Manouchehr Omidvar devoted his life to preserving his cultural heritage and advocating for Iranian nationalism through his writing. From his early education in Tehran to his later years in the United States, Omidvar’s life was marked by an unwavering passion for both his Jewish roots and Iranian identity. His work spanned decades, earning him recognition and respect as a distinguished figure in journalism.

Early Life and Education

Family

Manouchehr Omidvar was born in 1925 in Ahvaz, Iran, to parents originally from Isfahan. Both of his parents were fluent in English and Persian. His father, Shimon, held a prominent position in the Ministry of Finance, where he earned immense respect and trust. Even after retirement, Shimon’s value to the ministry was such that they kept him to serve for years.

Early education

Manouchehr’s early education took place across various schools in Ahvaz and Tabriz, as his father’s work required frequent relocations. For his secondary education, he attended the American College in Tehran, now known as Alborz High School. During his time there, he led the Ferdowsi Literature Society and published the journal “The World of Judaism”. Despite limited resources and numerous obstacles, he successfully distributed this journal to small Jewish communities across Iran.

Career and Achievements

Brothers Club

When the Brothers Club (Bashgah-e Baradaran), chaired by Dr. Kerman Shahchi, was established, Manouchehr served as the Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson. His dedication led to the initiation of Hebrew language courses for unmarried women, laying the groundwork for the Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization after he proposed the creation of a “Sisters Club”.

University

In 1949, Manouchehr entered the Faculty of Law and Politics at the University of Tehran, where he studied Political Science. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree, and his thesis, “The Jews in the Modern Era and Their Issues”, received top marks. He then pursued further studies at the Faculty of Literature, graduating in 1957. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed as the deputy in charge of educational affairs for technical schools in Tehran under the Ministry of Education.

Although he had the opportunity to study in the United States with a scholarship in 1945, he chose to remain in Iran to complete his higher education. Soon he was employed by the Ministry of Education as the Deputy of Education for Tehran’s technical schools.

Journalism

After World War II, Manouchehr dedicated himself to raising awareness, particularly among the Jewish community, about Nazi propaganda and the perpetrators of the Holocaust. He contributed articles to “Ettela’at Newspaper” and other publications, and took journalism classes at the Faculty of Journalism at Tehran University. He was also the editor of the journal “Alam-e Yahud” (The World of Judaism) and wrote for other papers, including “Naseem-e Shomal” (Northern Breeze), also known as “Arezuhay-e Maa” (Our Dreams).

Moving to the Holy Land

Mr. Omidvar’s efforts in journalism established him as a respected political and social commentator. This reputation led to an invitation from the University of Jerusalem to teach Persian, which he accepted, moving to the Holy Land to begin his teaching career. The years between 1948 and 1956 were especially fruitful for Manouchehr, as he taught Oriental Studies at the University of Jerusalem, specifically in the Department of Persian Language and Literature.

Return to Iran

After returning to Iran, he married Zuleikha from the Gabbai family. They had three daughters and one son. He continued his journalistic activities throughout World War II, particularly during the period when Iran was occupied by Allied forces. Following Reza Shah Pahlavi’s resignation, Manouchehr resumed his work with Alam-e-Yahud (The World of Judaism) journal. His writings during this time were predominantly against Nazism, Fascism, and Imperialism, with a strong emphasis on promoting Iranian Nationalism.

With the beginning of the 1950s and in line with the prevailing atmosphere in the country, Manouchehr Omidvar consistently sought to be recognized as an Iranian journalist rather than a Jewish journalist. Through the publication of articles in various cultural, social, and specialized fields, he achieved significant success in his journalistic career.

Emigration

In 1979, after the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Manouchehr Omidvar emigrated along with his family. He continued to devote much of his time to cultural activities related to Iranian Jews, just as he had before. In 1987, he decided to move to the United States. After settling in Los Angeles, he resumed his cultural endeavors. He initially took on the responsibility of founding and producing the television program “Iran and the World”. Shortly thereafter, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Iranian Jewish Federation and also joined the board of the Magbit and Saadi associations in Los Angeles. Additionally, he assumed the role of editor-in-chief of the “Peyman” monthly journal, affiliated with B’nai B’rith, and took charge of producing the television program “Shalom”, associated with the Chabad-Lubavitch Organization. He also began collaborating with Persian-language radio stations.

In 1992, the Center of Iranian Jews in New York reached an agreement with Manouchehr Omidvar for his cooperation in enriching the cultural life of the Jewish community in New York. One of his first actions in this role was to publish the journal “Payam” (Message), where he served as the Editor. He published 881 issues of the journal every week over a span of 17 years.

Legacy and Final Years

A Passion for Iran

Mr. Manouchehr Omidvar kept working in a foreign land until the end of his life, as the Persian expressions says, bearing all the ups and downs, the struggles and stumbles of life. By printing and publishing Alam-e Yahud (The World of Judaism) and Payam (Message) journals and by writing significant articles for Persian media, Manouchehr Omidvar preserved and propagated the beliefs of his forefathers, his Holy Land, and his nationalistic ideals for three generations for his country, Iran. He held these two sets of values — his heritage and his love for Iran — as equally important. In each of the articles that he published in Payam, he would quote a verse from the poetry of Hafiz, Rumi, Saadi, or other esteemed Iranian poets, immediately following it with an expression of his deep love and passion for Iran.

Integrity

Omidvar possessed another notable trait: throughout his more than 60 years of continuous journalism, he remained a man of integrity. He honored the craft of writing with the dedication and respect befitting a great writer.

Awards

In 2004, the Iranica Encyclopedia gathering honored him as a distinguished journalist, and during the commemorative ceremony, Professor Yarshater presented him with the Encyclopedia’s Medal of Honor.

The illustrious name of Omidvar has been recorded twice in the Jewish National Fund (JNF) Golden Book, once in the Golden Book of the Hadassah World Organization, and also in the Golden Book of Jewish National Unity.

The Editor’s Collection

In 2011, with the collaboration of two long-time esteemed colleagues Behnaz Deylmanian and Naser Nazarian, Manouchehr Omidvar compiled the results of years of effort and research. It was a selection of articles published as a book titled, “Majmoo’e-ye Sokhan-e Sardabir” (The Editor’s Collection of His Articles), which he dedicated to his modest and loyal wife.

Passing and Posthumous Recognition

Manouchehr Omidvar, a renowned and cultured journalist, suffered a stroke in October 2012. After nine months of hospitalization, he passed away in July 2013 at the age of 88. Following Mr. Omidvar’s passing, the responsibility of editing Payam magazine was handed over to Behnaz Deylmanian.

Timeline

Year	Event
1925	Born in Ahvaz, Iran
1945	Offered a scholarship to study in the United States but chose to stay in Iran
1949	Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Tehran
1957	Graduated from the Faculty of Literature at the University of Tehran
1948-1956	Taught Oriental Studies at the University of Jerusalem
1979	Emigrated from Iran after the Islamic Revolution
1987	Moved to Los Angeles, USA, and continued cultural and journalistic activities
1992	Collaborated with the Center of Iranian Jews in New York and published Payam (Message) journal
2004	Honored by the Iranica Encyclopedia
2011	Published a compilation of articles
July 2013	Passed away at the age of 88