Thirty years have passed since the Islamic Revolution
drove the vast majority of Iran's Jews from their homes.
In the face of religious and political persecution, over
30,000 Iranian Jews immigrated to the United States. This
community of Jewish immigrants, like the diverse Jewish
and non-Jewish communities before it, followed the well-traveled
path of the "American Dream" - from immigrants to American
citizens. Over the last thirty years, the Iranian Jewish
community has emerged as one of the nation's most affluent
and best-educated groups. With its passionate connection
to Israel and strong traditional Jewish values, the community
has also made significant cultural and philanthropic contributions
to Jewish causes. However, the transition from decades
of life under authoritarian rule and a new fear of acculturation
have hindered the community's expansion into American
civic and Jewish communal life.
After thirty years in the United States, the Iranian-American
Jewish community is now "coming of age" at an
auspicious time-thirty years after the Islamic Revolution,
sixty years after the founding of the State of Israel,
and during an American election year of unprecedented
importance. In recognition of this momentous time in the
community's history, a group of three-dozen Iranian Jewish
young professionals founded "30 YEARS AFTER"
in November 2007 with three objectives in mind: (1) to
educate and unite the Iranian American Jewish community
on important political issues; (2) to promote the participation
of Iranian Jews in American civic life; and (3) to enhance
the involvement and integration of Iranian Jews in the
greater American Jewish community.
Building on the momentum created by a recent groundswell
of political awareness, 30 YEARS AFTER seeks to educate,
inspire and mobilize the Iranian Jewish community through
civic action conferences that will take place every two
years, quarterly lectures and seminars, a high school
mentorship program, voter registration drives, and an
anthology of short stories and video interviews that will
commemorate and shed light on the sacrifice, courage,
and resilience of the community's path to the United States.
Executive Committee
Sam Yebri (president), Debbie Farnoush, Jason Massaband,
Jasmine Oberman, Jonathan Yagoubzadeh, Raymond Zolekhian
Board of Directors
Diana Cohanzad, Tabby Davoodi, Nicole Farnoush, Natalie
Kashefi, Ronen K., Channelle Khoubian, Josephine M., Elham
Makabi, Shirley Pakdaman, Sara Sarshar, Michael Yadegaran
Los Angeles Regional Council
Sina Aryeh, Ziba Banafsheha, Natalie Behfarin, Natasha Behnam, Lisa Daftari,
Jon Delshad, David Ghalchi, Daniella Kahen, Parisa Leviadin, Diana Massaband,
Jasmin Niku, Jennifer Nourafshan, Raymond Nourmand, Ben Pezeshki, Ramin
Rabieian, Rozalin Rabieian, Rona Ram, PJ Saghizadeh
The Board of Advisors of 30 YEARS AFTER includes: Dr.
Sharon Baradaran, Hon. Jimmy Delshad, John Fishel , Dr.
Morgan Hakimi, Ph.D., George Haroonian, Sam Kermanian,
Rabbi David Shofet, Rabbi David Wolpe, Shahram Yagouzadeh,
and Jan Zakowski.
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