The Denver Jewish news., 1924-06-05
HOW THE JEWS
LIVE IN PERSIA
by Mira MoOsa SaliM
j. T. A. Representative in Persia

Copyright 1874. Jewish Teiegraphic
Agency
Although no census has ever been
taken In Pcrsin, the Jewish population
In the country Is estimated TO he about
10000. The majority of the Jews live
In the capital, Tehcran, and in i'm
portant cities and capitals Of the pro
vinces such as Hamadan, Isphalan,
Shiraz, Kashan, Kermanshah, Meshed.
cts, there being only small number
in the smaller cities and practically
none In the small tons and villages TO
which few Jews go sometimes on
business for short while and soon
after return.
The only Jewish educational institu-
tions worthy of mention in the country
are the schools Of the Alliunce Israelite
Vniversel,e. The Alliance has "A boys
and girls school in Teheran. Hamadan,
kermanshah, Shiraz, Isphalan, etc. A.
the French language. they have been
of great service to the Jews of Persia.
They teach also the Hebrew and Per-
sian languages, and most of thu gradu-
ates who receive the 'Certificat d'Etude
Primairo' find positions in the Civil
Serv' .e.
For long time the Allinncc Israclite
Universclle used to pay all the expenses
Of these schools in addition to provid-
ing food, clothing and books for the
poorer boys. In return, it received an
annual payment of only 400 Tomans
from the Jewish community of Tehe-
ran. For the last few years, however,
the Alliance only pays the salaries Of
the superintendent the matrcn and an
assistant teacher all otner expenses be-
ing paid by the parents Of the pupils
according to their ability.
There is another school organization,
Teheran, which conducts its work In
English. 1t has several branches in
other towns and its aim can be under
stood from the name: ''rhe Schools
of the London Society for Promoting
Christianity among the Jews" About
n couple of hundred of the Is,orcst boys
and girls. the majority of them dis
eased, who would not be accepted Mt
the Alliance schools, attend the school
of the London Society for Promoting
Christianity among the Jews. They
have to attend Christian prayers every
day. including Sundays, and the New
Testament is the principal subject in
the curriculum. The school is elemcn-
tary and the pupils are sent to the
American school for high school
course. Occasionally (by various
means) Jewish child is converted to
Christianity, but generally after COM
pleting his education he returns to his
original faith There are number Of
such cases known to me personally.
There are no other Jewish schools
in Persia, and the Jewish children of
the provinces only study Hebrew un-
der local Hebrew teachers Ito under
stand the Bible and the prayers)
There are only few schools In the
provincial parts of Persia and a. most
of them are Of a religious character
Jewish children are not admitted. Less
than ten pCr cent of the population of
Persia, which numbers about fourteen
million, is able to read or write. But
of the Jewish population about aJ per
can't read and write
There are no Jewish religious or rab.
binicul institutions in Persia. Each
city has one or two Mullahs persian
for Rabbi who. having studied the
Torah, Mishna, etc, to some extent un-
der private teachers or their prcdeces-
sors, are in charge of the religious af-
fairs Of their city, and carry out the
duties of marriage, divorce, slaughter
ing Of Kosher meat, and settling small
disputes They charge their fees for
the performance of these duties. Each
city has its own synagogues. the num-
her of synagogues depending on the size
of the community. Teheran, with 5000
10 1000 Jews, has eighteen synagogues.
The floors of the synagogues are GOV
cred with rugs and floor coverings. and
the worshippers sit ON the floor with
legs crossed in Persian fashion.
The ZiOnists are the only real or.
ganized body of Jews in the country.
Zionist branches exist all over Persia
and have n large membership, Anti
Zinnism is practically non-existent
among Persian Jews. Having for CEN
turtles been subjected to severe perse-
cutiOn, the Jews of pCrsia have been
looking forward to the day when the
visions of the Prophets would be full
filed and Palestine would be rebuilt. so
That they should be able to leave Per
sia and its prosecutions and return to
the land of their forefathers.
The Zionist Organization has been