Some 20.000 Jews live in Iran, the only country of the Middle East – besides Turkey – where they thrive as a religious minority. Some 100.000 Iranian Jews live in California, most of them in Los Angeles, a city they baptized “Tehrangeles”.

Jews were part of the Iranian nation way before the Arab invasion which brought Islam to the country: Cyrus the Great freed them from the yoke of the Babylonians in about 500BC, allowed them to emigrate to Iran and then return to Jerusalem where he helped them rebuilt their temple. Being among the oldest inhabitants of Iran, Jews do not see why they should feel...