The Denver Jewish news., 1924-06-05


nucntinl persons yid with the author
tiles, II has also frequently been In
strumental In putting n stop to persc-
cutions practiscd against the Jews.
No Jewish Relief Committee has ever
existed in Persia. The poor are pro-
vided for by collections made in the
synagogucs If an applicant for aid np-
penrs. During the month Of Nissan of
each year temporary committee Is or
ganized In each city to raise fund
for providing Matzoth and other Pc
sach supplies for the Jewish poor.
The Jews of Persia have suffered
greatly in the past from persecution
The Persian Priests tMullahs) are ex-
tremely' powerful and even the Govern
mcnt is frequently powerless against
them.
Two instances of such persecution
may be cited. Meshed Is the Holy
city of Persia, to which many Moham
mcdans go on pilgrimage each year
especially in the month Of Moharem,
when they practise mutilizaton of their
faces and other parts of their bodies
In order to gain Paradise. About sixty
years ago, some 5000 Jews lived in
Mcshed where they were very badly
treated by the Mullahs and the popula
ton, as well as by the authorities.
Every year, during Moharem, the jew.
ish quarter was plundcred and num-
ber OF Jews were killed. In the year
1854. while the professions were pass
ing through the streets commemoratins
the death of Hassan and Hossein. II
AIullah melted the people to slay all the
Jews. saying that the Jews had Knocked
the Mchammedan martyrs Hassan and
Hossein. a mob invaded the Jewish
quart and killed all Jews whom they
found. A few Scyeds descendants Of
Mohammed) intervened and promised
to save the lives of the remaining Jews
on condition that they all adopted Is
JtNS t'HstIttu anu NtIt ull
converted.
These Jews have all been living out
war'lly as Moslems, but in secret they
are Jews. They have their synagogues
eat only Kosher meat, and otherwise
observe the Jewish faith. They have
refused to intermarry with the Mo-
hammedans. Mohnmmedans frequently
ask to marry the daughter OF a Djedid
Converted Jew). but in order to avoid
the possibility of intermarriage every
newborn girl is Immediately betrothcd
to n Djedid. They must go on pre-
tending that they are Mohammcdans
as long as they are in Persia because
one of the laws of Islam is that a con.
vert who returns to his original faith
must be killed. Despite the change
from despotic monarchy to a constitu.
tional Government, these laws remai in
! in force and even when Djedid comes
to Tcheran, he lives among the Mo.
hammedans and takes great precautions
that he should not be discovered at.
tending the synagogue for fear that he
may cause the persecution of his rela-
tives at Meshed.
| About eighty years ago. all the Jews
| of TabTiZ (thc seat of the Persian
/ Crown Princess We're killed within
twcnty-four hours There was very
rich Jew in 1abriz. He had big place
of business with twelve secretaries and
he was greatly trusted by the Moham,
medanS. His wealth and influence
made him many enemies, especially
among the Armenians, who decided to
kill him and all the other Jews in the
city. The first secretary of the mer.
chant, an Armenian. entered into II plot
with n number Of other Armcnians and
killed II Mohummedan boy of high fam
lily. The secretary hid the dead boy
In the anti-chamber of his employers
office. On the fourth day he reported
to the Governor that his master had
hiii'i lnt UpN, WIN HHu liilIlltlldltlN
been reported missing, and had hidden
the body in his anti-chamber. The
building was searched and the dead
body was found by the furious Moham-
medans, who massacred all the Jews in
the city. They planted swords in the
ground and tossed Jewish children on
the points, piercing them through.
Every jew in Tabriz was killed. A
proposal was made to the last surviv-
ing jew, a boy Of seventeen, named
Iahya, to adopt the Mohammednn
faith and he would be allowed to live.
He refused and was killed, the story
being that he was hacked into a thou
sand pieces.