From my experience as a journalist covering the Iranian Jewish community in Southern California all of these years, the community is very patriotic but has never really participated in any events that would display their love of America. This past Memorial Day was a change in direction for the community with hundreds of young Iranian Jewish volunteers gathering at the Nessah Synagogue in Beverly Hills to prepare hundreds of care packages bound for U.S. troops based in Afghanistan and Iraq. This historic event was indeed heartwarming for me to witness as it reflects Iranian American Jews true appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in this great nation. We honor America’s Armed Forces on Memorial Day and give thanks to this nation for welcoming us more than 30 years ago after we were forced into exile from Iran by that country’s regime of violent radical Islamic clerics.
Our blog’s podcast that can be hear had the opportunity to chat with Nessah Israel’s Young Professionals who helped organize this incredible event. The following are just a few of the photos capturing the essence of the care package preparation activities: