He showed the Post a large scar on his upper chest from a knife wound he received during his time in prison.
His parents – who were in their 50s “so the government didn’t care for them” – left Iran after finding out that Eyvazian had been caught and arrested by the authorities.“If a relative or child committed a crime, the Iranian regime would punish the family to make an example out of them,” he said.After an arduous process and a six-month stay in Turkey, Eyvazian made it to the United States, a day he remembered proudly: “November 4, 1984.”He began working as a janitor, and for the first time in his life he felt free.“I was always high and smiling,” he recalled.While working, he also got his bachelor’s degree and an MBA. Despite his struggle, he now owns several businesses and restaurants in the United States, where he resides with his family.BUT WHY does he love Israel?His passion for the Jewish state began after he saw an infomercial on late night TV for the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.“Rabbi [Yechiel] Eckstein was on TV talking about bringing elderly Russian Jews to Israel,” he said, adding that this resonated deeply regarding his own journey, since both his father and grandfather had been through hardships in Russia before going to Iran.Eckstein founded the Fellowship, as it is now known, in 1983, with its main mission being to promote understanding between Jews and Christians and to broaden support for Israel. Eckstein passed away suddenly earlier this year, and the organization has been taken over by his daughter Yael.“I’ve always had a soft heart for the Jews and Jewish culture,” Eyvazian stressed. “They have been wronged so many times – and I want to do everything I can to right that wrong.”