Persian Jewish Leaders Inspire a New Generation of Activists

An engaging panel discussion on the involvement of Persian Jews in Jewish activism was held at Sephardic Temple on April 22. The event, organized by StandWithUs and Kol Israel, drew dozens of Persian Jews from both the older and younger generations. Moderated by Roz Rothstein, CEO and co-founder of StandWithUs, the panel featured three activists running for the World Zionist Congress who urged the Jewish community to vote for Kol Israel, Slate 4.

Kol Israel is a nonpartisan, nondenominational faction that brings together Jews from all backgrounds and political ideologies — right and left, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Secular, Sephardic and Ashkenazi. Its mission is to educate and empower the next generation of leaders and activists committed to advancing Jewish continuity. The group believes Zionism should be inclusive and free of labels or predispositions, aiming to serve as a welcoming home for all Jews who wish to work toward a better Israel and a stronger sense of Jewish peoplehood, without being confined by political or religious frameworks.

Roz Rothstein, who moderated the panel, said she deeply understands the fears of the older Persian generation — those who immigrated to the U.S. from Iran and were oppressed and afraid to speak up. 

“I’m a daughter of Holocaust survivors and I was embedded in this fear, in this trauma and in this PTSD. So, right away, I felt a strong connection to the Persian community,” said Rothstein. “To say that you are not involved is not true. Our team at StandWithUs includes many Persian members working on global issues. But from an outside perspective, I do think the Persian community could become even more engaged and do more for the Jewish community.”

Dr. Sheila Nazarian, a plastic surgeon, TV personality and public speaker, also shared her story. She escaped from Iran with her sister and mother after the revolution. Her activism began in 2021, following the events in Sheikh Jarrah and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Until then, she said, she was a busy mother of three kids, ages, 13, 16 and 17 and had made a name for herself as a successful plastic surgeon and the host of the Netflix series, “Skin Decision: Before and After.”

“I have one son in college, and I realized how much antisemitism there is on college campuses. I went to Columbia University. I wanted to create a safe place for my kids and that’s how I got involved in activism,” Nazarian told The Journal.

Initially, her efforts were met with skepticism and resistance. “Everyone said, ‘What are you doing? What makes you think you can make a difference? You have kids — you need to think about your safety.’ I replied, ‘I’m doing it for my kids. If we don’t speak up now, what will our grandkids have to go through?’”

Nazarian admitted that at first, she herself wasn’t sure her activism would make a difference — but it did.

“I’m very busy with work, but when I saw my colleagues shouting ‘Apartheid,’ ‘Genocide,’ and all those ridiculous accusations, I went into survival mode. I started waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety — something I’d never experienced before. I lost a lot of followers, but I knew I couldn’t stop. It felt like Iran all over again. And I thought, our parents didn’t bring us to America to stay silent. They left everything behind so we could have freedom of speech and freedom of religion.”

The younger Persian generation, however, is more actively engaged, Nazarian said. They see firsthand what’s happening on college campuses. They witness the hate and feel compelled to take action. Since Oct. 7, many students have spoken out, including in front of Congress, sharing their campus experiences, the rise in antisemitism, and the failure of university administrations to protect them. Notably, many of these outspoken students are the children of Iranian Jewish immigrants.

 “There was a recent poll that showed younger people believe Israel is responsible for all the problems in the Middle East,” said Nazarian.

Matthew Nouriel, a nonbinary digital activist and content creator, serves as the Community Engagement Director at JIMENA — Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa. Like Nazarian, he began his Jewish activism in May 2021. Fearlessly, Nouriel took to social media to set the record straight about what was happening in Israel and to express support for the country. As expected, those posts drew significant backlash, but that didn’t stop him.

 “Zionism is fighting for its life right now and the people opposing us love to see us divided,” said Nouriel. “All this slate cares about is the continuation and survival of Zionism and the next generation. They intentionally chose a delegation with a diverse background — Mizrahi, Ashkenazi, Sephardi, LGBTQ+. We care solely about the survival of Zionism and making sure the next generation understands what it truly is, because that’s what’s at stake right now.”

Chloe Levian, senior southwest campus regional manager at StandWithUs and a UCLA graduate who once served as president of Bruins for Israel, said she never thought she would become an activist. But everything changed once she started college.

“I came out of my bubble and realized there are people who don’t like Jews. With every incident, I became louder and louder,” said Levian. That awakening led her to get involved with StandWithUs. “Now I get to empower Jewish students across many campuses to share their stories.”

There was a consensus among the panel that while the Persian community is known for being generous and giving, its involvement often remains within the community rather than extending outward. The younger generation — mostly children of Iranian immigrants — tends to be more engaged, as they better understand what’s at stake.

“During Yom Kippur, I gave a speech here [in Sephardic Temple] and said, ‘I know you’re afraid, but for God’s sake, don’t discourage your kids from speaking up,’” said Nazarian. “This isn’t Iran. We have laws and protections here. We either act now and save America, or it will be too late. When these young people grow up, we won’t have much support left.”

It’s a message she hopes resonates with the younger generation—the grandchildren and great-grandchildren—to never stay silent in the face of antisemitism and injustice.

Nazarian acknowledged that she risked losing everything she had worked so hard to build. “There was so much fear of being canceled in 2021, but I thought, you know what? I’ve been successful, if I lose my patients, so what? I’m doing what’s right.”

Fortunately, the opposite happened. Despite losing 150,000 followers, her clinic is thriving. “I have more patients today and they’re all aligned with me,” she told the Journal. “We talk about meaningful topics, we have really interesting conversations and I no longer feel like I have to walk on eggshells. I would do it all over again. God rewards authenticity. God rewards courage. And when you have a strong moral compass, you have nothing to be afraid of.”