Iran’s Jewish population commemorated the 36th anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s death with a memorial ceremony held at the Youssef Abad Shul in Tehran. The event featured readings from the Torah and Tehillim, accompanied by speeches honoring Khomeini’s legacy.
Rabbi Younes Hamami, a leading rabbinic authority within the Jewish community of Iran, spoke at the gathering, expressing admiration for Khomeini’s approach to interfaith relations. “Imam Khomeini—may Allah have mercy on him—was a major religious figure across faiths,” Hamami said.
He emphasized that the Islamic Revolution, under Khomeini’s leadership, had positioned itself as a force against injustice. “The Islamic Revolution carried the banner of resistance against oppression and unified the people in their struggle against tyrants,” Hamami added.
Dr. Homayoun Sameyah, who serves as the Jewish representative in Iran’s parliament, echoed similar sentiments, commending the changes brought about following the revolution. “After the Islamic Revolution’s victory, the Jewish community in Iran was granted greater respect and, like other religious groups, could worship freely. To this day, the Jewish community has faced no problems,” he said.
Mohammad Reza Movahedi Kermani, who chairs the religious affairs division of the Khomeini Memorial Center, highlighted how Khomeini’s vision of religious inclusion has played a role in maintaining his relevance decades after his death. “What has kept Imam Khomeini’s memory alive is the nature of his movement and his distinctive view of religious diversity,” he remarked.
Ayatollah Khomeini came to power in 1979 after leading the Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Shah of Iran. Under his rule, Iran was reshaped into a theocracy, expelling Western influence and enforcing strict Islamic law. His leadership led to widespread purges of political dissenters, with thousands executed, and he promoted a hostile stance toward the West, particularly the United States. He aimed to spread Iran’s revolutionary ideology throughout the Muslim world, using propaganda, armed conflict, and terror networks.
One of the defining moments of Khomeini’s rule came in November 1979, when Iranian revolutionaries stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking dozens of Americans hostage. In 1980, Iran entered into a prolonged and devastating war with Iraq that would ultimately claim the lives of an estimated 1 million Iranians.
Khomeini passed away on June 3, 1989. By the end of his rule, Iran had suffered significant economic, social, and political turmoil. Women were stripped of many basic rights, mandated to wear Islamic dress, and largely removed from public life. Ultimate authority in the country had been transferred to a network of clerics who strictly adhered to Khomeini’s religious doctrine.
{Matzav.com}