The mystery of Iran's Jew

Roger Cohen, who writes for the Times, visited his co-religionists in Iran recently, and returned with an account that struck me as strange. Here is some of what he claims:

1. Over the entrance of a shul in Esfaham hangs a banner saying, "Congratulations on the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution from the
Jewish community of Esfahan." Was it put there by Muslims? Is it evidence of Stockhold Syndrome?

2. Jews still gather at this shul, daily at sunrise, to pray I don't think this is strange, but I expect smug euro-centrics like Bray will be surprised to learn that the Persians have a daily minyan. (Then, again, Bray was astonished to learn that Italians studied Torah)

3. On the day he visited, Soleiman Sedighpoor was the chazan. Sdeighpoor is quoted as follows: "Let [Muslims in Iran] say ‘Death to Israel.' I’ve been in this store 43 years and never had a problem. I’ve visited my relatives in Israel, but when I see something like the attack on Gaza, I demonstrate, too, as an Iranian.” Now, that's astonishing. The Iranians who demonstrate on behalf of the Palestenians are not demonstrating as Iranians. They are demonstrating as Muslims, or behalf of Muslims. In what way does a Persian Jew demonstrate "as an Iranian," on behalf of Arabs?

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