Yehuda Gerami
Yehuda Gerami is the Chief Rabbi of Iran and spiritual leader for the Jewish community of Iran since 2011.[1]
Yehuda Gerami | |
---|---|
Personal | |
Born | یهودا گرامی 1983-4 (age 35–36) |
Religion | Judaism |
Nationality | Iranian, American |
Spouse | Tzipora Gerami |
Jewish leader | |
Predecessor | Mashallah Golestani-Nejad |
Position | Chief Rabbi of Iran |
Synagogue | Yusef Abad Synagogue |
Early life
Gerami was born in Tehran. His father Shlomo Gerami was a surgeon in many hospitals in Tehran including Dr. Sapir Jewish Hospital. He went to Talmud Torah. At the age of 15, he went from Turkey to Jerusalem to study in Yeshivas Ateres Yisrael, under Rav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi. He then came back to Iran for a year and then continued his Jewish studies in Yeshivas Ner Israel in Baltimore, Maryland which has a government-sanctioned arrangement with Iran. He continued his studies in the United States until he got his rabbinical ordination under Rav Moshe Heinemann at the age of 25. He then returned to Iran and served as Chief Rabbi. Under this position, he oversees the Jewish community and supervises synagogues, mikvehs and kosher slaughter. [2] In 2021, Gerami took part in the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States' first summit in Istanbul, Turkey.[3]
In November 2021 Gerami visited Jewish communities in the United States and met with many Jewish organizations such as Chabad Lubavitch. He was criticized by many American Jewish leaders for his public denunciation of state of Israel and Zionism, and his visit to Qasem Soleimani's house in the aftermath of Soleimani's assassination by US forces. [4][5][6]
External links
References
- "Leader of Iran's Jews stresses they 'have no interest in politics'". Israel Hayom. November 25, 2021.
- "Behind the Persian Curtain". 23 March 2021.
- "The Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States: A Summit for Jewish Communities Old and New". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
- "Rejecting Rabbi Gerami's 'hechsher' of Iran's ayatollah regime".
- "Iran's Chief Rabbi Meets Global Rabbinic Leaders on Visit to New York". Retrieved 2023-09-02.
- Eichner, Itamar (3 November 2021). "Iran chief rabbi's visit to U.S. Draws outrage among Jewish community". Ynetnews.