A Persian Passover

A Persian Passover

Etan Basseri (Author) and Rashin Kheiriyeh (Illustrator), Kalaniot Books, 03/18/2022

Ezra and Roza are helping to prepare for their Passover celebration. Ezra is proud to be in charge of bringing his family's flour to the synagogue to be baked into matzah in a traditional wood-burning oven. But when Ezra makes a mistake and the matzah is ruined, what will he and his sister Roza, do? Join the siblings as they experience the sights, smells, sounds, and unique traditions of a seder in Iran of the 1950s.

Our Lady in Tehran

Our Lady in Tehran

Shai Secunda, Jewish Review of Books, 09/01/2020

What are these two Israeli women doing in a Tehrani airport bathroom?

L.A. Jewish Iranian Women Speak Out About Divisions and Unity

L.A. Jewish Iranian Women Speak Out About Divisions and Unity

Michelle Naim, Jewish Journal, 08/11/2020

Persia doesn’t exist anymore … but Persian Jews use that term because I think it invokes a time when they felt they lived in a country where there was religious pluralism and where the Jewish community was being respected.

Transforming the warmth of the Persian community into something new

Transforming the warmth of the Persian community into something new

Saba Soomekh, Forward, 05/24/2020

As an Iranian Jew, I take pride in the warmth, hospitality, and intense affection and love that is displayed in my community.

A Persian Princess

A Persian Princess

Barbara Diamond Goldin and Steliyana Doneva, Behrman House/Apples & Honey Press, 02/01/2020

Raya can't be in the Purim play this year--Purim will be no fun at all! But, Raya's grandmother, Maman joon, shares her sparkly scarves and Persian traditions with her. Together they discover how to make their American Purim uniquley Persian, delicious, and fun.

Iranian Photojournalist Documents Iranian Jews In Iran And Israel

Iranian Photojournalist Documents Iranian Jews In Iran And Israel

Tzvi Joffre, The Jerusalem Post, 07/10/2019

"While still in Iran they struggled to move out of the country, once they came out of Iran they faced new obstacles and limitations."

Tunisian Piano, Medals and Magic Spells: Treasures Recount Glory of Jews From Arab Countries

Tunisian Piano, Medals and Magic Spells: Treasures Recount Glory of Jews From Arab Countries

Ofer Aderet, Haaretz, 04/13/2019

Artifacts now on display at a Tel Aviv museum tell the story of flourishing communities in Arab countries and Iran, who sought refuge in Israel in its early years.

4 families’ Passover foods from Iran, Iraq, Latvia — and the East Bay

4 families’ Passover foods from Iran, Iraq, Latvia — and the East Bay

Alix Wall, The J., 04/12/2019

Foods celebrate the families’ unique histories and carry on traditions from their native countries, or in one case, reflect the values of the hosts.

Soomekh explores Persian Jewish past, present and future

Soomekh explores Persian Jewish past, present and future

Janelle Clausen, The Island Now, 03/06/2019

When the Persian Jews fled to the United States 40 years ago amidst the Iranian Revolution, it was often with a suitcase and a question of when they would return home.