Iran unveils a memorial honoring Jewish heroes Earlier this week, authorities in Tehran unveiled a monument to slain Iranian Jewish soldiers who died during the countrys long and bitter war with Iraq between 1980 and 1988. Death tolls for the hideous conflict differ, but casualty counts usually reach more than 1 million for both countries. A public ceremony marked the memorials opening on Monday, with speeches that took place at a dais flanked by the Iranian flag and a menorah. Banners showed the images of fallen soldiers, hailed as martyrs in Farsi and Hebrew inscriptions. The commemoration may surprise those who think of the Islamic Republics routine, angry rhetoric directed toward Israel, a Zionist regime the mullahs in Tehran refuse to recognize. But after Israel, Iran has the Middle Easts second-largest community of Jews -- with its current population estimated between 20,000 and 30,000. (Many more live in other countries such as the United States and Israel, where a former president, Moshe Katsav, was born in Iran.) The Iranian government points to the continued population of Iranian Jews in the country as a sign of Irans diverse traditions and the governments own respect for the countrys rich history. The Old Testament Book of Esther is based in ancient Persia and is the foundation for the Jewish festival of Purim.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 07:34:46 +0000
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