Dr. Homayoun Aram

From medicine to music, Dr. Homayoun Aram’s life was a symphony of dedication and passion. His journey from Iran to the U.S., marked by groundbreaking contributions in religious scholarship, paints a vivid portrait of a life well-lived.

Early Life and Family Background

Birth and family

Homayoun Aram (Shabtai) was born in 1935 into a devout Jewish family in Haftkel, a city within the Ramhormoz region, located in southern Khuzestan.. His father, the late David Shabtai, was the head of the Jewish community, a member of the Jewish movement in Abadan, and an active figure in that organization in southern Iran. His mother, Farrokh, was also actively involved in Jewish women’s social affairs in Abadan.

Education

Homayoun completed his primary education at Adab School and his secondary education at Razi High School. He then attended Tehran University, Faculty of Medicine, graduating in 1960.

Musical pursuits

His interest in music led him to learn the accordion and piano during his high school years. He joined a jazz group and spent some time teaching music in Abadan. Classical music became one of his lifelong passions, and he dedicated many years to researching and teaching Western music.

Dr. Homayoun Aram continued his higher education in the United States. In 1970, after obtaining a specialist certificate in dermatology from the University of Illinois in Chicago

Early Career

After completing his specialization studies in America, Dr. Aram returned to Iran. He served as an associate professor in the dermatology department at the University of Tehran and as a consultant doctor at several major hospitals in Tehran, including the American Army Hospital, Pahlavi, Shafa Yahyaian, Queen Mother’s Heart Hospital, and Firouzgar. Alongside his work in these major medical centers, he treated patients in his private clinic.

Marriage and Migration

In 1975, Dr. Aram married his wife, Kefayat, from the Mirakhor family. They had six children — three sons (Afshin, Edward, and David) and three daughters (Ronit, Lily, and Susan), all of whom pursued higher education.

Following the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Dr. Homayoun Aram and his family emigrated to Israel. He was soon appointed as the deputy head of the dermatology department at Hadassah Medical Center. In 1989, he moved to the United States and began working in a private clinic in Boston. After 28 years of practicing medicine in the U.S. and building a distinguished career, he retired in 2016 and relocated to New York.

Awards and Recognitions

Throughout his medical career, Dr. Aram received several commendations for his medical excellence from the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Dermatology. He was a member of the American College of Physicians (FACP), the American Academy of Dermatology (AAP), and the American Medical Association (AMA). The British Medical Association also awarded him a silver medal for his years of medical service. Dr. Aram occasionally published his scientific articles in U.S. medical journals and contributed to the writing of two chapters in the book “Dermatological Diseases”, published by the Physicians’ Association.

Literary and Scholarly Contributions

Religious research

One of Dr. Homayoun Aram’s major passions was reading historical and philosophical books, a hobby he had pursued since his youth. In the early 1980s, his studies increasingly focused on religious texts and research on monotheistic religions, especially Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although initially captivated by the Bible and other religious writings, particularly the Tanakh, he conducted deep research into Jewish identity and other religions. Over time, this effort led him to write interpretations of the Torah and Jewish beliefs, many of which were published in Persian-language journals in the U.S. He also continued to publish historical and philosophical articles.

Proverbs

In 2009, Dr. Homayoun Aram published the book “Proverbs.” With exceptional skill and expertise, he aimed to present a collection of proverbs from various cultures to enthusiasts of folklore literature. This comparison not only highlights the similarities but also indirectly emphasizes the influences of different peoples and nations on each other. The bilingual book, in both English and Persian, is a collection of proverbs from various nations, wise sayings, advice, and idioms, with their English equivalents or similar expressions in Persian, organized by topic and in alphabetical order in English.

Jesus of Nazareth

In 2012, he published his first major work of historical and religious research, titled “Jesus of Nazareth,” in Los Angeles. The book, composed of 16 chapters, provides a detailed analysis of the New Testament and Christian beliefs, examining their relationship with Judaism. Despite not being a follower of Jesus, Dr. Aram approached the subject with complete impartiality, leaving the final judgment to the reader.

The Laws of Moses

In 2014, he published another book titled “The Laws of Moses”, dedicating it to the followers of the Ten Commandments. He hoped that this sacred and instructive religious collection would serve as a guide for better living under the Almighty.

The Knowledge of Torah

In late 2018, Dr. Homayoun Aram published his fourth written work, “The Knowledge of Torah”. This book explores the concepts and interpretations of the teachings of the Torah, comparing them with modern science, historical evidence, and archaeological discoveries.

Personal Characteristics and Legacy

One of Homayoun Aram’s defining traits is his deep love for his family, his commitment to the medical profession, and his passion for reading and research, which naturally led him to writing during his retirement. In retirement, these lifelong habits of responsibility, study, and inquiry naturally led him to writing. Consequently, in addition to publishing numerous articles, he has authored several books, all of which are grounded in thorough and well-documented research.

Timeline of Dr. Homayoun Aram’s Life

Year	Event
1935	Born in Haftkel, Ramhormoz, Khuzestan, Iran.
1960	Graduated from Tehran University with a degree in medicine.
1970	Obtained a specialist certificate in dermatology from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Returned to Iran.
1975	Married Kefayat from the Mirakhor family.
1979	Emigrated to Israel following the Iranian Revolution.
1989	Moved to the United States and began working in Boston.
2009	Published “Proverbs.”
2012	Published “Jesus of Nazareth.”
2014	Published “The Laws of Moses.”
2016	Retired from medical practice and relocated to New York.
2018	Published “The Knowledge of Torah.”