In the name of God

כָּל כְּנֵסִיָּה שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם,סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם
;וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם,אֵין סוֹפָה לְהִתְקַיֵּם:

Any gathering that is for the sake of Heaven will ultimately succeed; but any gathering that is not for the sake of Heaven will not ultimately succeed.

The history of the formation of the Kilimian Association of TehranTehran Jewish Committee

Jews are typically divided into two groups: Sephardic, from Eastern regions, and Ashkenazi, from Western regions. Although the two groups may differ in some of their religious rituals, they adhere to the same fundamental religious beliefs.

The Jewish community of Iran is primarily composed of Sephardic Jews and maintains a rich history in this region, spanning over three-thousand years. Historical records indicate that the Sephardic Jews initially settled in the northern areas of the Persian Gulf, particularly around what is present-day Shush and Dezful, and in the southern regions of the Alborz mountain range, including what are now known as Giliard, Damavand, and Garmsar. Over time, they migrated to various cities across Iran, including Rey, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kerman, Yazd, Kashan, as well as cities in Kurdistan, establishing historical and social connections with Jews of other countries.

Iran provided a safe haven for Jewish prophets and elders, who often sought refuge among the Iranian people from persecution by infidels in their own homeland. This was true both before and after the spread of Islam.

The tomb of such holy figures as Daniel the Prophet in Shush, Esther and Mordecai in Hamadan, and Habakkuk the Prophet in Tuyserkan — all of which have their own holy book — illustrates the deep historical roots of the Jewish community. Similarly, sites of worship such as Esther Khatun, Serah Bat Asher in Isfahan, and numerous others in Kurdistan and Tehran, are highly respected by the Iranian community. In the words of the late Jalal Al-e-Ahmad, the renowned Iranian novelist, they are respected as if they are the true-born offspring of Shia Imams, also known as “Imamzadeh”.

Throughout their history and wherever they settled, Jewish communities established their own organizations to fulfill their religious obligations while considering the prevailing circumstances they were in. Among the most important religious duties that Jews have consistently held themselves accountable for are the rituals of prayer and worship observed on Saturdays, holidays, and daily prayers, typically conducted in synagogues. Setting up a synagogue and a place of worship in their residential area is invariably the first step taken by any Jewish community. Moreover, responsibilities such as creating dedicated cemeteries for ritual washing and burial in accordance with religious law, organizing classes to teach commandments and Torah reading to Jewish children, establishing welfare centers for the needs of both young and elderly Jews, and addressing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and matters of religious compliance have all been embraced by institutions that Jewish communities have established.

As far as documents suggest, the Tehran Jewish Committee traces its roots back to 1891. The committee emerged from a group of members who were trusted by the community. They named their gathering the “Hebra”, meaning “association”. According to a roster of founding members in 1898, the members included the late Rahim Molabakhaj, Eshagh Mordecai, Soleiman Davoud Moradi, Haji Moshe Mikael, Haj Davoud Mikael, Agha Baba Moshe Dayan, Hakim Ibrahim Rofe, Hezekiah Yosef Haghani, Yekutiel Eshagh, Molla Abraham Raban, Agha Davoud Mordecai, Molla Yaghoub Ben Levi, and Agha Zakaria Ben Asher. Subsequently, the Committee was formally registered, with its constitution finalized in 1946 during a General Assembly meeting.

Assets held by the Jewish community — including synagogues, schools, hospitals, and slaughterhouses in Tehran and other cities — have been under the stewardship of the Tehran Jewish Committee, belonging to the Jewish community and serving the community’s needs and aspirations.

General services provided by the committee

The Tehran Jewish Committee presently sustains 25 synagogues throughout Tehran, available for members’ daily worship. However, some of the older synagogues have experienced reduced activity, as members prefer more modern ones.

Additionally, the committee is involved in the operation of the Kheirkhah Charity Center, which operates a Hospital adjacent to the previous Jewish neighborhood in Tehran – Oudlajan. The Kheirkhah center also supports the Elderly Rehabilitation Center, the Jewish Cemetery on Khorasan Road, and the Kosher Butchery. The current committee’s initiative is to establish a new slaughterhouse.

The committee is also involved in the preparation of Matzo for Passover in Tehran-Now Road (also known as Tehranno), which is distributed across many schools and used by their pupils.

Other activities include aiding the needy and underprivileged members of the Jewish community and creating opportunities for artistic and athletic endeavors among the youth. The Tehran Jewish Committee collaborates with the Iranian-Jewish court (Dar al-Sharia) in addressing personal legal matters and issuing religious decrees. The committee provides resources for the court to continue its operation.

In summary, the current activities of the Tehran Jewish Committee include:

Assisting in the establishment of the Dar al-Sharia and providing facilities for the clerics responsible for issuing religious rulings and fatwas.
Facilitating the formation of classes to impart religious insights and obligations to Jewish students in compliance with the regulations of the Ministry of Education.
Establishing connections with synagogues and Jewish places of worship in Tehran to promote collaboration in various areas.
Providing assistance to needy and underprivileged Jewish individuals and managing charitable endeavors for the Tehran Jewish community.
Supervising the distribution of kosher food such as meat, poultry, and matzo bread, ensuring compliance with the guidelines of Dar al-Sharia.
Fostering artistic and athletic opportunities for Jewish youth, encouraging their active participation and contribution to the Iranian nation within the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Administering public Jewish properties like synagogues and schools.
Overseeing the Jewish Elderly Rehabilitation Center in Tehran.
Monitoring health and administrative matters at Dr. Sapir Hospital.
Managing affairs related to the deceased and other cemetery matters as outlined in the committee’s objectives.

Members of the Hebra (Beit Sefr) in 1925.

Seated from left to right: Zechariah Asher, Molla Yaghoub ben Levi, Agha Davoud Mordecai, Molla Abraham Raban, Yekutiel Eshagh, Bakhach Eshagh Mordecai

Notice of the Committee’s name change in Ettela’at Newspaper

The members of the Hebra initially gathered at the kHadash synagogue. After a while, they announced their name change in widely circulated newspapers on 31/8/1938. The Hebra changed its name from “Beit Sefr” to “Tehran Jewish Committee”.

The board of directors convened a year later to draft its article of association and officially registered its square-meters.

The first board of directors of the Tehran Jewish Committee convened in 1939 and consisted of: Dr. Loghman Nahorai (President), Dr. Enayatollah Montakhab (Treasurer), Abdollah Golshan, Dr. Morteza Moallem, Zia Nahorai, Aziz Elghanian, Yehuda Haronian, Eshagh Beroukhim, Ruhollah Ben Ruhi, Lalezar Safani, and Effendi Famili.

identity with the Ministry of Justice under number 6 and commenced its activities. They bought a garden at the same time with an area of 948.8 square-meters on Sheikh Hadi Street, the current location of the committee. The land was brought from Dr. Manouchehr Motamed, son of Hossein. In 1948, the Jewish community of Tehran joined in the construction of the committee’s building with an area of 2,234

Confirmation of Tehran Jewish Committee registration

Articles of association page 1

Articles of association page 2

Meeting between representatives of the Jewish community with the head of Tehran Alliance School.

Seated from right: Israel Eliyahu Simantob, Aghajan Fathollah, Elisafan, Monsieur Levy, Monsieur Cazes, Rabbi Molla Ibrahim, Davoud Hana gholi Saghi, Yehezghel Lahijani

Standing row: Dr. Nejat, Yosef Suleiman, Norollah Nahorai, Aghajan Mordecai, Arihan, Mirza Agha Falgir, Babai Moshe Reyhan, Haji Baba

Standing row top: Molla Rahim, Agha Jan (Rabbi Molla Ahron Kohanim), Shokrollah Fathollah, Baroukh Dai Neysan, Yehuda Eliyahu Ibrahim Yazdi, Agha Jan Darvish, Shimon Eliyahu Dardashti

The presence of the Jewish community in the national celebration of the second year of constitutionalism in front of the parliament

Members of the Tehran Jewish Committee (click on the image to enlarge it). This historic photo of the benefactors and servants of the Tehran Jewish community is dated Shevat 5712 Hebrew, corresponding to January 1952. It was taken during the week of commemoration of the late Uncle Yaghoub Masaband. From the right, the seated people are: Mr. Khanbaba Banayan, Rabi Shadi, Rahmatollah Masaband, Shalom Masaband, Ibrahim ben Yaghoub Masaband, Rabi Shimon Masaband, Khanbaba Bakhshi, Mirza Agha Abbadia.
Standing, from right: Nabatian, Haj Ibrahim Eshaghpour, Abdollah Yomtob (known as Nayeb), Rahim Zoleikhahian (Ghandi), Rabbi Yididia Shofet, Soleiman Haim, Musa Hafez, Neysan Masaband, Musa Nasir.
Standing top row, from right: Abdullah Dehdashti, Iraj Mikael, Loghman Mikael, Aghababa Davoud, Aryeh, Taban, Khanbaba Shaulpour, Dr. Norollah Shadi

Gifted by Aghajan Shadi

Members of the Tehran Jewish Committee (click on the image to enlarge it). — May 1962:

Ibrahim Arabian
Haji Ibrahim Eshaghpour
Rabbi Yididia Shofet
Enayatollah Montakhab
Monsieur Cohenka
, President of the Iranian Alliance High schools
Habibollah Cohen, founder of the synagogue and the New Navab Ettihad Primary School
Monsieur Ovanes General Director of Education for the Alliance Schools in Iran
Davoud Cohen, son of Habibollah Cohen
Mirza Ayub Bughrati
Khosrow Mizrahi
Ibrahim Mizrahi
Farajollah Lalezari
Ghermezi
Ayub Cohen
Beroukhim
Shmuelzadeh
Yunes Dardashti
Rahimi
Saleh Cohen
Parviz Kashani
Eshagh Moghadas
Rabani
Rahman Rashti
Elias Rashti
Shemtoob
Rahim ben Haim
Nejatollah Moradian
Farid Dardashti
Cohenzadeh
Eshagh Arabian
Sedigh
Mirza Agha Farabi
Nashr Yehudai
Golian
Sedigh

The board of supervisors of the Tehran Jewish Committee, 1993:

From right: Eshagh Cohensedgh, Manouchehr Omrani, Fereydoun Tooba, Bahram Naimi, Jahangir Javaheir, Maurice Motamed

Sitting: Manouchehr Cohen, Manouchehr Vafamansouri, Yaghoub Barkhordar, Aghajan Shadi, Haron Yeshayahu, Sion Hakakian, Yosef Khakshour, Peikar

The board of Directors of the Tehran Jewish Committee, Tehran, 2001 – 2005:

Standing from the right side: Kaveh Daniali, Parviz Shabbui, Parviz Gerami, Hamideh Masjedi, Eskandar Mikael, Fereydoun Tooba, Bijan Asef.

Sitting: Saketkhou, Eshagh Cohensedgh, Haron Yashayayi, Aghajan Shadi, Said Kamyar, Manouchehr Omrani

The inspectors and board of directors of the Tehran Jewish Committee, 2009:

From the right side: Shahab Shahamifar, Musa Sani, Farid Yashar, Musa Refua, Farhad Aframian, Shahin Ashuri, Eskandar Mikael, Ramin Masjedi, Nejatollah Kadkhoda

Seated:- Faringis Hasidim – Ishaq Kohn Sedek – Dr. Rahmatullah Rafi – Faizullah Saket Kho – Manouchehr Omrani

The Tehran Jewish Committee, 2009:

Standing from right: Eskandar Mikael the treasurer and Dr. Rahmatollah Rafi the President of the Committee

Employees of the Tehran Jewish Committee along with some members of the board of directors, 2009:

Sitting from left: Yunes Hamami Lalezar, Feyzollah Saketjou, Rahmatollah Rafi, Eskandar Mikael

Standing from the left: Shahab Shahamifar, Nastaran Jazeb, Faranak Fakherian, Elham Abaie, Shiva Aghabala, Sanaz Neysani, Bahare Barkhordar, Farhad Aframian, Keramatollah Armin, Mehrdad Sasanifard, Mordecai Amin Shmuelian, Yuram Haronian, Shain Ashuri

Meeting of the Tehran Jewish Committee’s Property Committee 2009:

Sitting from left: Eskandar Mikael, Shahin Ashuri, Feyzollah Saketjou, Keramatollah Armin, Rahmatollah Armin, Mehran Malek, Said Yasharel, Masoud Yasharel

Inspectors and the members of the board of directors of the Tehran Jewish Committee, 2012:

From right: Dr. Siamak Morehsedgh, Yosef Haronian, Farid Yashar, Dr. Soleiman Cohensedgh, Engineer Shahin Ashuri, Dr. Homayoun Sameh Najafabadi, Dr. Farnoushi, Dr. Rahmatollah Rafi,

Nejatollah Kadkhoda, Rami Delrahim, Dr. Ramin Lalepour, Farzad Toobian.

Inspectors and the members of the board of directors of the Tehran Jewish Committee, 2015:

From right: Omid Makhani, Eliyahu Tarashandegan, Farid Yashar, Behdad Mikael, Omid Mohabati, Dr. Homayoun Sameh Najafabadi, Dr. Cohensedgh, Dr. Arabzadeh, Dr. Ramin Lalepour, Moshe Thani

Sitting: Bijan Asef, Danial Moradi, Shahin Ashuri, Edmond Moallemi, Davoud Goharian