File photo: Synagogue in Shiraz, Iran.

Shuls Attacked, Sifrei Torah Torn Up in Iran

Two synagogues in the Iranian city of Shiraz were attacked by vandals, who tore up Sifrei Torah and Tefilin, threw siddurim in the toilet and damaged other holy objects.

From the JTA:

The city’s Kashi Synagogue was attacked Sunday night, while the Hadash synagogue was attacked Monday afternoon, according to Sam Kermanian, senior advisor to the Iranian-American Jewish Federation, who has been in touch with Jews from Shiraz. The local Jewish community believes the attacks were committed by more than one person, but does not know who perpetrated them or why.

“Obviously they are scared,” Kermanian told JTA. “They’re not comfortable speaking freely, but overall, life goes on.”

The vandals ripped Torah scrolls, which are written on parchment, as well as some 100 prayer books, some of which were thrown in the toilet. They damaged and “soiled” prayer shawls and tefillin, the leather phylacteries traditionally worn by men during prayers. The attackers also broke glass and stole silver ornaments that adorned the synagogues’ Torah scrolls.

Click here to continue reading at the JTA.

9 Comments

  • Moishe pipek

    Why do Jews live there?Maybe Lazar can ask Putin to speak to his Iranian buddies to help the poor jews.

  • To #2

    Because Iran is their home and it’s where there ancestors lived for thousands of years and it’s where they want to stay forever. Also, Iran didn’t experience a Farhoud like Jews in Arab countries did. (Iran is not Arab-its Muslim.)

    • Milhouse

      Chutz lo’oretz can never be any Jew’s home. One who regards chu”l as his home is r”l as if he has no god. Chu”l is only ever a temporary shelter, where we stay because for various reasons it’s not convenient for us to be at home just now. People often leave their homes to visit other places, and there’s nothing wrong with that, so long as we remember that it is/i> home, where we will eventually return; but we must never forget that.

  • CR

    Might have something to do with the massive antigovernment protests taking place across the country right now? It just has to be a Jew…I mean Zionist conspiracy to destroy the country for their benefit….

  • The kangeroo

    #4 you can not put your head into a lions mouth………..Islam is the problem,it is a mental virus.