Esther's Iranian tomb draws pilgrims of all religious stripes
By Helen Eliassian
By Helen Eliassian
Generations of Jews have protected the holy site. Will the Iranians continue to do so? Women of all religious
backgrounds visit the site to pray for children, bringing colorful curtains and cloths to place on the tombs and to
donate to an adjacent prayer room.
Though the holiday of Purim is celebrated by Jews worldwide, the story, based as it is in Persia, has special
resonance for the Jews of Iran. Recent decades have proved difficult for Persian Jews, many of whom fled the
country after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. From a community of about 100,000, an estimated 25,000 to 35,000 now
remain.
backgrounds visit the site to pray for children, bringing colorful curtains and cloths to place on the tombs and to
donate to an adjacent prayer room.
Though the holiday of Purim is celebrated by Jews worldwide, the story, based as it is in Persia, has special
resonance for the Jews of Iran. Recent decades have proved difficult for Persian Jews, many of whom fled the
country after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. From a community of about 100,000, an estimated 25,000 to 35,000 now
remain.
Tomb of Esther & Mordechai
in Hamedan, Iran
in Hamedan, Iran
This month, Jews from across Iran will pray at a shrine in Hamadan, in northwestern
Iran, dedicated to the heroes of the Purim story. They will likely be met upon arrival by
Muslims and Christians, who pray year-round at the unusual shrine. The building
follows the architecture of emamzadeh ("Islamic shrine"), but has walls adorned with
Hebrew inscriptions describing Esther and Mordechai's origins. In fact, it might come
as a surprise to learn that the story of Purim has resonance for all Iranians.
Not only was Esther a Jewish queen, but, as the wife of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I),
she also continues to be revered as a Persian queen and, thus, an icon of national
Iranian history.
Though her original name, Hadassah, means "hidden" in Hebrew, she is known as
Esther. Scholar and writer Haideh Sahim explains that "Esther" is derived from the
Persian word astaar, meaning "star." It is believed that Esther and Mordecai were
buried in the shrine at Hamadan, originally called Hegmataneh, in the fifth century
B.C.E.
According to one Persian legend, the resting place and its surrounding land served
as a refuge for Iranians during the Arab conquest of Persia in 621 C.E. As the story
goes, when the Arabs began to conquer the city of Hegmataneh, the people of Iran
came to the gravesite so that the spirit of Esther and Mordechai would protect them.
A monument - the exact date of origin has been disputed, ranging from the 13th to
the 17th century - has been built over the tombs, and both Jewish and non-Jewish
Iranians now believe that the site is holy and cannot be destroyed.
Iran, dedicated to the heroes of the Purim story. They will likely be met upon arrival by
Muslims and Christians, who pray year-round at the unusual shrine. The building
follows the architecture of emamzadeh ("Islamic shrine"), but has walls adorned with
Hebrew inscriptions describing Esther and Mordechai's origins. In fact, it might come
as a surprise to learn that the story of Purim has resonance for all Iranians.
Not only was Esther a Jewish queen, but, as the wife of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I),
she also continues to be revered as a Persian queen and, thus, an icon of national
Iranian history.
Though her original name, Hadassah, means "hidden" in Hebrew, she is known as
Esther. Scholar and writer Haideh Sahim explains that "Esther" is derived from the
Persian word astaar, meaning "star." It is believed that Esther and Mordecai were
buried in the shrine at Hamadan, originally called Hegmataneh, in the fifth century
B.C.E.
According to one Persian legend, the resting place and its surrounding land served
as a refuge for Iranians during the Arab conquest of Persia in 621 C.E. As the story
goes, when the Arabs began to conquer the city of Hegmataneh, the people of Iran
came to the gravesite so that the spirit of Esther and Mordechai would protect them.
A monument - the exact date of origin has been disputed, ranging from the 13th to
the 17th century - has been built over the tombs, and both Jewish and non-Jewish
Iranians now believe that the site is holy and cannot be destroyed.
For generations, the Jews of Hamadan safeguarded the tomb and the customs of the holiday of Purim. Touba Somekh, a woman who
was instrumental in bringing about the restoration of the site in the 1920s, explained in an interview in 1998, four years before her death,
how the Jews were able to continue maintenance of the tombs.
Somekh used to be an active member of a small women's group in Hamadan, progressive for its time, named Hadassah, after Esther.
The women would recite Psalms, talk about the news of the day and study together.
Around 1925, Somekh learned that the city government planned to build a wall around the tomb and to take it over, unless the local hebra,
or Jewish organization, could accomplish such a task. Though she was only 15 - and already the mother of two - Somekh immediately
thought of Hadassah's monetary savings of 300 toman (a significant sum for the day) and boldly declared to her brother-in-law that the
women's committee had the means to safeguard the shrine. The next day, her brother-in-law informed the members of the hebra of this.
"I began to sweat under the chador," Somekh remembered. "I was a young girl who had declared something and was now being taken
seriously. What was going to happen?" The women's committee was indeed able to provide the initial funding for the restoration and
expansion needed at the time.
These days, the shrine - and the holiday in general - is of particular importance to women. Women of all religious backgrounds visit the
site to pray for children, bringing colorful curtains and cloths to place on the tombs and to donate to an adjacent prayer room. It is believed
that a cloth coming into contact with the shrine will be blessed. A person in monetary or spiritual need would then take some raw cloth
and make from it articles of clothing.
Of the Jews left in Iran, only four or five families live in Hamadan, leaving some with fears about the future of the shrine. According to
Houman Sarshar, editor of "Esther's Children: A Portrait of Iranian Jews," "To my knowledge, the issue was never one of custody. The
caretaker now is not Jewish. The synagogue attached to the sight is the only functioning one in Hamadan."
Some believe it is the spirit of Esther and Mordechai that will live on and protect the Jews of Iran, extending a legacy of 2,500 years.
Others, including Sahim, wonder, "Who will take care of our Esther?"
source: Haaretz Daily
was instrumental in bringing about the restoration of the site in the 1920s, explained in an interview in 1998, four years before her death,
how the Jews were able to continue maintenance of the tombs.
Somekh used to be an active member of a small women's group in Hamadan, progressive for its time, named Hadassah, after Esther.
The women would recite Psalms, talk about the news of the day and study together.
Around 1925, Somekh learned that the city government planned to build a wall around the tomb and to take it over, unless the local hebra,
or Jewish organization, could accomplish such a task. Though she was only 15 - and already the mother of two - Somekh immediately
thought of Hadassah's monetary savings of 300 toman (a significant sum for the day) and boldly declared to her brother-in-law that the
women's committee had the means to safeguard the shrine. The next day, her brother-in-law informed the members of the hebra of this.
"I began to sweat under the chador," Somekh remembered. "I was a young girl who had declared something and was now being taken
seriously. What was going to happen?" The women's committee was indeed able to provide the initial funding for the restoration and
expansion needed at the time.
These days, the shrine - and the holiday in general - is of particular importance to women. Women of all religious backgrounds visit the
site to pray for children, bringing colorful curtains and cloths to place on the tombs and to donate to an adjacent prayer room. It is believed
that a cloth coming into contact with the shrine will be blessed. A person in monetary or spiritual need would then take some raw cloth
and make from it articles of clothing.
Of the Jews left in Iran, only four or five families live in Hamadan, leaving some with fears about the future of the shrine. According to
Houman Sarshar, editor of "Esther's Children: A Portrait of Iranian Jews," "To my knowledge, the issue was never one of custody. The
caretaker now is not Jewish. The synagogue attached to the sight is the only functioning one in Hamadan."
Some believe it is the spirit of Esther and Mordechai that will live on and protect the Jews of Iran, extending a legacy of 2,500 years.
Others, including Sahim, wonder, "Who will take care of our Esther?"
source: Haaretz Daily
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| booklist | alternative media | animations | about us | disclaimer | links ©BODAZEY.COM 2003-2011 and its trademarks are copyrighted. All rights reserved |
Happy Purim 2011 !