The Jews of Iran ─ The History, Religion, and Culture of a Community in the Islamic World

Living continuously in Iran for over two millennia, Jews have played an integral role in the history of the country. Frequently understood as a passive minority group and often marginalized, first by the Zoroastrian, and then later Muslim, rule, the Jews of Iran are instead portrayed in this book as having had an active role in the development of Iranian history, society and culture. Examining ancient texts, objects and art from a wide range of times and places throughout Iranian history, as well as the medieval trade routes along which these would have travelled, The Jews of Iran offers in-depth analysis of the material and visual culture of this community. Additionally, an exploration of more modern accounts of Jewish women's experiences sheds light on the social history and transformations of the Jews of Iran from the rule of Cyrus the Great (c. 600–530 BCE) to the Iranian Revolution of 1978/9. This long view of the Jewish cultural influence on Iran's social, economic and political development makes this book a unique contribution to the field of Judeo-Iranian Studies and to the study of Iranian history.

Houman Sarshar is an independent scholar and director of publications at the Center for Iranian Jewish Oral History in Los Angeles. He is consulting editor of Judeo-Persian Studies for the Encyclopaedia Iranica. He has edited and co-edited a number of books on Iranian Jews, including Esther's Children: A Portrait of Iranian Jews (I.B.Tauris, 2003). He holds a PhD in comparative literature from Columbia University.