A Historical Overview of the Jewish Minority in 19th Century Iran

 

Although very diverse from the methodological and ideological perspective, studies about Jews in Iran, as long as follow a professional frame of academic critical thinking, are an important asset in understanding the relationships between other religious minorities and various political contexts in Iran. 

Daniel Tsadik, PhD at Yale University, and assistant professor at Yeshiva University is a specialist in 19th century Iran and the relationship with the Jewish community. It may be a different kind of study, compared to other cross-century researches dedicated to the topic of Jews in Iran, but although the perspectives - and motivations - may differ when read critically it reveal relevant aspects. The time slot in itself - 19th century Iran - is relatively sparse in terms of archival resources and even the overall number of Jews is unknown (based also on a rather ritualistic approach according to which ´(...) it´s common for the Jews to underrate their population, lest, by appearing numerous and powerful, they should increase the oppression under which they groan´).

An important element which may definitely change and alter the evaluation of this situation is the way in which various religious rulings, approaches, Qu´ran interpretations and official decisions interferred or were locally applied. Lacking a centralized, bureaucratically oriented government, meant also that attitudes and actions towards and especially against Jews were determined sometimes impulsively, based on circumstantial situations motivated not only by religious hate but as well by economic and social motivations. 

The various, many, cases and instances when Jews - as individuals but especialy as communities - are targeted are very important for understanding the scale of the pressure. Iran was and still is a very diverse country in terms of religious and ethnic minorities, and it was so in the 19th century as well. The ´impurity´ warnings, prohibitions and rulings were not always applied fully but Jewish life in the Iran at the time was hard, as hard as everywhere in the world (which is another proof that all those assumptions that only European Jews were affected by pogroms, forced conversions and daily persecutions are largely false). There were blood libels - introduced probably via Christian missionaries, as in Lebanon for instance - massacres (as in Tabriz), daily harassments (as when the water was cut for the Jews in Tehran) or forced conversions (as in Mashdad). Religious assumptions about why and how the Jews are this way were accompanied by daily humiliations and restrictions in terms of dress code and professions allowed. The inheritance laws are a case study in this respect and they affect all the other non-Shi´a minorities living in Iran. Qajar dynasty as later on the Pahlavi dynasty were not kind to the Jews and the challenges took over by the Constitutional revolution at the beginning of the 20th century continued - I dare to say - even until today, when it comes to defining citizenship and nationalism, particularly in relation with religious beliefs.

What the study of Daniel Tsadik reveals is the international element, especially via the international Jewish organisations and individuals, like Montefiori or the Alliance Israelite Universelle, but also through the British direct involvement, on behalf of the opressed Jewish minority. The international networks created are a helpful element in understanding the new international perspective on ethnic and religious minorities everywhere, until nowadays.

There may be some criticism due to the fact that the book Between Foreigners and Shi´s. 19th century Iran and its Jewish minority is, compared to the recent study by Lior B. Sternfeld relatively unidirectional in outlining the problems and predictably, serving a certain ideological take - that everywhere Jews were persecuted therefore the need to have a state of their own where they can/must/shall emigrate. I am convinced that for many, this was a potential solution, as it was for many of them to remain and be part of the larger society. I would have been curious to read more about the cases of conversions and mixed marriages, about institutional connections between religious leaders on both sides and about the local institutional - educational particularly - network. The fact that there is so much left to be said is an proof that the topic of Jews in Iran is far from being exhausted and more academic - preferably ideologically independent - researches are needed in this field, for the sake of the scientific knowledge.