Escape From Iran by Sholem Ber Hecht

Author:Sholem Ber Hecht
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: G&D Media
Published: 2020-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER IX

Storm Clouds & Solutions

After Khomeini came to power in Iran and replaced the old liberal regime of the Shah with his Islamic fundamentalist government, the Jews of Iran realized that they were facing a tidal wave of anti-Semitism. It wasn’t always overt; but the Mullahs were highly skilled in promulgating the lie, still in vogue today, that their government was not anti-Jewish, just anti-Zionist. Whenever they wanted to crack down on Jews, all they had to say was that they had caught this or that Jew red-handed in some “criminal” action in support of Israel. That gave them the excuse to do whatever they wished.

Despite the anxiety that had begun to grip the Jewish community in Iran, there was at first a significant effort on the part of its leaders to reach out to the Khomeini government. They were exploring whether it was possible to establish some sort of rapport, perhaps to arrange a permanent liaison to help solve problems that might arise in the future. In fact, a meeting was held between leaders of the Jewish community and Khomeini himself. Respectfully, yet passionately, the Jewish representatives expressed their concerns and fears. Khomeini assured them that the Jews would be allowed to practice their religion. Moreover, he said, the Jews would not be singled out for any persecution or anti-Semitic campaigns.

Those assurances, of course, turned out to be empty promises. Not long after that meeting, Mr. Habib Elghanian, a very prominent member of the Jewish community, was arrested on trumped up charges of spying for Israel and sentenced to death. Soon thereafter Mr. Beruchim, a member of the family who owned the Sinai Hotel where we had stayed during our initial visit to Tehran, was also arrested. Both were summarily executed by the Khomeini government.

There’s a twist to the story of this tragedy, a premonition of sorts. Habib Elghanian had come to the US in spring of 1979 to visit his brother John, his son Sina, and their families and children. On the Shabbat after Pesach he attended services in our Synagogue in Forest Hills. Morad Ghadamian remembers how his father, Mr. Khalil Moradi, accompanied his dear friend Habib out of the shul after the service. Habib mentioned that he was planning to return to Iran that week. Khalil stopped him in mid-sentence and begged him, “Please—you are well known for the good work you have done all your life for Israel! You will be putting yourself in great danger! Please stay here.” Habib responded that he had promised the Shah that he would do something for him, and he had to go back. The more Khalil stressed the potential threat to his life, the more Habib grew adamant.

When he arrived at the airport in Tehran, he was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Guards, and soon tortured and executed. The sadistic terrorists would not release his body for burial until the family paid 100,000 Toman, an Iranian unit of currency, for each bullet they used to kill him.

It was then

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