Amid airstrike: Isfahan's Jewish community

• Published date: 19 April 2024
• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Amid an alleged Israeli strike, as reported by various news outlets, in Isfahan, there are currently some 1,500 Iranian Jews. The city hosts one central synagogue along with 13 smaller ones

According to Jewish Virtual Library, first documented during the reign of Sassanid ruler Frūz in 472 C.E., the city's Jewish community faced persecution, including the execution of half its population. Under Arab rule from 641, the community was notably vibrant, with Isfahan's Jewish quarter, Jayy, becoming so significant that it was called "the city of the Jews." Isfahan was also the birthplace of a Jewish sectarian movement led by Abu 'Isā during the Umayyad era.

Isfahan Jews persecuted in the 17th century

Renowned for its scholarship in Hebrew grammar and exegesis, the city's Jewish population was estimated at 15,000 in the 12th century by Benjamin of Tudela. The community thrived under the Safavid dynasty, engaging in various crafts and trades. However, in the 17th century, local Jews suffered greatly from persecution and forced conversions. Their plight during this period is...