Iranian Jewish history on show at Beit Hatefutsoth

Exhibition includes archeological and cultural artifacts, ancient manuscripts, talismans, carpets, both secular and religious music.

By GIL STERN STERN SHEFLER
An exhibition on the Jews of Iran showcasing the community’s 2,700-year-old history and rich heritage opens on Thursday at Beit Hatefutsoth in Tel Aviv.
The exhibition includes archeological and cultural artifacts, including ancient manuscripts, talismans, carpets and both secular and religious music. The exhibition also includes contemporary artworks by Iranian Jewish artists now living in Israel, Europe and the United States.
“We are deeply honored and excited that Beit Hatefutsoth will be the first to expose the fascinating life of Persian Jewry, which to date has not received the full attention it deserves,” said Irina Nevzlin Kogan, president of the NADAV Foundation, Beit Hatefutsoth’s major benefactor.
“This exhibition breaks ground on the new spirit of Beit Hatefutsoth as ‘The Museum of the Jewish People,’ which will now reveal the stories of different communities around the world and show not only the historical aspect of the Jewish people, but also its current status,” she said.
“Our hope is that it will help to better understand, in broader terms, the meaning of Jewish peoplehood, and particularly help younger Jewish generations to feel as part of an extraordinary people, who are although dispersed around the world, still remain a thriving nation.”
The exhibition is sponsored by the Los Angeles-based Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation. It is also generously supported by the David Berg Foundation, the Diamond Charity Foundation, the Global Mashadi Jewish Federation, the Iranian American Jewish Federation of New York, The Maccabee Foundation as well as individual members of The Iranian Jewish community and other Jewish communities.