The largest Iranian community outside of Iran resides in “LOS ANGELESTehrangeles” in West Los Angeles.
For many years, Iranian Muslims, Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Baha’is have lived in harmony in this cultural enclave, also referred to as Little Persia.
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However, the current battle between Israel and Iran, which lasted for 12 days and was interrupted by a violent ceasefire, has sparked political arguments and religious tensions that are uncommon in this setting of cultural harmony. The United States was Israel’s backer during the conflict, which made things more difficult.
According to Daniel Bral, a resident of West Los Angeles whose grandfather, Moossa Bral, was the only Jewish member of parliament in prerevolutionary Iran, many Iranian Jews in the diaspora have enthusiastically welcomed the start of the war. He witnesses family members and community people celebrating the prospect of defeating their tormentor.
However, Bral has a different opinion.
He remarked, “I’m just anxious and am utterly shaken by everything that is happening.” I can relate to and understand people’s desire for regime change. However, I have concerns about both the effectiveness of the operation to eliminate Iran as a nuclear threat and the safety of civilians.
However, while hostility toward the current regime is widespread among religious organizations, Bral does not view the conflict itself as a divisive issue among the diaspora.
He claimed that Muslims and Jews are essentially united by their hate of the regime.
A cultural enclave provides a feeling of stability.
Like his mixed family, the community has generally fostered a climate of tolerance and respect, according to Kamran Afary, a professor of communication at California State University, Los Angeles, who left Iran in the 1970s and produced a book about identities in the Iranian diaspora. Afary’s family members are Baha’i, Muslim, and Jewish, whereas he is spiritual but not religious.
According to him, although interfaith marriage was once problematic, it is now common.
Afary claims that Tehrangeles, with its row of supermarkets, kebab and ice cream shops, eateries, bakeries, and bookshops, provides him comfort and a sense of reconnection with his heritage. The Greater Los Angeles area is home to roughly 500,000 Iranian Americans.
Following the toppling of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1979 and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini, the region saw the greatest influx of Iranian immigrants. The greatest concentration of Iranian Jews outside of Iran is found in West Los Angeles.
An examination of long-held bonds
Israel’s current battle against the Iranian regime may put ties between Iranian Jews and Muslims to the test, according to Diane Winston, a professor of media and religion at the University of Southern California.
Because of their tremendous hostility of Zionism, Muslims who would normally be delighted to see regime change may have had a little different reaction to it,” she said.
Winston further noted that the diaspora, which is centered in affluent areas like Westwood and Beverly Hills, is united not only by culture or religion but also by their high social standing.
According to her, they attend the same schools, social gatherings, and cultural events. Iranian Jews and Muslims are generally less religious than their domestic counterparts. It’s acceptable to be orthodox in Los Angeles, but it’s also acceptable to be less religious. Jews and Muslims may be less hostile to one another if they are less devout.
A period of uncertainty and worry
In 1986, Tanaz Golshan’s family fled Iran when she was two years old. She is the senior vice president of the Los Angeles service arm of the Jewish Federation, Caring for Jews in Need. She also serves as the organization’s point of contact with the Jewish community in Iran.
According to Golshan, Judaism is more cultural and familial among Iranians. Shabbat gatherings on Fridays entail sharing Persian Jewish fare, such as gondi, which are soup-based dumplings.
“We didn’t grow up too religious in my family,” she remarked. When we visit a store or restaurant, we don’t consider religion. Extremists who don’t want to interact with either community can be found in both. However, we generally love and respect each other very much.
However, she noted that for Iranian Jews living abroad, this is turning out to be a difficult and frightening period.
According to Golshan, local security can be impacted by global events. She also mentioned that the federation’s helpline has been contacted by people inquiring about potential threats to nearby Jewish organizations. There is genuine concern that community centers and temples would be targeted.
More than 350 community members attended a virtual event on Monday called L.A. United: Iranian and Israeli Communities in Solidarity, which was organized by Golshan’s organization and others.
An appeal for Iran’s regime to alter
Regardless of religious allegiance, responses to the war have been complex. Arezo Rashidian, a political activist from Southern California who supports regime change in Iran, comes from a Muslim household. She is in favor of the return of the exiled son of the Shah, who has stated that he is prepared to guide the nation’s shift to a democratic system of governance.
Rashidian claimed that due of her advocacy, she has never been able to travel to Iran. Her return is only possible if the current government is overthrown. She explained that this is the reason why she and many others in the community have conflicting views about the truce.
It has been a roller coaster of emotions. Although nobody wants to go to war, this regime was about to fall. “We were really close,” she remarked.
Iranian Jews in the diaspora identify with Iran, Israel, and the United States, and these identities are frequently at odds, according to Lior Sternfeld, a professor of history and Jewish studies at Penn State University.
They no longer regard the Islamic Republic as Iran, but rather as a force that must be destroyed,” he stated. “Israel is more of a religious homeland in their eyes.
Sternfeld noted that President Donald Trump, who had a lot of support in the diaspora, has now angered his supporters in the community by declaring that he has no interest in changing the government.
a desire for harmony and shared interests
Religious groups in the diaspora are pushing for harmony and understanding, especially among the younger population.
Bral claims that through his lobbying and writing, he is working to promote peace. Even though it seems cliched and corny, we are cousins at the end of the day, he remarked.
Raised Jewish in the San Fernando Valley, Bral’s companion Rachel Sumekh’s parents immigrated from Iran. To expand her social circle beyond religious boundaries, Sumekh throws dinner parties for her varied set of friends.
In December, she threw a party for Yalda, a Zoroastrian-inspired ancient Persian holiday celebrated on the winter solstice as people hope for better times. Last year, Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, fell on the same day as Yalda, which likewise symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness.
According to Sumekh, we established a new custom that unites members of the two traditions and highlights our shared characteristics. This war serves as a reminder that, despite the fact that our daily lives may be so different, we nevertheless have a lot in common as a people and as a culture.
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