Iran's Jews - Iran

May 2007
The fiercely Islamic Republic of Iran, is perhaps the last place you would expect to find a large Jewish community. But despite political use of anti-semitic, anti-Israeli slogans, Iran's Jews appear remarkably free.

"Anti-semitism has never been the general policy of the Iranian government" explains Maurice Mottamed, the country's sole Jewish MP. There are of course "glaring differences" in treatment between the majority Muslim population and religious minorities. But remarkably most of the time Iranian Jews are "comfortably doing everything they want to do here. We can perform all our religious celebrations." This is an image very much at odds with fashionable Western opinion.

Produced by SBS/Dateline
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

• Category

  News & Politics

[briantotse3]

And I never once said that Islam is a religion of peace. Any religion is as peaceful or as violent as it's practitioners want it to be.

What I'm saying is that Iran is, for all its faults, a logical regime. They understand what it means to go to war with the U.S. or with Israel. They understand that it means the destruction of their country and the deaths of millions of Iranians. They don't want that, and intelligence agencies around the world (Such as FSB, ISI, Mossad and CIA) seem to agree.

[FuckYouDudeChannel]

I am jew and i know the Torah and this is bullshit.

[Mikeybetts]

actually, Muslims, Christians and Jews never lived in "peace" in the middle east.

the Jews and Christians had to accept a "Dhimmi" status, being forced to pay the Jizya and if they couldnt pay, then they were forced into slavery, and often if a family gave birth to a beautiful girl, the family had no say if a muslim wanted to marry her.

the only time that jews and christians were in any way equal to muslims in these lands was after they were conquered by the English and French.

[38dragoon38]

The Middle East has always seen huge struggles between various empires and I often wonder whether the majority of people in the USA actually get to see the "whole picture" of what is happening there. Perhaps the US media is more likely to depict corporate and pro-government perspectives from "official" sources, rather than those which are independent and based on academic study? If true what could the reason be for this?

[38dragoon38]

For centuries Muslims, Christians and Jews have lived in peace in the Middle East. Most people, whatever their religion, want to live in peace and want the best economic opportunities for themselves and their children. The latest rise of the Jihadist Islamists has come about for one reason, and that is the incessant meddling and war mongering of the USA and its manoeuvrings to control and dominate every nation in the Middle East. The USA is just the latest empire to be doing this.

[irishxxkelt]

There are also Armenians whose ancestors survived the massacre of the Armenians by the Turks. There are also Vietnamese refugees and many Sudanese who risked crossing the Negev desert.

[irishxxkelt]

Well the Bible says differently. These wing-nut whack-job Naturei Karta are happy to live in Israel and not have to do military service and not do any work and expect the Israeli government to give them money. But the gravy job is going to stop. Have you been to Israel? No? Well I have. I spent 7 1.2 months there. 1.6 million Arabs are citizens of Israel. They are members of the Knesset, ambassadors, High Court judges and they can serve in the IDF. There are many Druze and Bedouin, in the IDF.

[peter K]

oh no our society might become more moral and ideas such as promoting modesty amongst women instead of stripping them to sell a Mars bar might start popping up... god help us.

[peter K]

You mean zionists not Jews.... Judaism forbids real Jews from having their own state. Israel are the terrorists, thieves,murderers,liars,identi­ty thieves,heretics the list goes on.

[irishxxkelt]

There are too many Muslims in Europe who won't learn the language of their host country or accept the customs and mores. Europe is beginning to reap the whirlwind........

[irishxxkelt]

In 2005 we all saw Israeli soldiers dragging their fellow Israelis out of their homes in Gaza. Land for peace? Israel has been bombarded with over 10,000 rockets and missiles launched from schools, hospitals and mosques.