settled in Jerusalem, a Jew from Iran confides

Born in Iran, Elie Cohen settled in Israel before the Islamic revolution of 1979. Today he fears an escalation between the two countries and does not despair of being able to return to Iran before dying.

Tension is still high between Iran and Israel after the drone and missile attack launched last weekend by Tehran on Israeli territory. Monday April 15, the spokesperson for the Israeli army promised that his country would respond “on such occasion and at such time as we choose”, while the international community calls for de-escalation. A situation also closely followed by the Jews of Iran, these Jews born in Iran but who settled in Israel a few years ago, especially after the Islamic revolution. It is estimated that there are between 20 000 and 30 000 currently in Israel.

From his childhood spent in Nahavand, a town in the northwest of Iran, Elie Cohen keeps some memories, carefully preserved, like these photos yellowed by time. “That’s my father and my mother. And that’s my mother’s father, he was the doctor of the whole commune. I remember Tehran too, I went there with my father. I remember the neighbors, they were good people.”

He left Iran at the age of six with his parents who dreamed of settling in Jerusalem, a holy land for Jews. A departure at the time chosen and not forced, he insists. This was then before the Islamic revolution. “We didn’t run away, we left Iran at the time of the Shah, he says. Relations were good and he was good to Jews, Muslims and Christians. He also had very good relations with Israel.”

“It moves me to talk about it”

But things have changed a lot since then: Iran and Israel have become irreconcilable enemies, the attack launched by the Iranians last weekend is further proof of this, one more injury for Elie Cohen, who fears escalation.

“It was really very sad, he admits. I had tears in my eyes and now it moves me to talk about it. It really bothers me because we love Iranians. We don’t have a problem with them. I am an Israeli patriot, a Jew, but if I see that Israel retaliates, attacks, and that Iranians are going to die, it will be very sad for me.” Today, at 79, he dreams of seeing Iran again, at least once.

“I want to go to Iran before leaving this world. If today there is peace between Israel and Iran, I will buy a ticket and leave right away.”

Elie Cohen says he prays every day for this, for this peace between this country which saw him born and the one which will see him leave.