'The Jewish community of Iran is one of the oldest in the world’: Jewish Moscow
June 26, 2025
I remember stories about Iran that I heard about six years ago from Jafa Issahar. Then I visited her daughter every week, who got into one of the Moscow prisons. From conversations with Yaffa Issahar, I learned more about the Iranian people - cultured, educated, who were crushed by the results of the "Islamic revolution" in 1979.
Two days ago, we talked to Yafa Issahar again, she remembered her childhood in Iran and expressed concern:
"I'm afraid: what can Iran do to us and how we will fight it without the United States. At night we hear sirens, go out to the bomb shelter, read about the dead, wounded, collapsed buildings. The house I live in shuddered, the windows broke when they hit the Weizman Institute next to us. But with God's help, we will survive it! I told my family that maybe we will still be able to go to liberated Iran and visit our native places."
The Jewish community of Iran is one of the oldest in the world. It began its existence after the destruction of the First Temple, 2500 years ago. Before the Islamic Revolution, about 45 years ago, about 80,000 Jews lived in the country, but after the revolution, the majority left the country, having moved to Israel and the United States.
"We had tap water at home, but my friend didn't, and I went with her to the water collection column to fill the buckets. More than once Muslims poured water on us, spit and shouted curses. In one alley I was attacked by a Muslim and tore earrings out of my ears. Once my brother got tuberculosis, and my mother had to change into a Muslim woman to take him to an American hospital.
However, I have a lot of good memories - our family was wealthy. Mom was a teacher at a Jewish school, we lived in prosperity. We had a strong connection with the Jewish tradition. I remember we had a separate room for matzah on Passover. Grandpa made casher wine, he found a way to secretly sell it to willing Iranians (and they are forbidden to drink wine). His wine even got into the Shah's palace! When the family subsequently repatriated to Israel, he tried to pass the craft of winemaking to his sons, but they didn't succeed.
I remember that adaptation in the Land of Israel was not easy. I heard my dad crying into the pillow at night. He was deceived, Persian carpets and other things that he took out of Iran at unfair prices were bought from him. After my parents and all my relatives left Iran and arrived in the Land of Israel, they continued to observe Shabbat, but unfortunately began to observe the rest of the commandments less. Alas, this happens often: in the diaspora, people adhere to the entire Jewish tradition, and get to the Land of Israel - and allow themselves to relax!
One of my uncles was a personnel officer. After all, the Shah loved Israel very much, there was cooperation between the countries, Jews served in high positions. When the Islamic revolution began, the uncle managed to take many people by plane, and he left Iran on the last flight to Israel."
And I think: for forty-five years now, planes have not flown from Iran to Israel, but in the last week our planes have been flying from Israel to Iran. Our combat aircraft.