By Shelomo Alfassa, Executive Director, International Sephardic Leadership Council,
In recent weeks, Iran has gone against the UN and has motioned to develop nuclear weapons. As governments in the west prepare to deal with Iran, a question must be asked ? if the US (or Israel) makes a preemptive strike against Iran to destroy Iranian nuclear reactors, what will be the fate of the 30,000 Jews that live there?
The consequence of a preemptive salvo against Iran would set the Muslim world ablaze. Jews living in Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and other countries would become targets of angry crowds that have been indoctrinated, since birth, to blindly hate the Jews.
Increasingly, I am seeing calls for the Persian Jews to leave. The Jews have been in Iran (Persia) for thousands of years, long before Islam existed. Persian Jewish history is a proud history, and while many call for them to leave, it is not easy to leave from a place you call home for thousands of years. Yet, because of political situations in our present day, Jewish organizations must be cognizant that the Islamic seat of power at Tehran may see a renewed call for Iranian Jews to emigrate as an offensive gesture. This may jeopardize the existing peaceful status of the Jews in Iran.
Nonetheless, the U.S. State Department should be monitoring the situation very carefully for any changes or developing needs. All peace-loving countries must be immediately ready to open their doors to the Jews of Iran (and other Islamic countries) if situations deteriorate.
Shelomo Alfassa
Executive Director
International Sephardic Leadership Council