The Iranian Jewish Women’s Association

A picture of members of the Iranian Jewish Women’s Association with Nursing Students, 1949.

From 1947 to 1979, the Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization played a vital role in charitable, cultural, and youth education efforts in Iran. Originating from the challenging post-World War II circumstances faced by mothers and children, this organization initially sprang from the initiative of two young women. Over time, it flourished into a well-organized entity with the support of a broader community of Jewish women, similar to the growth of a resilient sapling.

The association experienced a tough path for its goals, but the unwavering determination and dedication of these philanthropic sisters propelled them forward. Luckily, the collaboration they received from Iranian benefactors and the American Joint helped them earn widespread recognition across various cities — in order, Hamedan, Arak, Shiraz, Isfahan, and Abadan. By joining national and international organizations and participating in international congresses and seminars, the name and activates of the Iranian Jewish Women resonated globally.

Some of the association’s activities include:

1. Establishing sewing, Hebrew, English, literacy for adults, and first aid classes
2. Providing aid to the injured and refugees and collaborating with the Red Cross during calamities like earthquakes and floods
3. Collaboration in school feeding programs within Tehran’s Alliance Schools
4. Establishment of nurseries grade 1 and 2 in Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, and Hamedan, all under local supervisory boards
5. Provision of financial and material assistance to newly established hospitals under the Kheirkhah Charity Organization
6. Participation in non-military defense programs
7. Membership in the International Council of Jewish Women and Iran’s Supreme Council of Women’s Associations
8. Launching midwifery and nursing classes
9. Holding teacher training classes in collaboration with the American Joint
10. Establishment of Mothers’ and Children’s Health Clubs in Cyrus Street and Gorgan Street
11. Organization of social affairs seminars with representatives from different cities
12. Introduction of literacy classes for elderly women and children
13. Acceptance of students from the Social Services School for internships in their nurseries
14. Continuous efforts for the rights of Iranian Jewish women and girls, which involved sixteen years of communication with domestic authorities and participation in Jewish women’s groups in various countries worldwide, ultimately giving fruit during Yosef Cohen’s tenure in the National Consultative Assembly
15. Sending graduates of midwifery and nursing classes to England for further education
16. Sending two consultants of the nursery to the United States to continue their education under the American Women’s Council supervision
17. Provision of scholarships and interest-free trust-based loans to deserving students
18. Translation and publication of “Jewish Woman’s Prayer” in two volumes for the first time and several children’s storybooks
19. Establishment of classes for disabled children
20. Organization of fundraising events such as evening gatherings, garden parties, and Masquerade Balls to fund the association
21. Opening of temporary charity shops every six months
22. Publication of the association’s bulletins a few times every year
23. Organization of educational tours to showcase national achievements
24. The first ever arrangement of a collective bat mitzvah ceremony, which included 89 thirteen-year-old girls
25. Hosting visits to organization nurseries by prominent national and international figures like Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt
26. Setting up exemplary modern nurseries at the Women’s Activity Exhibition in 1960, visited by Empress Farah Pahlavi
27. Establishment of the Jewish Girls’ Organization affiliated with the Women’s Organization
28. Founding of Nursery No. 1 on Cyrus Street in 1953 and Nursery No. 2 on Fatemi Street in 1982, under the name “Mehd-e Koodak” (i.e. Children’s Land), which was one of the most prominent activities of the organization, especially led by Mrs. Maliheh Kashfi and Mrs. Shamsi Hekmat. Over more than half a century, with the help and collaboration of the American Joint and a group of Jewish philanthropists, they provided significant services to families and their children.

Drawing inspiration from the past activities of the Women’s Organization, a new board called the Jewish Women’s Community was formed after the revolution in Iran by philanthropic Iranian Jewish women. They took charge of certain matters and repurposed the Women’s Organization’s nursery building and undertook remarkable social, cultural, and educational activities. Among those, Farangis Hasidim in particular remained active until her last moments in 2011, serving diligently as the head of the Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization.

Below are the names of the organization’s board members in Tehran from 1947 to 1978, organized from longest period in office to shortest:

Name	Position	Length of Service (Years)
Shamsi Moradpour-Hekmat	General Manager and Head of the Organization	Founder, 32 years
Maliheh Sepehr-Kashfi	Head of the Tehran Board	Founder, 32 years
Iran Hai Moradov	Consultant	Founder, 32 years
Esther Moradov-Moreh	Secretary	Founder, 32 years
Turan Dardashti Afar	Vice Chairwoman	26 years (until death)
Mohtaram Dardashti-Ghadishah	Inspector	31 years
Ezzat al-Molk Safani	Vice Chairwoman Elect and Treasurer	25 years
Tooba Kimiabakhsh Soomekh	Senior Advisor	25 years
Ashraf Hebron-Naim	Accountant	25 years
Tooba Dardashti-Porat	Member of the board of directors	17 years (until the end of life)
Malook Asheghian-Zargarian	Inspector	20 years
Monireh Kukhabi-Nehmadi	Persian Language Clerk	20 years
Naima Nathan Cohen	English Language Clerk	15 years
Bedur Natan Menashe	Inspector	15 years
Dr. Maliheh Tabibi-Namanim	Member of the board of directors	15 years (until the end of life)
Pouran shufar-Nazarian	Member of the board of directors	15 years
Rebecca Sherafatkhah-Zerowbaboli	Member of the board of directors	15 years
Mahin Ebrami-Etesami	Member of the board of directors	13 years
Rachel Mir-Arjmand-Pirnazari	Member of the board of directors	12 years
Parvin Hakim-Benaresh	Member of the board of directors	7 years
Mahin Soomekh-Kamran	Member of the board of directors	7 years
Flora Israel-Afshani	Member of the board of directors	7 years
Victoria Natan-Rahbar	Member of the board of directors	6 years (until the end of life)
Molook Rabban-Rahimzadeh	Member of the board of directors	5 years
Aziza Zahabian-Nehorai	Member of the board of directors	5 years
Mahlagha Kashfi-Rastegar	Member of the board of directors	5 years
Mahid Levioldin Sherafathkhah	Member of the board of directors	5 years
Effat Mahboobian Sahim	Member of the board of directors	5 year

 

Names of the founders of the Iranian Jewish Women’s Association and other affiliated individuals

Initial founders: Parvin Hakim and Iran Navi

 

Organization Founders and their Initial Supporters: Shamsi Hekmat, Maliheh Kashfi, Iran Moradov, Esther Moreh, Esther Ronoff, Sharifeh Naim, Jina Shalim

 

During their tenure, the following ladies were introduced by the Women’s Organization to the ORT organization and established the Tehran ORT Committee appropriately:

Manijeh Senehi, Touria Porat, Mahin Nikbakht

 

Names of Board Presidents of the Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization in Tehran and Other Cities:

Shamsi Hekmat – President of the Tehran and Provincial Board

Maliheh Kashfi – President of the Tehran Board

Farideh Shafa – President of the Hamedan Board

Margaret Yaghoubzadeh – President of the Isfahan Board

Maliheh Dardashti – President of the Abadan Board

Iran Porat – President of the Abadan Board

Rahel Tabibian – President of the Arak Board

Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization, along with the American Joint representative in Tehran, 1949:

From right to left: Mrs. Hekmat, Pouri Maghoom, Pari Haronian, Mary Sinayi, Akhtar Hakim, Luis Gashan, Flora Afshani, Tooba Karoubian, Victoria Toubian, Khoshlesan, Mehri Sinai, Nahid Shukrian, Maliheh Kafshi, Eliza Haloyi

Cancer Research Center of the American Jewish Women’s Organization during Mrs. Hekmat and Mrs. Kashfi’s visit to Los Angeles, celebrating Hanukkah, 1974.

Mrs. Shamsi Hekmat introducing the board of the Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization, 1952.

Members and the board of Iranian Jewish Women, along with an American Joint representative in Tehran, 1950:

Seated: Eliza Haloyi, Luis Golshan, Shamsi Hekmat, Victoria Toubian, Maliheh Kashfi, Badi’e Hakim

Standing: Pouri Maghoom, Mahri Taheri, Nehzat Khalili, Aziz Kermanian, Eshrat Soomekh, Mehri Sinai, Nahid Pirnazar, Shahla Nikravesh, Minu Kotal, Farah Yafayi

Members of the board of the Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization in Los Angeles, 1996. This was the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization.

گزارش مستند از فعالیت های سازمان بانوان یهود ایران در اواخر دهه 1330 خورشیدی

از پرورشگاه شماره 1 ، واقع در محله عودلاجان – خیابان سیروس