Iran's Jews Trace Back to Ancient Roots

Images of a continuing tradition of life and faith.
Hasan Sarbakhshian
 May 11, 2010
Iranian rabbi Yousef Kohan Hamedani (left), at the wedding ceremony of Peyman Saketkhu (centre) and Sanaz Merivarzadeh at a synagogue in Tehran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian rabbi Yousef Kohan Hamedani (left), at the wedding ceremony of Peyman Saketkhu (centre) and Sanaz Merivarzadeh at a synagogue in Tehran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jews attending a ceremony during the Jewish holiday of Purim at the Mashhadiha synagogue in Tehran.(Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jews attending a ceremony during the Jewish holiday of Purim at the Mashhadiha synagogue in Tehran.(Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jew Heartsel Gidaeian (centre) reads a holy book as he and his wife, Pouran (3rd right), celebrate the Passover holiday with family in Tehran, Iran in April 2009. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jew Heartsel Gidaeian (centre) reads a holy book as he and his wife, Pouran (3rd right), celebrate the Passover holiday with family in Tehran, Iran in April 2009. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Behnam, a Jewish man, walks in the courtyard of the Ezra Yaghoub synagogue in Tehran's Oudlajan neighbourhood, former ghetto of Iranian Jews until the 1930s. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Behnam, a Jewish man, walks in the courtyard of the Ezra Yaghoub synagogue in Tehran's Oudlajan neighbourhood, former ghetto of Iranian Jews until the 1930s. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Tehran’s Oudlajan neighbourhood, previously a Jewish ghetto and now under reconstruction by the Tehran municipality.(Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Tehran’s Oudlajan neighbourhood, previously a Jewish ghetto and now under reconstruction by the Tehran municipality.(Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish men during daily prayer at Yusef-Abad synagogue in Tehran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish men during daily prayer at Yusef-Abad synagogue in Tehran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
A Jewish Iranian doctor (left) looks at the documents of his Muslim patient at the Jewish community's Dr Sapir Hospital and Charity Centre in Tehran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
A Jewish Iranian doctor (left) looks at the documents of his Muslim patient at the Jewish community's Dr Sapir Hospital and Charity Centre in Tehran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jews undergo rehabilitation training at an Iranian Jewish convalescent home in Tehran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jews undergo rehabilitation training at an Iranian Jewish convalescent home in Tehran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
An Iranian Jewish family takes a family picture at the mausoleum of Habakkuk, a Jewish prophet, in the city of Toyserkan in western Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
An Iranian Jewish family takes a family picture at the mausoleum of Habakkuk, a Jewish prophet, in the city of Toyserkan in western Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
An Iranian Jewish man and a Muslim woman pray at the mausoleum of the Jewish prophet Habakkuk in the city of Toyserkan in western Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
An Iranian Jewish man and a Muslim woman pray at the mausoleum of the Jewish prophet Habakkuk in the city of Toyserkan in western Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Jewish pilgrims visit the tomb of Esther and Mordecai in Hamadan, Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Jewish pilgrims visit the tomb of Esther and Mordecai in Hamadan, Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish pilgrims visit the tomb of Esther and Mordecai in Hamadan, Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish pilgrims visit the tomb of Esther and Mordecai in Hamadan, Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish students carry holy books in a Jewish school. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish students carry holy books in a Jewish school. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
A Jewish school in Shiraz, Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
A Jewish school in Shiraz, Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish men walk in a Jewish cemetery in Shiraz. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish men walk in a Jewish cemetery in Shiraz. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish men at daily prayer in a synagogue in Isfahan. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jewish men at daily prayer in a synagogue in Isfahan. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
A young Iranian Jew in a synagogue in Kerman. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
A young Iranian Jew in a synagogue in Kerman. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jews and Muslims pray separately at the tomb of the biblical prophet Daniel in Susa. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian Jews and Muslims pray separately at the tomb of the biblical prophet Daniel in Susa. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
An Iranian Jewish man gets ready to attend morning prayers. The name of Allah can be seen on the wall to the left.(Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
An Iranian Jewish man gets ready to attend morning prayers. The name of Allah can be seen on the wall to the left.(Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Torah with Persian translation. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Torah with Persian translation. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Hediyeh, a young Iranian Jewish girl, prays. An image of Imam Ali, a Muslim saint, can be seen in the background. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Hediyeh, a young Iranian Jewish girl, prays. An image of Imam Ali, a Muslim saint, can be seen in the background. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
An ancient Jewish cemetery in the village of Giliard, near Damavand, Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
An ancient Jewish cemetery in the village of Giliard, near Damavand, Iran. (Photo: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Read: Sad Fate of Iran's Jews
Remnants of once flourishing community wonder how much longer they can hold out.

The history of the Jewish presence in Iran can be traced back 2,600years to when Cyrus the Great freed the Jews enslaved in Babylon and helped them return to their native land.

These days, the community in Iran is estimated at around 25,000, meaning that despite decades of emigration, the country is still home to the second-largest Jewish population in the Middle East, outside Israel.

These pictures show Iranian Jews attending prayers and rituals in synagogues across the country.

Hasan Sarbakhshian is an Iranian photographer who worked for Associated Press for almost a decade. He has recently left Tehran for Washington DC.

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