{"id":3835,"date":"2026-08-04T10:30:03","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=3835"},"modified":"2026-08-04T10:30:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:30:04","slug":"how-israel-reduced-irans-historic-rafi-nia-synagogue-to-rubble-1-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=3835","title":{"rendered":"How Israel reduced Iran\u2019s historic Rafi-Nia synagogue to rubble (1\/2)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">How Israel reduced Iran\u2019s historic Rafi-Nia synagogue to rubble (1\/2)<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-cartouche\">On the ground<\/div>\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        Before it was destroyed in an Israeli air strike on April 7, Tehran\u2019s Rafi-Nia synagogue was emblematic of one of the Middle East&#8217;s largest Jewish communities outside of Israel. According to one worshipper and an expert, both well acquainted with its vibrant community, the prominent synagogue was far more than just a place of worship.                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-08-04T09:09:14+00:00\">04\/08\/2026 &#8211; 11:09<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    8 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/bahar-makooi\/\" title=\"Bahar MAKOOI\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Bahar MAKOOI<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main-media\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/cb026994-8fe3-11f1-8644-005056a90284\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/msefn419.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/cb026994-8fe3-11f1-8644-005056a90284\/w:388\/p:16x9\/msefn419.png 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/cb026994-8fe3-11f1-8644-005056a90284\/w:720\/p:16x9\/msefn419.png 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/cb026994-8fe3-11f1-8644-005056a90284\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/msefn419.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"A member of the Iranian Red Crescent holds the Torah at a synagogue which was damaged in a strike amid the US-Israeli conflict, Tehran, Iran, April 7, 2026.\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                A member of the Iranian Red Crescent holds the Torah at a synagogue which was damaged in a strike amid the US-Israeli conflict, Tehran, Iran, April 7, 2026.        \u00a9 Majid Asgaripour, Reuters    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p>It was still dark when Marjan arrived in Malek Lane, near <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" target=\"_self\">Tehran<\/a>\u2019s historic centre, on\u00a0April 7. A few minutes earlier, at around 3:30am, a friend from the neighbourhood had awakened her. She had called to tell her that the Rafi-Nia <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/synagogue\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">synagogue<\/a> had just been hit by three <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_self\">Israeli<\/a> strikes.<\/p>\n<h2>\u2018Pages from sacred books were scattered in the streets\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cI rushed to the scene. The synagogue and the neighbouring building had been completely destroyed,\u2019 she recalled. \u201cThe emergency services were already there, along with the Red Crescent, the Basij [a volunteer paramilitary force] and volunteers wearing vests bearing the emblem of the Revolutionary Guards, who were clearing away the rubble. Pages from the holy books had been scattered as far as the neighbouring streets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The scene was harrowing. The residents, who had fled their homes in panic just a few hours earlier, were returning to retrieve \u201cwhat was left of their lives\u201d, Marjan said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe neighbours who, for years, had welcomed us and accompanied us on our way to the synagogue were now watching, nervous, distraught and in tears, as all their possessions were destroyed in a fraction of a second.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/de5bdb3c-81ed-11f1-9615-005056bfb2b6\/w:980\/000-A6YU97B.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/de5bdb3c-81ed-11f1-9615-005056bfb2b6\/w:246\/000-A6YU97B.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/de5bdb3c-81ed-11f1-9615-005056bfb2b6\/w:388\/000-A6YU97B.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/de5bdb3c-81ed-11f1-9615-005056bfb2b6\/w:720\/000-A6YU97B.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/de5bdb3c-81ed-11f1-9615-005056bfb2b6\/w:980\/000-A6YU97B.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Des travailleurs et des b\u00e9n\u00e9voles iraniens se rassemblent sur le site des frappes isra\u00e9lo-am\u00e9ricaines qui ont d\u00e9truit la synagogue Rafi-Nia et des immeubles r\u00e9sidentiels voisins \u00e0 T\u00e9h\u00e9ran.\" style=\"max-height:567px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                Iranian workers and volunteers gather at the site of Israeli-American strikes that according to local media reports destroyed the Rafi-Nia Synagogue and nearby residential buildings in Tehran on April 7, 2026.         \u00a9 AFP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Quietly tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac, Rafi-Nia was more than just a place of worship \u2013 it was the cornerstone of a vibrant community. Since the mid-20th century, this old house dating from the first Pahlavi dynasty was made available to the Jewish community by its owner, Abdul Rahman Rafi-Nia, in 1958. It hosted religious services and meetings of the Association of Jewish Graduates of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Iran<\/a>, of which Marjan is a member.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe wanted this synagogue to remain a living space. There were always people coming and going, activities taking place, families there. We loved gathering there. It was a beautiful old house, with a charming courtyard,\u201d Marjan said. \u201cThe memories we have of it make its destruction all the more painful.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/04dede9e-85ef-11f1-87a1-005056a90284\/w:980\/rafi-nia.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/04dede9e-85ef-11f1-87a1-005056a90284\/w:246\/rafi-nia.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/04dede9e-85ef-11f1-87a1-005056a90284\/w:388\/rafi-nia.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/04dede9e-85ef-11f1-87a1-005056a90284\/w:720\/rafi-nia.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/04dede9e-85ef-11f1-87a1-005056a90284\/w:980\/rafi-nia.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Les ruines de la synagogue Rafi-Nia prises en photo par Marjan\" style=\"max-height:478px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                The ruins of the Rafi-Nia synagogue photographed by Marjan.        \u00a9 DR, Marjan    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Salvaging ancient Torah scrolls<\/h2>\n<p>Miraculously, no one was in Rafi-Nia at the time of the strike. But relief was short-lived, as Marjan and others soon realised that ancient Torah scrolls were now buried beneath tonnes of rubble\u00a0\u2013 creating a race against time to save them.<\/p>\n<p>Worshippers scrabbled to salvage whatever they could. \u201cWe tried to recover a few holy books. Of course, we weren\u2019t experts and we weren\u2019t allowed to enter the site of the strike. But we gathered as many books as we could from the alleyway and out on the road,\u201d Marjan said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1d053b26-81ee-11f1-91b3-005056a90284\/w:980\/AP26097414451951.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1d053b26-81ee-11f1-91b3-005056a90284\/w:246\/AP26097414451951.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1d053b26-81ee-11f1-91b3-005056a90284\/w:388\/AP26097414451951.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1d053b26-81ee-11f1-91b3-005056a90284\/w:720\/AP26097414451951.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1d053b26-81ee-11f1-91b3-005056a90284\/w:980\/AP26097414451951.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Une pelleteuse d\u00e9blaye les d\u00e9combres sur le site d&apos;une frappe qui, selon un responsable de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 pr\u00e9sent sur place, a d\u00e9truit la moiti\u00e9 de la synagogue de Rafi-nia.\" style=\"max-height:567px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                An excavator removes rubble at the site of a strike that, according to a security official at the scene, destroyed half of the Khorasaniha, or Rafi-Nia, Synagogue and nearby residential buildings in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 7, 2026.         \u00a9 Francisco Seco, AP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Synagogue officials asked for the excavators to be stopped, which the head of the rescue teams agreed to do. \u201cWe knew that if the excavators continued to clear the rubble around the Torah ark, the scrolls would be destroyed. The rubble had to be removed by hand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The congregation waited five days before the sacred scrolls were finally found, mostly intact. It was a relief \u00a0to discover that they had been protected by their sturdy wooden cases.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/57f79800-81f3-11f1-b0e8-005056bf30b7\/w:980\/marjan-2.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/57f79800-81f3-11f1-b0e8-005056bf30b7\/w:246\/marjan-2.png 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/57f79800-81f3-11f1-b0e8-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/marjan-2.png 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/57f79800-81f3-11f1-b0e8-005056bf30b7\/w:720\/marjan-2.png 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/57f79800-81f3-11f1-b0e8-005056bf30b7\/w:980\/marjan-2.png 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Des membres de la communaut\u00e9 r\u00e9cup\u00e8rent les rouleaux historique de la Torah qui \u00e9taient enfouis sous les d\u00e9combres\" style=\"max-height:379px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                Community members are recovering historic Torah scrolls that were buried under the rubble.        \u00a9 DR, Marjan    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7e43407c-81f3-11f1-808b-005056bfb2b6\/w:980\/marjan-1.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7e43407c-81f3-11f1-808b-005056bfb2b6\/w:246\/marjan-1.png 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7e43407c-81f3-11f1-808b-005056bfb2b6\/w:388\/marjan-1.png 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7e43407c-81f3-11f1-808b-005056bfb2b6\/w:720\/marjan-1.png 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7e43407c-81f3-11f1-808b-005056bfb2b6\/w:980\/marjan-1.png 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Par chance, ces rouleaux de Torah \u00e9taient conserv\u00e9s dans des bo\u00eetes, elles ont \u00e9t\u00e9 r\u00e9cup\u00e9r\u00e9es intactes\" style=\"max-height:607px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                Fortunately, these Torah scrolls were kept in cases; they were recovered intact.        \u00a9 DR, Marjan    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>\u2018The door was always open\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>For Narciss M. Sohrabi, a researcher in urban planning who has spent several years studying Jewish community spaces in Tehran, the news was hardly believable. \u201cI was stunned. How could a small, modest, almost invisible building, tucked away in a cul-de-sac in central Tehran, have been targeted?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She knows Rafi-Nia well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was no sign indicating that it was a synagogue,\u201d said Sohrabi, who is affiliated with the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ladyss.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><u>Ladyss laboratory in Paris<\/u><\/a>\u00a0and the Centre for Iranian Studies at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis invisibility is a characteristic of many synagogues in Iran. Yet it did not protect Rafi-Nia from Israeli missiles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Local families would regularly meet in the synagogue\u2019s basement, where a kosher and vegetarian restaurant served up pizzas, falafels and sandwiches.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe door was always open,\u201d Sohrabi said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/c810222e-85ef-11f1-864e-005056a90284\/w:980\/IMG-20260717-WA0023.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/c810222e-85ef-11f1-864e-005056a90284\/w:246\/IMG-20260717-WA0023.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/c810222e-85ef-11f1-864e-005056a90284\/w:388\/IMG-20260717-WA0023.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/c810222e-85ef-11f1-864e-005056a90284\/w:720\/IMG-20260717-WA0023.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/c810222e-85ef-11f1-864e-005056a90284\/w:980\/IMG-20260717-WA0023.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Une photo de Marjan prise \u00e0 l&apos;int\u00e9rieur de la synagogue Rafi-Nia avant sa destruction\" style=\"max-height:540px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                A photo taken inside the Rafi-Nia synagogue before its destruction.        \u00a9 DR, Marjan    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIsrael has destroyed not only a place of worship, but also a place of remembrance and social life for the Iranian-Jewish community.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Israeli army\u2019s \u2018mea culpa\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>The Israeli army was quick to claim responsibility for the strikes. In an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/iran-claims-tehran-synagogue-badly-damaged-in-israeli-airstrike-israeli-official-we-dont-target-synagogues\/\" target=\"_blank\">article in The Times of Israel<\/a>, it stated that it had targeted a senior commander of the Iranian armed forces, Khatam al-Anbiya. The synagogue, it claimed, was collateral damage. \u201cThe Israeli army regrets the collateral damage caused to the synagogue\u201d the statement said, adding it used \u201cprecision munitions\u201d and took measures to minimise the risk to civilians.<\/p>\n<p>The decimation of Rafi-Nia has hit hard, amplifying fears within an already fragile and dwindling community. Before the 1979 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/islamic-revolution\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Islamic Revolution<\/a>, the country was home to more than 100,000 Iranian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/jews\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Jews<\/a>. Today, there are no more than 9,000 to 10,000.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIran, however, is still home to the largest indigenous Jewish community in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/middle-east\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Middle East<\/a> outside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Israel<\/a>,\u201d said Miriam Nissimov, a senior lecturer at Tel Aviv University and author of &#8220;From Cyrus to Khomeini: The Jews of Iran&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike most neighbouring countries, Iran\u2019s Jews did not flee the country en masse following the creation of the state of Israel. \u201cEmigration took place at a much slower pace,\u201d the Israeli researcher explained.<\/p>\n<p>Many remained, sometimes out of a sense of attachment to a presence dating back more than 2,500 years.<\/p>\n<p>In Iran, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/judaism\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Judaism<\/a> is still recognised by the constitution of the Islamic Republic. The community has its own synagogues, schools and a member of parliament. However, this recognition is subject to many restrictions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJews are free to practise their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/religion\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">religion<\/a>, but they do not enjoy full equality as citizens,\u201d Nissimov said. \u201cTheir access to certain civil service posts or senior positions remains limited.\u201d Also, citizens who are registered as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/muslims\/\" target=\"_self\">Muslim<\/a> at birth cannot legally convert to Judaism, according to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/location\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/middle-east\/iran\/report-iran\/\" target=\"_blank\"><u>reports<\/u><\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/fr\/tag\/amnesty-international\/\" target=\"_self\"><u>Amnesty International<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Alongside official declarations of religious tolerance, anti-Jewish themes have long been present in certain aspects of the Islamic Republic&#8217;s religious discourse, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/anti-semitism\/\" target=\"_self\">anti-Semitic<\/a> stereotypes have repeatedly appeared in state-linked media, as well as in certain television series and films,&#8221; Nissimov added.<\/p>\n<h2>A community under pressure<\/h2>\n<p>Concerns have intensified since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/israel-iran-war\/\" target=\"_self\">12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025<\/a>. According to the NGO Human Rights in Iran, at least thirty Iranian Jews were called in for questioning by security services during the conflict, primarily due to their family ties to Israel.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Many Iranian Jews have children or relatives living in Israel,&#8221; Sohrabi said. &#8220;Communication has become extremely difficult since that initial war. Some use foreign SIM cards. Others do not even answer the phone when they see an incoming Israeli number.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>According to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/humanrightsinir.org\/soummon-561\/\" target=\"_blank\"><u>Human Rights in Iran<\/u><\/a>, these actions created a climate unlike any seen since the 1979 revolution.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They have not only sparked anxiety and concern among Iranian Jews but have also threatened their psychological and social security,&#8221; sources close to the families of Jewish citizens said when cited in reports by the NGO.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/video\/20250916-iran-responded-to-peaceful-quest-for-human-rights-dignity-with-unprecedented-violent-crackdown\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">&#8216;Iran responded to peaceful quest for human rights, dignity with unprecedented violent crackdown&#8217;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Some members of the Iranian Jewish community \u2013 who maintain close ties to Israel due to religious and family connections \u2013 are deeply concerned about the rising religious pressure and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/discrimination\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">discrimination<\/a> at this time,&#8221; Human Rights in Iran added.<\/p>\n<p>In the aftermath of the Israeli air strikes in April, Iranian authorities pledged to rebuild Rafi-Nia and designate the building as a national <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/heritage\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">heritage<\/a> site.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This site should also be partially converted into a museum to commemorate the event. It will remain in the historical memory of Iranians, the world, and future generations, so that the world knows a child-killing regime attacked the heart of Iran and that this crime must be recorded in the country&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/history\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">history<\/a>,&#8221; Seyyed Reza Salehi Amiri, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, told the Iranian news agency ISNA.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/dr-mohammad-iraq-s-jewish-history-and-heritage-is-integral-to-the-iraqi-identity\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">&#8216;Iraq\u2019s Jewish history and heritage is integral to the Iraqi identity&#8217;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>It would provide a tangible means for local authorities to show their commitment to preserving the heritage of the Iranian Jewish community. However, several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/human-rights\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">human rights<\/a> organisations say the reality is more complex. The NGO Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) reports that &#8220;certain religious or cultural sites belonging to minorities in Iran are facing abandonment, encroachment, or destruction&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/5351e688-81ef-11f1-9743-005056a90284\/w:980\/cimetiere-juif-teheran.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/5351e688-81ef-11f1-9743-005056a90284\/w:246\/cimetiere-juif-teheran.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/5351e688-81ef-11f1-9743-005056a90284\/w:388\/cimetiere-juif-teheran.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/5351e688-81ef-11f1-9743-005056a90284\/w:720\/cimetiere-juif-teheran.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/5351e688-81ef-11f1-9743-005056a90284\/w:980\/cimetiere-juif-teheran.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Des images des profanations du cimeti\u00e8re juif de Giliard, situ\u00e9 dans la province de Mazandaran en Iran.\" style=\"max-height:478px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                Images of the desecration and destruction of the Giliard Jewish cemetery located in the Mazandaran province of Iran.        \u00a9 Hrana    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>HRANA has documented several cases, including that of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.en-hrana.org\/giliard-historic-jewish-cemetery-surrounded-by-waste-and-widespread-grave-destruction\/?hilite=jews\" target=\"_blank\"><u>the historic Giliard cemetery<\/u><\/a>, which is\u00a0listed as part of Iran&#8217;s national heritage and considered one of the country&#8217;s most important Jewish burial sites. The NGO warned in December that in recent months the site has been deteriorating. Located in Mazandaran province in northern Iran, &#8220;parts of the cemetery grounds are now being turned into illegal dump sites, and many tombstones are broken, displaced, or damaged&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, like the Rafi-Nia synagogue, the Giliard cemetery is part of Iran&#8217;s cultural heritage. Its disrepair represents not only the loss of a legacy belonging to the Iranian Jewish community, it also signifies that a piece of Iran&#8217;s history is slipping away.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article is an adaptation from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/fr\/moyen-orient\/20260804-t%C3%A9h%C3%A9ran-guerre-isra%C3%ABl-d%C3%A9truit-synagogue-iran-juifs-antis%C3%A9mitisme-bombe-torah\" target=\"_self\">the original in French <\/a>by Nicole Trian.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran\">    Iran<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Israel\">    Israel<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/israel-iran-war\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Israel-Iran 12-day war\">    Israel-Iran 12-day war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/religion\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"religion\">    religion<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/heritage\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"heritage\">    heritage<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran war\">    Iran war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/features\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Features\">    Features<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/synagogue\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"synagogue\">    synagogue<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/jews\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Jews\">    Jews<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/summer-series\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Summer series\">    Summer series<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising How Israel reduced Iran\u2019s historic Rafi-Nia synagogue to rubble (1\/2) On the ground Middle&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3836,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3835"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3835\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3837,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3835\/revisions\/3837"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}