JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

• Share
• Email
• Print

Iran’s Jews reject emigration incentives

By · July 13, 2007

Iran’s Jews rejected financial incentives to leave the country.Offers ranging from 5,000-30,000 British pounds, financed by a wealthy expatriate Jew with the support of the Israeli government, were turned down by Iran’s Jewish leaders, the Guardian reported. Instead, the country’s Jews pledged their loyalty to Iran."The identity of Iranian Jews is not tradeable for any amount of money,” the Society of Iranian Jews said in a statement. “Iranian Jews are among the most ancient Iranians. Iran’s Jews love their Iranian identity and their culture, so threats and this immature political enticement will not achieve their aim of wiping out the identity of Iranian Jews."Iran’s Jewish population is the largest of any country in the Middle East besides Israel.

This article was made possible by the support of readers like you. Donate to JTA now.

Leave a Comment

To comment on this article, you must first be registered with JTA.