... Come to join, not to separate
(Ma Baraye’ Vasl Kardan Amadim, Nay Baraye’ Fasl Kardan Amadim)

Dear friends, brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents;

There is amongst many of us, much worry and concern about the future of our community in the US. Worry and concern for ourselves and our children as how we will be able to not only preserve - if at all possible - but to strengthen our ever-diminishing identity as Jews who are also Iranians. And by identity, it is not meant the “Iranian aspect” of our identity - although important - but rather the “Jewish aspect” of our identity.

The Persian aspect of our identity started couple of thousand years ago as a result of a historical event, under the guidance of the Divine Providence who always willed and continues to will the history as He sees fit. It started after the destruction of the 1st Temple, when our Jewish ancestors went on exile to Babylon. This Persian aspect has evolved over all these years, and we have developed our unique set of beautiful customs and culture; a mixed bag of Persian, Moslem and other customs with a healthy dose of Jewish flavor and sensitivities; chessed (kindness), tzdakah (charity), love of family, etc.

Now comes the big news. This cultural identity is not our essence. Let’s see how. You were born to Jewish parents in Iran and let’s say that they named you Shahriar. They also gave you the Hebrew name Dovood (Dovid), at your Brit Mila. Now realize that had you been born to Jewish parents in Mexico, they would have called you something like Manuel, and they would have still given you the Hebrew name Dovid. You could have been born to American Jewish parents. They would have called you something like Stewart, and they would have still given you the Hebrew name Dovid. Do you get the point? You could have even been born in Afghanistan as an Amir, but they would have still given you the Hebrew name Dovid. Now you get it. Your cultural identity wants you to believe that you are a Shahriar, a Manuel, a Stewart, or an Amir. But your essence was, is, and will always be Dovid, because your core is a Jew, because you have a Jewish soul, a neshama. This is true for all of us; Bahram, Maziar, Mehran, Parvin, Mojgan, Mehrzad. And it is this Jewish neshama that is your essence. And it is this aspect that many of us are consciously or sub-consciously worried and concerned about.

Now, this could be viewed as a politically incorrect statement. You might ask: “What do you mean that I have a Jewish soul?, that I am different than others?”. But I beg you not to judge. Please don’t forget, “Ma Baraye’ Vasl Kardan Amadim, Nay Baraye’ Fasl Kardan Amadim”. We must try to understand what is said here. Was it easy for any of us to become a doctor, a dentist, an engineer, or a successful businessman? Did we become one overnight? No, we worked hard at it for years and many sleepless nights. And why did we do it? Because it was important for us to have a meaningful, rewarding and prestigious career, and also we probably wanted to change the world in some small way. So, if we come to recognize that it is even more important and meaningful to get to know our essence, and if we get to realize and appreciate what it means to be a Jew, we will put the same hard work to know our very core. The key factor is in coming to this realization. So, how do we do it?

Education, Education, Education. Just as your diamond expert in downtown LA or 47th St. can easily distinguish between diamond and cubic zirconia, we need to become experts and educate ourselves and our children so that we can see and believe in ourselves as our true diamonds, and not as counterfeits.

So, let us say that for the time being we have agreed that there is such a thing as Jewish neshama. Now, although you can never totally destroy your Jewish neshama, you can tarnish it and diminish its glow very severely. What does this mean? It means that the more you distance yourself from G-d, the Source of input of Divine energy to your soul, the more you diminish the glow and vitality or your soul. It is like taking a beautiful and majestic princess, and putting her in a dark and horrible prison chamber. She will just wither away, get depressed and die.....

Q: is there a better occasion to launch a Jewish blog with Iranian flavor than during Chanukah?

A: perhaps during Purim, thanks to Akhashverosh. But Purim is about our physical survivor, and Chanukah is about our spiritual survivor as thriving and proud Jews.

Chanukah is all about renewal and re-dedication. What do you do when you buy a new house in NY, LA, Jerusalem, or anywhere? You throw a party, which in Hebrew is called Chanukat Ha Bayt; “inauguration of your house”, your very own personal temple, to raise a beautiful Jewish family, full of joy, fun, love and laughter, and above all meaning.

“Chinuch” - education, is from the same root as “Chanukah”, re-dedication. We learn from here that in order to learn a subject well, you have to re-start it every time with a fresh and exhilarating approach. Today’s subject is not the same as yesterday’s, but a fresh one and tomorrow’s too will be a new one. We apply this principle not only to academic subjects, but to our relationships, our careers and all aspects of our lives. Today, you are not the same husband who is returning home tired and fatigued like yesterday. Today, you are arriving home like a new person, with the realization of all your blessings and your good fortune, as well as your own custom-made challenges and tribulations. And today you are not the same wife, mother, father, sister, student, merchant, doctor, lawyer, worker, etc., as the one you were yesterday. Today, you are a new start, a new and re-dedicated you, and above all a new Jew, with a revived and re-dedicated relationship with your Maker. This is only one of the beautiful messages of Chanukah.

You can learn more about Chanukah from the following sites:

Chabad
Torah.org
Aish HaTorah
Ohr Sameyach

so, there we go, Mazol Tov, Happy Chanukah, and Le’Chim to our new Jewish + Iranian blog.... and have a safe arrival home (:-)

Khosh Amadid!

Welcome to the Jewish+Irani Weblog. The aspiration for this site is to share Torah-based ideas with our beautiful community without judgement or provocation, and to provide an occasional anecdotal commentary as food for thought and soul. The blogger seeks no publicity, and therefore prefers to stay anonymous. All effort will be made to observe the laws of proper speech; "Lashon Hara" in Hebrew.

Read on, enjoy, and please stay in touch.

You may add comments in the blog for a post, or send emails to jewishirani@yahoo.com