The Denver Jewish news., 1921-09-28
Jewish Conditions in
Persia and India
By solomon Samson. shiraz, Persia.

| N r
big valley surrounded by high and low
| hills. All these are covered with snow
and remain so till the middle of April. |
There is very big market, Il solid and
massive building, and all things such as
fancy goods, glassware and the ordinary
things for human consumption are
available there, though they are high.
1t is really very surprising how things
are brought so safe here on camels,
mules and dOnkeys over II distance of
$50 miles a journey of 10 days from
Bushire. The caravans are often at
tucked by robbers, still things come safe
for the market. ! had "A guide with me
and asked him to take me through the
Jewish district. l did not enter any
Jewish dwelling, though / saw from the
entrance what the arrangement was in
side. / will write later on regarding
this. but l may tell you that as l was
looming out of the district / went into
the last building occupied by a Jew.
He happened to be one of the Hak-
| hamim or "Mullahs" as they are called
here. The old man received me very
Hospitality as i called on him the usual
greeting-Shalom Alekhcm. / was of
fered Il seat and glass of the best
| Shiraz wine. The Jews are the makers
of this wine and other drinks such as
"Arak" / may give below an extract
| from the book of j. Foster Fraser
Round the World on Wheel"
The Birthplace OF Wine.
| Shiraz is the birth place of wine as
you may know if you have discerned
the similarity between the words Sher-
ry and Shiraz. Indeed, ShiraZ wine
| has a finer aroma and II more delicate
flavor than any other wine. And what
other king than the renowned Jamsheed
could have discovered the luscious
Juice, Jamsheed was very fond of
grapes; that he might enjoy them ont
of season, he had them preserved in
jars and stored away in vaults. The
grapes fcimented All exclaimed the
king. THE fruit is poisonous Whether
he really meant it or was merely act
ing as sort of president of prchis
torical anti-liquor league, is not known.
| What, however, is known is that all the
| jars We're labelled poison
1t happened in those days that one
of the ladies of Jamshccd was stricken
| i'll with n sick headache, and as none
of the court physicians could cure her,
she ran to the cellar and there, in the
| dim light. struck an heroic attitude. aud
| in dream walking whisper said, Poi
| son be my drink, - And she drank of
! the poison, and drank again. Where
upon strange thing happened. The
| cellar began to whirl around. which
was exceedingly marvellous to her, and
she fell asleep. When she awokc the
| headache was gone. but much of the
poison remained Sweet poison" she
sighed. And day by day she drank of
| the poison. till no poison remained. The
| king was much given TO wrath when he
learnt of this. But the lady asked him
| 10 make more poison, and he made it:
| and he tasted it, and smacking his lips.
he said. This is delicious poison And
| that was the origin of wine. And the
| Shiraz people call it to this day ''Zehere
Khoosh," which means in English the
delightful poison
| The old 'AIullah' was, it appeared to
me. somewhat doubtful as to whether l
was really IA jew or not. Tho / called
on him the usual greeting of "Shalom
| Alellhcm,' he thought perhaps that i
was n decciver and had gone there
simply TO have a free drink. He asked
me to say the usual grace. So to give
him of course. without letting him know
that understood his motive, said the
blessing over wine: Bore Peri Hag-
gofcn.r He then appeared to be con
vinccd. From that time till now he
has been one of the best known to me
of the Shiraz Jews and my friend
A Jewish School.
| For over two months and Il half. |
had been inquiring from all sorts of
people whether there was any school
there, but no one could give me correct
information. One day as l was walking
in the lanes of the Jewish section, met
Il young man whom | asked the same
question. He told me there was Il school
conducted by IL French Jew who was
usually called Rails head man of the
community. / was exceedingly pleased
to hear that. l asked him to send II
boy with me TO show me the house of
the Director of the School of Rails"
The boy took me to the house and
sent him in with my card That gentle
| man received me very cordially and
asked me ali sorts of questions. | had
to introduce myself to him. do not