Being Jewish in Iran: What Remains of a 2,500-Year-Old Bridge

Iranian Jewish history spans approximately 2,500 years and represents one of the oldest continuous Jewish experiences in the Middle East. From ancient Persian rule and periods of social restriction under the Safavids and Qajars to greater integration during the Shah’s reign and large-scale migration after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian Jews experienced both coexistence and persecution. Their story provides valuable insight into Jewish–Muslim relations, Iran–Israel ties, secularisation, migration, and the changing political landscape of the Middle East.

Being Jewish in Iran: What Remains of a 2,500-Year-Old Bridge

Hello everyone. Today, I would like to discuss one of the oldest yet relatively little-known chapters of Middle Eastern history: the historical experience of Iranian Jews. For those who encountered history at university primarily through the study of major wars and political conflicts, this subject may offer a broader and more illuminating perspective.

Let us take a closer look at this story, which extends back to the period of Nebuchadnezzar and has a history of approximately 2,500 to 3,000 years.

• A Long Silence and Enduring Traces: Although the Jewish presence in Iran dates back to antiquity, Iranian Jews did not leave behind a substantial written legacy for a considerable period. Their history is deeply rooted, yet their cultural and intellectual influence never reached the level associated with Jewish civilisation in al-Andalus. Nevertheless, Iranian lands possessed profound spiritual significance for them. Iranian Jews who could not travel to the Western Wall visited sacred sites within Iran, including the tomb traditionally believed to belong to Esther, as well as the burial places attributed to other important Jewish religious figures.

• The Islamic Period and Tribal Relations: Israeli sources frequently argue that Jews generally lived under difficult conditions during periods of Islamic rule. Naturally, circumstances varied considerably from one era and region to another. Nevertheless, the roots of later tensions are often traced back to the formative period of Islam. During the reign of Caliph Umar, certain regulations reportedly restricted Jews from serving in state institutions and the military. Such measures should also be considered within the political circumstances of the time, including alleged attempts against the life of the Prophet Muhammad and conflicts involving Jewish tribes such as Banu Qaynuqa and Banu Nadir. Jewish tribes were also accused of contributing to hostilities between Arab tribes, including the Aws and Khazraj, and of causing social disorder. The historical tension between Muslim and Jewish communities continues to influence contemporary relations, particularly because of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

• The Safavid and Qajar Periods and the Concept of “Ritual Impurity”: The situation of Iranian Jews became particularly difficult during and after the Safavid period. The Qajar era, meanwhile, is often described as a period of severe oppression. Following the Safavid period, extensive restrictions were imposed upon Jewish communities. In some places, Jews were reportedly forbidden from going outside when it rained because it was believed that rainwater splashing from their bodies could render others najis, or ritually impure. They were not permitted to touch fruit in marketplaces unless they intended to purchase it. When buying goods, they sometimes had to place money on the ground rather than handing it directly to the shopkeeper.

• Secularisation and a Jewish “Golden Age”: The emergence of secularisation in Türkiye and Iran significantly transformed the position of Jewish communities and opened what might be described as a new “Golden Age.” Social and professional opportunities expanded, enabling many Jews who had previously been excluded from particular occupations to become active in science, education, literature, and intellectual life. In Christian societies, Jews had historically been associated with moneylending and interest-based financial activities—partly because many other professions were closed to them—and were consequently viewed with hostility. Secularisation gradually altered both this social position and the public perception of Jewish identity.

  The experience of Moses Mendelssohn provides a striking European parallel. Despite reportedly entering Berlin through a gate designated for animals and livestock, he later became one of the most influential figures in German intellectual, philosophical, and literary history. In this sense, secularisation helped introduce Jewish thinkers more fully into the modern intellectual world. Even today, some European Jews express surprise at Türkiye’s political and social transformation by asking, “Türkiye was a secular country; how did it arrive at its present condition?” Although many Jews preserve their religious traditions within their own communities, they generally prefer Muslim-majority societies to maintain secular political systems. This constitutes one of the notable paradoxes of the issue.

• The Shah’s Era, the Revolution, and the Propaganda War: In the modern period, particularly under the Shah, Iranian Jews served as an important bridge between Iran and Israel and played a considerable role in strengthening bilateral relations. Immediately before the Islamic Revolution, approximately 100,000 Jews lived in Iran, although some estimates suggest that the actual number may have been higher. Following the revolution, a substantial proportion of this population emigrated. The causes of this migration have since become part of a broader propaganda struggle.

  According to the Israeli narrative, the principal cause was antisemitism and the deterioration of security for Iranian Jews.

  According to some Iranian studies, however, migration was driven primarily by the economic difficulties created by the Iran–Iraq War.

  Another dimension that should be considered concerns allegations that Israel employed propaganda and, in certain cases, covert or disruptive activities to encourage Jewish communities in Iran and the Arab world to migrate to Israel. This perspective is often neglected, while the arguments of only one side are presented to the public.

The history of Iranian Jews is therefore a complex and fluctuating story shaped by religious identity, political change, social restrictions, migration, and regional conflict. Relations between Jewish and Muslim communities were not always harmonious, yet their long history of coexistence created a bridge that profoundly influenced both Iranian society and the broader history of the Middle East.
Ozan Dur