Why are there 20,000 Jews who would rather live in Iran than Israel ?

Answer 1

They wouldn't but if they ask to leave to go live in Israel- they are accussed of being spies and executed (ten Jews were executed on that premise a few years ago). if you somehow do get permission to go, you forfeit every thing you own, families are not allowed to go, and anyone helping you is thrown in jail (sometimes never to beseen again except as a corpse- once again this happened within the last couple of years.) So, in other words, jews in Iran do as they are told and toe the line or they are imprisoned or killed.

Answer 2

There are at least a few reasons:

1. It's not so easy to actually leave. One or two may be able to get out here and there, but overall it's pretty repressive, and if a very large group tried to leave, there would be crackdowns, as there have been in the recent past, with many Jews thrown in jail and the like.

2. There will always be a small number of Jews who stay behind. Remember that there were German Jews who stayed from 1933 until the Holocaust began in 1941. They may rationalize things to themselves, they may be comfortable, they may be elderly, they may (as is the case in Iran) have kids in the military, they may have too much property to dispose of, and much more. Remember that the vast majority of Iran's Jews did leave for Israel and elsewhere.

This goes way back: After only fifty years or so of exile, the vast majority of Jews did not return to Israel when they could in 535 BCE.

Answer 3

Yes that may be true but look at how many have had to move or worse yet, flee in terror. I doubt there are Jews living in Israel who would chose to move to Iran as your claim would make it sound. There are Jews living in Iran true and they are probably fine and have high living standards for the time being but that could all turn on a dime and then they will join the throng of immigrants to Israel or elsewhere as so many Iranian Jews before them have done.

Answer 4

there were 150,000 jews in iran in 1948 (reference below), and as you can see the vast majority were kicked out or persecuted to the point where they wanted to leave.

of course no one wants to leave their homeland. jews have been in persia (iran) for thousands of years. they should be able to stay in their homelands.
unfortunately in the arab world, they were not able to stay. so at least there is a country like israel to which they can move if they need to.

Answer 5

Maybe a better question would be as to why there is only currently 1/3 of the Jewish population that was there in 1979.

Answer 6

You mean as apposed to the 150,000 who already immigrated?

I dont know maybe they are old and dont want to move to a new country where they have to learn a new language and culture.

Or maybe they are afraid that if they leave the Iranians are going to steal all their assets like they did with their other relatives.

You tell me why the Jewish community in Iran is ten times smaller than it was 60 years ago?

Answer 7

i think the better question is, why have over 85% of persian jews left and gone elsewhere since 1948, leaving such a small population of jews remaining in iran?

Answer 8

same reason millions of jews are in america and not israel...one day well all be in israel together!
amen

Answer 9

Bobby Jim, the Arabs in Israel ARE in their ancestral homes!

Good question, just like there are so many jews in other places, they know how to get along with others and or they don't like the state of Israel!

http://www.iranian.com/Times/June98/Tehran/497k.html#letters

Answer 10

Simply because they have been brainwashed to believe Israel is an awful place.
I am sure their sole access to news is the government-sponsored Iranian media.
Hardly objective, don't you think??