A real threat hovers over the Ayatollah regime in Iran. In recent months, violent demonstrations have been increasing throughout the country that threaten to topple the government. Things came to a head last Saturday, when an unprecedented drama occurred in Iran, when angry demonstrators in the town of Khomeini set fire to the house of the founder of the Islamic Revolution, the first supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Hundreds of angry protesters stormed the building, which is now used as a museum, in a town that has been a bastion of support for the regime in recent decades. This dramatic incident is evidence that the protest against the regime, which began due to the growing repression in the country, is gradually moving to the regime’s power centers and signals a clear danger to their continued control.
Violent protests in Iran
Catching Rabbi Yehuda Grammy for an interview is an impossible task. Many asked him to release information about what was happening in Iran, and he chose time and time again to keep his mouth shut. For understandable reasons, Rabbi Grammy, Iran’s revered rabbi, prefers to act more and talk less. It is evident that he feels the weight of the responsibility placed on his shoulders and acts with the necessary caution, in a unique and unusual interview, Rabbi Grammy tells the editor of the Merkaz ha-Zariman newspaper Shneor Weber, about what is happening in Iran.
In recent years, he has been winning over a tremendous Torah movement in the country of the Ayatollahs and is carrying out a real Jewish revolution in it. To this end, he uses all the tools and ways at his disposal to respond to the needs of Judaism in the country. More often than not, the task is complex and not easy to perform. He is required to walk between the drops in order to perform the important tasks he set for himself, without mistakes.
Rabbi Yehuda Garami and Rabbi Mandi Hitrik Ashkenazi Rabbi of Turkey, Chairman of the Union of Rabbis in Islamic Countries which was established with the aim of connecting and supporting the activities of Rabbis who serve Jewish communities in countries and regions with a predominantly Muslim population
Due to his sensitive and responsible position, Rabbi Grammy abstains from speaking with the media and measures his words. The rabbi of Iran is well aware of the fact that every word that comes out of his mouth is carefully scrutinized in the high windows and receives a huge resonance in Iran and abroad. Many eyes are turned towards him and follow his steps and words. He understands the consequences and is careful accordingly. Its sole and stated purpose is to work for the well-being of Iranian Jews and to strengthen their connection to Judaism.
Rabbi Grammy at Brit in the Jewish community in Tehran
Leadership on the test
Rabbi Grammy was born into a warm and observant Jewish family with ancient roots in Persia. His father, the late Dr. Shlomo Grammy, was a surgeon and worked in many medical centers in the capital of Iran, including the Jewish Medical Center ‘Sapir’ in Tehran, which provides services to the entire population.
Naturally, Rabbi Grammy feels a great responsibility towards his Jewish brothers in Iran, and because of this he gave up a comfortable and peaceful life in the Big Apple. My mission is wherever I am, he explains. According to him, “It was easier for me to be in America, to study in a kollel or to be the rabbi of a synagogue on the East Side of Manhattan. I have American citizenship and I could get a respectable salary, without any headache. But providence led me to serve as the rabbi of the Jews of Iran. Sages told us : ‘Where there are no people, try to be a man’. So I try to do what is necessary.”
Rabbi Grammy at Siddur Kiddoshin
“I have a community throughout the country, which needs a rabbi to take care of all things Jewish. To oversee kashrut, to supervise the mikvahs – we have fancy mikvahs here – that’s my job and it’s a job that affects generations. Like a captain who can’t leave the ship. If I’ve already been given the responsibility This one – I have to abide by it. So it’s true, it would be much easier to live in a city like Los Angeles and Baltimore and be a rabbi of a synagogue there of Iranian origin or something like that. Your sons go to yeshiva, study in Jewish schools, kashrut is readily available and in a large variety Everything is ready and ready. But I have a role. You can’t abandon the campaign.”
Rabbi Grammy at the tomb of Mordechai and Esther
Rabbi Grammy’s heart is open to the Jews of his community who experience a deep disconnection from world Jewry, and he invests great efforts to reduce the gaps and bring them the gospel of Judaism in all its beauty and exclusion. He pains the young generation’s distancing from Yiddishkeit and strives to return them to their quarry. The challenges he faces are complex, sometimes impossible, but he maneuvers professionally through the bumps and reaps impressive successes.
Rabbi Grammy broke into the consciousness of the world outside of Iran, among other things following the assassination of Soleimani. It was after the air force of the American Air Force carried out a deadly attack on the Baghdad International Airport in which Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, was killed, the man who imposed his terror on the citizens of the State of Israel and the entire Middle East. Next to him was killed Abu Mahdi al-Mohands, the deputy commander of the popular mobilization forces, known as ‘al-Hashd al-Shaabi’.
In a short time, the rumor spread around the world that the US Army, under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, then President Donald Trump, succeeded in following the path of travel of the senior general in the Iranian army, who targeted the US and the State of Israel, who were attributed extensive acts of terrorism and sophisticated that were directed against both Israeli and American targets.
In Israel they celebrated, in the United States they opened champagne, and many Jews recited the verse ‘Yes, all your enemies will perish, God’. In the eyes of non-Iranian Jews, they didn’t see any positive side in him – a terrorist in the ranks who was eliminated by the Americans. On the contrary, his character aroused concern and his failure brought a sigh of relief.
But not everyone received the news of the targeted countermeasures with joy. Contrary to the feeling broadcast by Jews in the world, Rabbi Yehuda Grammy actually felt concern. He, and the rest of the Jews who still live in Iran – regretted the elimination, as they are reluctant with any additional round in the secret war of eliminations that the State of Israel is conducting, according to foreign publications, on the soil of Iran.
Rabbi Grammy comforts the Soleimani family
According to estimates, about 8,000 Jews remain in Iran, part of a large community that numbered close to 100,000 people on the eve of the Islamic revolution in 1979. These Jews stand exactly in this delicate and sensitive place, between a rock and a hard place; They are torn between being sons of the Jewish people who are anxious for the fate of the people living in Zion – and their loyalty to the homeland in which they live. There are those who point out that sometimes Iranian patriotism can be recognized in them, which is difficult to explain to someone who does not live in Iran. The narrative of the Jewish community in Iran is clear: “We are Iranian patriots who have nothing to do with Israel.”
Although he is only in his thirties, in recent years Rabbi Grammy’s star has been rising as the respected rabbi of Iranian Jews. He leads the community with a high hand, and deeply influences the Jews of the community in the entire country. Also the fact of his being a real scholar – inspires respect for the character of the one who brings back the crown of Persian Jews to its former glory.
Rabbi Grami is a tall scholar and a Torah genius, whose reverence precedes his wisdom, a graduate of the ‘Etaret Yisrael’ yeshiva, where he learned Torah and reverence for God. During his years of study at the yeshiva, he was treated cordially and especially by the head of the yeshiva, Gravm Tsari, who was attested to greatness. At the same time, he is a leader with a warm Jewish heart, takes care of his flock, is pleasant in his ways, and has a captivating style of speech and deep inner conviction.
Rabbi Grammy, who has condemned himself to silence for a long time, deviated from his custom in an unusual way and intends to talk with Shneor Weber, editor of the “Merkaz E-Yayinin” newspaper, as part of his visit to New York as the guest of honor of Rabbi Moshe Kotlersky on the occasion of the global gathering of Chabad representatives that has been taking place in New York for the past few days , and this as a sign of appreciation for their tremendous activity in all corners of the world.
Rabbi Grammy and next to him Rabbi Hitrik at this year’s meeting of the messengers
In the fascinating conversation before you, he shares with candor and caution the difficult challenges facing the Jews of Iran, indulges in nostalgia for his youth at the ‘Etaret Yisrael’ yeshiva, describes his relationship with the Iranian regime, and provides an unmediated glimpse of what is going on in the vibrant Jewish community that operates under the watchful eye of the Ayatollahs’ regime .
Rabbi Grammy inaugurated a Mikveh Tahara in Tehran
What is the situation now in the Jewish community in Iran?
“Thank God. Nothing has changed. We continue to develop the institutions, we now have a yeshiva, we have an Abarakh kalal, a few months ago we opened an Abarach kalal in Aspan, this is a city where until now there was no kalal, and we opened one there as well. We had a kalal in Tehran And in Shiraz, but we didn’t have it in Aspan, at the same time, we continue to supervise the supervision work in restaurants, we have Torah Talmuds. We added Torah classes for the elderly, youth and children.
How is your relationship with the authorities in the country?
“God willing, excellent. The authorities respect the Jewish religion. There is no restriction.”
And how do the residents treat you in light of the very tense situation in Iran?
“We are very respected. The situation does not bother us, we have never entered politics. The Jewish community stays away from matters that are not related to it.”
Is the Jewish community flourishing or declining?
“Thank God, our rate of growth is only increasing. Almost every week we have canopies, alliances, etc. Most of the Jews in Iran are actually young.”
Rabbi Grammy with new butchers he appointed among the Jewish community
How do you explain that?
“Because the Jews can preserve Judaism in Iran and observe tradition.”
Are the Jews in Iran looking for a connection to Judaism?
“Most of the Jews in Iran are traditionalists. They have a great fear of God. Many of them did not have that much knowledge about Judaism, because we did not have the educational institutions that exist today, but they believe in the Torah and the Jewish tradition.”
What are your challenges in the community? What do you have to deal with?
“As in other places, the big challenge is the young generation, because everything is open and they are exposed to problematic content through the Internet and various means of communication. We need to protect the young generation from all kinds of views that are not in line with Judaism, and deal with all the attempts of modesty, social networks and the like”.
What do you remember from your youth in yeshiva?
“At yeshiva at ‘Etaret’ I learned how to study. From Rabbi Haim Walkin zt’l I learned what it means to fear God. I was positively influenced by him from the way he worked Hashem, with reverence for heaven. He also had a special moderation. I don’t forget it.”
How do you feel at the gathering of the messengers?
“I enjoy every moment, I love the activities of the couriers. They work with real devotion. They are going to live in really remote places. They could live here in New York and so on, they would have been better off in all respects, and also in the physical aspect, but they are leaving Everything and traveling to help another Jew, to bring another Jew closer. Just like Abraham our father.”
Rabbi Grammy in Zion of the Rebbe of Chabad
How do you see the future of Iranian Jewry? Is she in danger, God forbid?
“There is no danger to the Jews of Iran. The Jews have been living and living there for 2,700 years since the Assyrian exile. It is written in the book of Kings: “The King of Assyria will see Israel in peace and comfort the Halach and the Gozan River in the cities of Media.” These are the cities of Media and Persia, western Iran. Since the Assyrian exile of ten years The Jewish tribes live in Iran. There have been ups and downs, but there have always been Jews.”
What are your main plans for the coming years?
“I mainly focus on education, this is the main goal for me. As I said before, we also have kosher restaurants in every city, there are mikvahs, but the main thing that concerns me, beyond maintaining the existing institutions, is to develop the matter of education in the country. My goal is to increase The activity with the young people, and also to make sure that the adults have knowledge about Judaism. In my opinion, it is not enough to have a good heart and God-fearing, we need to have more Torah knowledge in our community. When I was young, there was almost no Gemara class. I would use a Hebrew-Aramaic and Hebrew-Persian dictionary And I would study alone, at the age of 11-12.”
Rabbi Grammy also said: “Bah, nowadays children with us at the age of 7-8 are already starting to study Mishniyot and there are many children who study Gemara. This is something that did not happen, the Jews in Iran feel a connection with world Jewry, the Jews here are part of Judaism all over the world. However, they do not like politics, and stay away from it. But surely every Jew wherever he is is a Jew, no matter where he is. America; In Europe and Iran, he is Jewish. He believes in the same principles.
What is the message you wish to convey to the readers?”.
Rabbi Grammy with the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Lazar, and the Ashkenazi Rabbi of Turkey, Rabbi Mandi Hitrik
Rabbi Grammy continued: “We live in a generation where we see the birth cords of the light of the Messiah, and hear the times of the Messiah. We all need to repent, to draw closer to God. And also to bring the people who are far away at the moment closer together.”
Do you think it is more difficult to live as a Jew in Iran?
“Everywhere there are trials, there are places where the trials are wealth and there is a place where it is poverty. As the prophet describes. “And the outcasts in the land of Egypt.” The land of Egypt is about people who are in trouble; in the strait, and the land of Assyria is a place of wealth. Well, it doesn’t matter if a Jew We are in Egypt or Assyria, everywhere has its own experience. Of course, our experiences are different. There are the experiences I talked about earlier, chastity, different means of communication. As well as apostasy matters that unfortunately have been spreading recently, there are more experiences in other contexts. The Jews in Iran are like in a closed box They are not in contact with world Jewry. This makes matters related to Judaism a little difficult. But thank God and in His great grace, there are no complaints.
How is life there in general?
In general just fine. At the same time, the economic situation is a bit poor, following the sanctions imposed on the country in recent years. Unfortunately, it is becoming more difficult to manage financially.
Keep spreading the springs.
“And to Mr.”