Jews In Danger

Letter to the Editor - The Jewish Week - Published 03/03/2006

In recent weeks, Iran has gone against the United Nations and has moved to develop nuclear weapons (“Iran Jabs West’s Most Sensitive Nerve,” Feb. 17). As governments in the West prepare to deal with Iran, a question must be asked: If the U.S. or Israel makes a pre-emptive strike to destroy Iranian nuclear reactors, what will be the fate of the 30,000 Jews that live in Iran?

The consequence of a pre-emptive salvo against Iran would set the Muslim world ablaze. Jews living in Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and other countries would become targets of angry Muslim crowds that have been indoctrinated since birth to blindly hate the Jews.

Increasingly I am seeing calls for the Persian Jews to leave. The Jews have been in Iran (Persia) for thousands of years, long before Islam existed. Persian Jewish history is proud, and while many call for them to leave, it is not easy to leave a place a people have called home for thousands of years.

Nonetheless, the State Department should be monitoring the situation very carefully for any changes or developing needs. All peace-loving countries must be immediately ready to open their doors to the Jews of Iran (and other Islamic countries) if situations deteriorate.

Shelomo Alfassa
New York, N.Y.