Persian Jews

[Dr. Dan]

I wanted to thank you, Chaim, for you homage of Persian Jews...It's definately something worthwhile to look into to see if any would be willing to partake in a movement like this one.

I have come across a few that are pro-AIPAC, and consider Kahane to be an extremist, yet they have never read or learned about anything Kahane has said and how much forthsight he had on the issues of Israel and it's friendly neightbors...

However, there are others who are reasonable Jews who agree with what this movement says and hope for the worst for Israel's enemies. However, these Persians only hope and are not into activism.

Then you have the religious Shirazi ones who are 100% in line with Kahane and even into activism. However, they don't have much money.

Coming from this community, many of the Persian Jews do come together to help fellow Jews pay for college or support Israel's other movements...except they need to hear us and why their donations are not for as good a use as it coudl be for JTF. 

Another thing which I observe about many of the wealthy wealthy persian jews is that a lot of them seem to be stuck in their own lives and their own status and business and really couldn't care that much about anything else.  Unfortunately, it might become their demise if those types begin to make money their god.

How can we reach the Persian community with our message and in a non missionizing way?  And the same goes with the Jewish Syrian communites of Deal, NJ and Brooklyn?

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Interesting info, thanks for sharing.  I always like to hear about various Jewish communities.  I have met a few Persian Jews, they are awesome, and actually the one's I've met would probably be the biggest Kahanists around if they had known anything about Rav Kahane and his Torah perspective!!

[MassuhDGoodName]

The Persian Jews I've known are all wonderful people.

[Lisa]

I'd like to add something here, since I'm the daughter of Persian Jews. 

Many years ago, Rabbi Kahane gave a speech at someone's home in Kings Point, Great Neck.  My father and my moonbat Iranian brother in law were there.  So according to my crazy Islamophile brother in law, Rabbi Kahane said something to the effect of wanting all the Arabs in Israel killed. 

Now my father and mother grew up in Iran, as did their parents, and their parents before them, ever since the destruction of the 1st Temple.  So while they deplore terrorism against Jews and Americans, they also point out that the educated Iranian Moslems are good, decent people.  So anyway, according to my brother in law, once my father heard Rabbi Kahane say that all the Arabs need to be killed, he walked right out of there. 

However, that was many years ago.  And after all that's happened in Israel, I still think Chaim has a good chance of winning over many Iranian Jews.  My recommendation is that Chaim should arrange to speak at several of the Iranian Synagogues in Great Neck.  There's also a Syrian Synagogue he could try.

Here's the contact information for the Mashadi Iranian Synagogue my parents belong to:

Mashadi Jewish Center 516-487-3636
Shaare Shalom 516-829-3443
54 Steamboat Road Fax: 516-829-2822
Great Neck, NY 11024 D,K,H
Rabbi Yosef Bitton
Rabbi Moti Kohanim
Website: www.mashadi.org

I should also add that there are now two Mashadi Synagogues on Steamboat Road.  I don't know the name of the second, newer one.  But if you call the first number, I'm sure they'll give you the address and phone number of the newer Synagogue.

Anyway, here's the contact info for other Synagogues:

North Shore Sephardic Synagogue 516-482-1655/4228
130 Cuttermill Road 
Great Neck, NY 11021 
Rabbi Isaac Bakhshi

Shaare Zion of Great Neck 516-829-8741
225 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11021
Rabbi Nissim Levy

Iranian Jewish Center
Beth Hadassah Synagogue
160 Steamboat Road
Great Neck 11021
516-482-8080  This is the Tehrani Synagogue

Congregation Shira Chadasha/Shaare Rahamimrn
695 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11023
516 482-2290
Rabbi Shlomo Shoub
(men and women's mikveh on premises)

And here's the contact info. for the Syrian Synagogue:

Torah Ohr
575 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11023

[Dr. Dan]

I think JTF can potentially makes its way to the most hardcore of the religious sefardic Persian populations in Queens and some of the ORthodox synogogues in Great Neck...if there is anyone from there on this forum, it might be possible to start with flyers that simply introduce JTF and post them on bulliten boards in some of these synogogues.  For now I would avoid any synogogue that considers itself Conservative or Reform because the Rabbis there are most likely part of the Jewish American Establishment.

My take on spreading the word of JTF is to be subtle and not seem like you are missionizing or like you are used care salesman.

[Dr. Dan]

I'd like to add something here, since I'm the daughter of Persian Jews. 

Many years ago, Rabbi Kahane gave a speech at someone's home in Kings Point, Great Neck.  My father and my moonbat Iranian brother in law were there.  So according to my crazy Islamophile brother in law, Rabbi Kahane said something to the effect of wanting all the Arabs in Israel killed. 

Now my father and mother grew up in Iran, as did their parents, and their parents before them, ever since the destruction of the 1st Temple.  So while they deplore terrorism against Jews and Americans, they also point out that the educated Iranian Moslems are good, decent people.  So anyway, according to my brother in law, once my father heard Rabbi Kahane say that all the Arabs need to be killed, he walked right out of there. 

However, that was many years ago.  And after all that's happened in Israel, I still think Chaim has a good chance of winning over many Iranian Jews.  My recommendation is that Chaim should arrange to speak at several of the Iranian Synagogues in Great Neck.  There's also a Syrian Synagogue he could try.

Here's the contact information for the Mashadi Iranian Synagogue my parents belong to:

Mashadi Jewish Center 516-487-3636
Shaare Shalom 516-829-3443
54 Steamboat Road Fax: 516-829-2822
Great Neck, NY 11024 D,K,H
Rabbi Yosef Bitton
Rabbi Moti Kohanim
Website: www.mashadi.org

I should also add that there are now two Mashadi Synagogues on Steamboat Road.  I don't know the name of the second, newer one.  But if you call the first number, I'm sure they'll give you the address and phone number of the newer Synagogue.

Anyway, here's the contact info for other Synagogues:

North Shore Sefardic Synagogue 516-482-1655/4228
130 Cuttermill Road 
Great Neck, NY 11021 
Rabbi Isaac Bakhshi

Shaare Zion of Great Neck 516-829-8741
225 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11021
Rabbi Nissim Levy

Iranian Jewish Center
Beth Hadassah Synagogue
160 Steamboat Road
Great Neck 11021
516-482-8080  This is the Tehrani Synagogue

Congregation Shira Chadasha/Shaare Rahamimrn
695 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11023
516 482-2290
Rabbi Shlomo Shoub
(men and women's mikveh on premises)

And here's the contact info. for the Syrian Synagogue:

Torah Ohr
575 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11023

Lisa, it would be great if any of these synogogues have chaim there to esspeak...

I woudl want to add though, that many educated Muslims that are Persian, while decent and on the side of the Shah and therefore the Jews..and many are decent people, we have to be careful and not trust them with our lives...

[mord]

Mashadi Jewish Center 516-487-3636
Shaare Shalom 516-829-3443
54 Steamboat Road Fax: 516-829-2822
Great Neck, NY 11024 D,K,H
Rabbi Yosef Bitton
Rabbi Moti Kohanim
Website: www.mashadi.org

Bitton is not a Persain name

[Lisa]

Bitton is not a Persain name

Rabbi Bitton is originally from Uruguay.  But he is of Turkish ancestry. 

[mord]

I never saw an orthodox Askanazi shul in kings PT. do they have any

[Lisa]

I never saw an orthodox Askanazi shul in kings PT. do they have any

Kings Point is strictly a fancy residential area of Great Neck, so there are no Synagogues there.  However, there is one Orthodox Ashkenazi shul in Great Neck.  It's called the Great Neck Synagoge.  It's located on Old Mill Road, along with Temple Israel, the Conservative Synagogue, and Temple Beth-El, the Deforemed place.  The Great Neck Synagogue has been there, along with the other two, ever since I can remember. 

[mord]

I never saw an orthodox Askanazi shul in kings PT. do they have any

Kings Point is strictly a fancy residential area of Great Neck, so there are no Synagogues there.  However, there is one Orthodox Ashkenazi shul in Great Neck.  It's called the Great Neck Synagoge.  It's located on Old Mill Road, along with Temple Israel, the Conservative Synagogue, and Temple Beth-El, the Deforemed place.  The Great Neck Synagogue has been there, along with the other two, ever since I can remember. 

Thats the block before east shore rd.

[Dr. Dan]

I never saw an orthodox Askanazi shul in kings PT. do they have any

Cherry Lane synogogue..but correct me if I"m wrong.  but the rabbi is political and against Obama.

[Dr. Dan]

I never saw an orthodox Askanazi shul in kings PT. do they have any

Kings Point is strictly a fancy residential area of Great Neck, so there are no Synagogues there.  However, there is one Orthodox Ashkenazi shul in Great Neck.  It's called the Great Neck Synagoge.  It's located on Old Mill Road, along with Temple Israel, the Conservative Synagogue, and Temple Beth-El, the Deforemed place.  The Great Neck Synagogue has been there, along with the other two, ever since I can remember. 

Thats the block before east shore rd.

not even close... lol...it connects bayview to middle neck road

[Lisa]

Thats the block before east shore rd.

No.  Old Mill Road is off of Middle Neck Road, which is Great Neck's main street.  If you take Middle Neck Road all the way North (in the opposite direction of the train station), you'll get to Kings Point.  Once you go all the way down, you'll hit a sort of island in the road, which on the right side, becomes East Shore Road. If you bear left of the island, that is Wildwood Road.  The Cherry Lane Synagogue is located on Wildwood Road.  I went there for 2nd and 3rd grade when it used to be a public school.  It's a mixed Ashkenazic and Sephardic Synagogue.  And it would be a good idea to contact them as well. 

Also Mord, I was mistaken, being that the Cherry Lane Synagoge is actually located in Kings Point, since Wildwood Road is part of KP. 

[Dr. Dan]

Thats the block before east shore rd.

No.  Old Mill Road is off of Middle Neck Road, which is Great Neck's main street.  If you take Middle Neck Road all the way North (in the opposite direction of the train station), you'll get to Kings Point.  Once you go all the way down, you'll hit a sort of island in the road, which on the right side, becomes East Shore Road. If you bear left of the island, that is Wildwood Road.  The Cherry Lane Synagogue is located on Wildwood Road.  I went there for 2nd and 3rd grade when it used to be a public school.  It's a mixed Ashkenazic and Sefardic Synagogue.  And it would be a good idea to contact them as well. 

Also Mord, I was mistaken, being that the Cherry Lane Synagoge is actually located in Kings Point, since Wildwood Road is part of KP. 

dont forget the chabad house on east Shore road...another place to mention JTF.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

I'd like to add something here, since I'm the daughter of Persian Jews. 

Many years ago, Rabbi Kahane gave a speech at someone's home in Kings Point, Great Neck.  My father and my moonbat Iranian brother in law were there.  So according to my crazy Islamophile brother in law, Rabbi Kahane said something to the effect of wanting all the Arabs in Israel killed. 

Now my father and mother grew up in Iran, as did their parents, and their parents before them, ever since the destruction of the 1st Temple.  So while they deplore terrorism against Jews and Americans, they also point out that the educated Iranian Moslems are good, decent people.  So anyway, according to my brother in law, once my father heard Rabbi Kahane say that all the Arabs need to be killed, he walked right out of there. 

However, that was many years ago.  And after all that's happened in Israel, I still think Chaim has a good chance of winning over many Iranian Jews.  My recommendation is that Chaim should arrange to speak at several of the Iranian Synagogues in Great Neck.  There's also a Syrian Synagogue he could try.

Here's the contact information for the Mashadi Iranian Synagogue my parents belong to:

Mashadi Jewish Center 516-487-3636
Shaare Shalom 516-829-3443
54 Steamboat Road Fax: 516-829-2822
Great Neck, NY 11024 D,K,H
Rabbi Yosef Bitton
Rabbi Moti Kohanim
Website: www.mashadi.org

I should also add that there are now two Mashadi Synagogues on Steamboat Road.  I don't know the name of the second, newer one.  But if you call the first number, I'm sure they'll give you the address and phone number of the newer Synagogue.

Anyway, here's the contact info for other Synagogues:

North Shore Sefardic Synagogue 516-482-1655/4228
130 Cuttermill Road 
Great Neck, NY 11021 
Rabbi Isaac Bakhshi

Shaare Zion of Great Neck 516-829-8741
225 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11021
Rabbi Nissim Levy

Iranian Jewish Center
Beth Hadassah Synagogue
160 Steamboat Road
Great Neck 11021
516-482-8080  This is the Tehrani Synagogue

Congregation Shira Chadasha/Shaare Rahamimrn
695 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11023
516 482-2290
Rabbi Shlomo Shoub
(men and women's mikveh on premises)

And here's the contact info. for the Syrian Synagogue:

Torah Ohr
575 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11023

Lisa, I'd imagine that with Ahmadinejad running his mouth the way he has the past several years, at least some Iranian Jews have seen the light now and are willing to countenance the possibility that the Muslims are not their friends. I think this is all worth a shot.

[MassuhDGoodName]

Re:  "It's called the Great Neck Synagoge."

Cool!

There's one near me called the Red Neck Synagogue!

[Dr. Dan]

Re:  "It's called the Great Neck Synagoge."

Cool!

There's one near me called the Red Neck Synagogue!

derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr der der der 

[Lisa]

dont forget the chabad house on east Shore road...another place to mention JTF.

Right you are, Dr. Dan. 

And C.F. I agree with your post as well. 

But I just want to make you all aware of one caveat.  Many Iranian Jews are apolitical.  They don't think it's there place to get involved in American politics.  My parents have been living this country for over 50 years, and neither one has ever voted in any election. 

However, the Iranians are very good about raising money for Israel.  So I think Chaim should take the approach of wanting to make Israel safer for the Jews.  He doesn't have to go into the part about saving America and Western civilization, since the Iranians are very clannish. 

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

Kings Point is strictly a fancy residential area of Great Neck, so there are no Synagogues there.  However, there is one Orthodox Ashkenazi shul in Great Neck.  It's called the Great Neck Synagoge.  It's located on Old Mill Road, along with Temple Israel, the Conservative Synagogue, and Temple Beth-El, the Deforemed place.  The Great Neck Synagogue has been there, along with the other two, ever since I can remember. 

Persian Jews are Sephardim, correct?

Can Sephardim attend Ashkenazi synagogues and vice versa, or is there a strict code of separation?

[Dr. Dan]

dont forget the chabad house on east Shore road...another place to mention JTF.

Right you are, Dr. Dan. 

And C.F. I agree with your post as well. 

But I just want to make you all aware of one caveat.  Many Iranian Jews are apolitical.  They don't think it's there place to get involved in American politics.  My parents have been living this country for over 50 years, and neither one has ever voted in any election. 

However, the Iranians are very good about raising money for Israel.  So I think Chaim should take the approach of wanting to make Israel safer for the Jews.  He doesn't have to go into the part about saving America and Western civilization, since the Iranians are very clannish. 

exactly

[Dr. Dan]

Kings Point is strictly a fancy residential area of Great Neck, so there are no Synagogues there.  However, there is one Orthodox Ashkenazi shul in Great Neck.  It's called the Great Neck Synagoge.  It's located on Old Mill Road, along with Temple Israel, the Conservative Synagogue, and Temple Beth-El, the Deforemed place.  The Great Neck Synagogue has been there, along with the other two, ever since I can remember. 

Persian Jews are Sefaradim, correct?

Can Sefaradim attend Ashkenazi synagogues and vice versa, or is there a strict code of separation?

Any Jew can attend any synogogue he/she wants. The only difference is the traditional approach to praying and what to read...but we are all jews...all the same with some variety...

It different wtih different Christian denominations.  However...sephardic or ashkanazi..jew is a jew...just some traditions are different.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

Many Iranian Jews are apolitical.  They don't think it's their place to get involved in American politics.  My parents have been living this country for over 50 years, and neither one has ever voted in any election. 

Not comparing them to them in any way, but that sounds like typical behavior for G-d's Witnesses (Watch Towers, or JWs). They believe that all government is the whore of Babylon and that we mustn't have anything to do with civics.

Is there a Persian rabbinical teaching that forbids any civic involvement in the Galut for Iranian Jews?

[Dr. Dan]

Many Iranian Jews are apolitical.  They don't think it's their place to get involved in American politics.  My parents have been living this country for over 50 years, and neither one has ever voted in any election. 

Not comparing them to them in any way, but that sounds like typical behavior for G-d's Witnesses (Watch Towers, or JWs). They believe that all government is the whore of Babylon and that we mustn't have anything to do with civics.

Is there a Persian rabbinical teaching that forbids any civic involvement in the Galut for Iranian Jews?

not that i'm aware necessarily.  Persian Jews are relatively new to this country.  Most came here in the late 70's early 80's around the time Khomenei took over.  Some Persian Jews in the states stupidly yearn to return to Iran.  Most others have assimilated, but still stick to their own in their own communities. A large consentration of Perisan jews are in Great Neck/Kings Point, Beverly Hills, and to a less extent, Forest Hills, Manhattan, Roslyn, the California Valley (eg Woodland Hills etc).  A few are here and there in parts of NJ, Texas, and Atlanta...but negligible in concentration in one area compared to the first areas of mentioned.

So in a nutshell, excluding from what I understand of Mashadi Persians, the other Persians have assimilated a little bit, but tend to stick to their own communities most of the time. As generation passes, it is very likely that persian jews will be fully assimilated to American culture with some exceptions.

All are pro Israel. Most are republicans.  A lot are for a right wing israel...however those very persians are also misguided to what right wing really is and have mainly shifted with the American Jewish public on what right wing tends to be.  It's not too late though for them and many who are interested need to wake up.  They love to help Israel...but we need to get into their heads the real concern.  The majority of the more religious Persian Jews would be very pro-kahane and very pro-JTF..the ones who have established themselves here and have become much more comfortable and assimilated will find us to be too extreme...we shoudln't worry too much about them now...we need to go to the types that woudl gravitate towards us first by presenting JTF in the synogogues that will comfortably accept most things chaim woudl say about Israel.

Quite frankly, it might take 6 months to a few years for more and more persian Jews to almost fully accept JTF. and I think it's a great place to start....

What do you think we can do, Lisa?

[Lisa]

Persian Jews are Sefaradim, correct?

Can Sefaradim attend Ashkenazi synagogues and vice versa, or is there a strict code of separation?

Actually, C.F., if you really wanted to split hairs, the Iranian Jews are technically Mizrachis, since they're not from Spain. 

As for your second question, it's not a matter of any strict code of separation.  Like I said before, the Iranians are a clannish bunch.  Therefore, the Iranians originally from the northern city of Meshad, have their two Mashadi Synagogues, and the Tehranis have their Synagogues as well. 

There are also differences in how the services are conducted.  The Ashkenazi Synagogues have cantors, who lead the congregation in singing the prayers, along with their rabbis.  Their rabbis will also conduct sermons/speeches on either current events, or the Torah portion being covered. 

For a long time, the Mashadi Synagogue didn't even have a rabbi.  They had one who quit, and then they hired Rabbi Biton.  Generally, the Iranians chant all the prayers, and the women gossip loudly in the back.  You don't have the rabbis giving speeches. 

I remember once going to the Mashadi where the old rabbi gave a speech about current events.  He touched upon child abuse, Elizabeth Smart, etc.  The Iranians weren't used to it.  So when the rabbi was done, they all clapped for him out of politeness. 

Also, you'll *never* hear any Iranian Jew saying "Well my Rebbe said blah blah blah, and that's why I'm doing such and such."  It's not they don't respect rabbis.  But they'll first listen to their parents, or the elders in the community.  My parents think this way.  My mother often says of young rabbis that they might mean well, but that they're simply people who've gone to rabbinical school for a few years.