Judaism is basically a ritual-oriented religion and customs are very important and central in it.
It is so important that no Jew in the world, regardless of religious belief, can think that it is possible to avoid Yom Kippur fasting or the custom of not eating bread during the eight days of Passover.
But rituals are mostly realized in synagogues.
synagogues in Iran are unique places; Places with a unique characteristic, as Jewish Iranians perform their rituals and prayers there and find their identity, and in this unity, they are intertwined with the city and the neighborhood. synagogues have been living in the heart of Iranian cities for centuries and continue their peaceful life.
For any Iranian who has lived near one of the Iranian Jewish synagogues, seeing the sight of Jewish worshipers rushing to the synagogue with a kippah (a traditional kerchief worn by Jewish men during worship) and a prayer book in hand to participate in congregational prayers on Saturday nights, is not strange.
It is normal for us to show up carefree in our synagogues and celebrate the Hebrew New Year (Roshhashana) and Yom Kippur in the middle of the crisis in the Middle East and the sad slaughter in Gaza and South Lebanon.
It's a good thing that our synagogues are part of our cities and neighborhoods, familiar and familiar buildings, not strong fortresses like in Europe or the United States, where the safety of the attendees must be taken care of with the most advanced tools.
It is good that our synagogues, like the place where it should be open to every Jewish worshiper, have open doors, and no one who comes isn't being asked for an identification card, and if sometimes a non-Jew wants to visit the synagogue, the door is open.
And it's good that the Muslim neighbors of our synagogues have never frowned at the disturbance that may have happened due to the crowding in the street on certain days.
But what is the reason for this 2700 years of coexistence and companionship between us and different religions and peoples in this vast land.
Can there be any other reason than the deep culture of tolerance, which has become a secondary feature of us Iranians and has made Iran one of the most distinguished countries in the world?
May be for ever
Member of the group of Iranian Jewish graduates.

www.tgoop.com/majidtafreshi/2380

3.17K viewsMajid Tafreshi, Oct 16, 2024 at 17:35

Full English version of Ms. Yashayai’s article in Etemad Newspaper:

Peaceful and safe Yom Kippur in Tehran
BY: Marjan Yeshayaie
October 16, 2024

Saturday 12 October was Yom Kippur.
This day is one of the most important days of the Jewish calendar.
Every Jew, even if he is not religious, brings himself to the synagogue on such a day to fast for a long time, approximately 26 hours, to be present in the company of his fellow believers, to ask God for his secrets and needs, and to ask for forgiveness for his sins.
Judaism is basically a ritual-oriented religion and customs are very important and central in it.
It is so important that no Jew in the world, regardless of religious belief, can think that it is possible to avoid Yom Kippur fasting or the custom of not eating bread during the eight days of Passover.
But rituals are mostly realized in synagogues.
synagogues in Iran are unique places; Places with a unique characteristic, as Jewish Iranians perform their rituals and prayers there and find their identity, and in this unity, they are intertwined with the city and the neighborhood. synagogues have been living in the heart of Iranian cities for centuries and continue their peaceful life.
For any Iranian who has lived near one of the Iranian Jewish synagogues, seeing the sight of Jewish worshipers rushing to the synagogue with a kippah (a traditional kerchief worn by Jewish men during worship) and a prayer book in hand to participate in congregational prayers on Saturday nights, is not strange.
It is normal for us to show up carefree in our synagogues and celebrate the Hebrew New Year (Roshhashana) and Yom Kippur in the middle of the crisis in the Middle East and the sad slaughter in Gaza and South Lebanon.
It's a good thing that our synagogues are part of our cities and neighborhoods, familiar and familiar buildings, not strong fortresses like in Europe or the United States, where the safety of the attendees must be taken care of with the most advanced tools.
It is good that our synagogues, like the place where it should be open to every Jewish worshiper, have open doors, and no one who comes isn't being asked for an identification card, and if sometimes a non-Jew wants to visit the synagogue, the door is open.
And it's good that the Muslim neighbors of our synagogues have never frowned at the disturbance that may have happened due to the crowding in the street on certain days.
But what is the reason for this 2700 years of coexistence and companionship between us and different religions and peoples in this vast land.
Can there be any other reason than the deep culture of tolerance, which has become a secondary feature of us Iranians and has made Iran one of the most distinguished countries in the world?
May be for ever
Member of the group of Iranian Jewish graduates.

BY مجید تفرشی/ Majid Tafreshi