A fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Iran war tests the harmony of Los Angeles' huge Iranian community
Share this @internewscast.com

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Tehrangeles” in West Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran.

This cultural hub, often referred to as Little Persia, is a place where Iranian Muslims, Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Bahai have lived together peacefully for many years.

However, the recent conflict between Israel and Iran — a violent, 12-day clash that has been temporarily halted by a delicate ceasefire — has stirred religious tensions and political discussions that are uncommon in this otherwise harmonious area. Adding to the complexity, the U.S. — a supporter of Israel — conducted bombings in Iran during the conflict.

Many Iranian Jews living abroad have greeted the start of the war with mixed feelings of “anxious excitement,” according to Daniel Bral, who resides in West Los Angeles. His grandfather, Moossa Bral, served as the only Jewish member of parliament in Iran before the revolution. He observes members of his family and others in the community feeling hopeful at the prospect of their “oppressor” being defeated.

But Bral feels differently.

“I’m just nervous and am completely rattled by everything that is happening,” he said. “I understand and sympathize with people’s hope for regime change. But I worry about the safety of civilians and the efficacy of the operation removing Iran as a nuclear threat.”

But Bral doesn’t see the war itself as a divisive issue in the diaspora because antagonism for the current regime is common across religious groups.

“This hatred for the regime actually unifies Muslims and Jews,” he said.

Cultural enclave offers a sense of grounding

Kamran Afary, a professor of communication at California State University, Los Angeles, who emigrated from Iran in the 1970s and cowrote a book about identities in Iranian diaspora, said the community, for the most part, has nursed a spirit of tolerance and respect, much like his interfaith family. While Afary is spiritual but not religious, other members of his family practice Judaism, Islam and the Bahai faith.

“Interfaith marriage used to be fraught, but even that is common now,” he said.

Afary says for him, Tehrangeles, with its row of grocery stores, ice cream and kebab shops, restaurants, bakeries and bookstores, offers solace and a sense of grounding in his culture and roots. There are about half a million Iranian Americans in the Greater Los Angeles region.

The largest wave of Iranians migrated to the area after Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown in 1979 and Ayatollah Khomeini assumed control, establishing the Islamic Republic of Iran. West Los Angeles, in particular, has the largest concentration of Iranian Jews outside Iran.

A test for long-held bonds

Diane Winston, professor of media and religion at the University of Southern California, said Israel’s recent fight against the regime in Iran could test relationships between Iranian Jews and Muslims.

“Muslims, who otherwise would be happy to see regime change, might have felt a little differently about it because their antipathy for Zionism is strong,” she said.

Winston also observed that in the diaspora, which is concentrated in wealthy cities like Beverly Hills and Westwood, it is not just religion or culture that brings people together, but also their elevated social status.

“They go to the same schools, parties and cultural events,” she said. “In general, Iranian Muslims and Jews are not quite as religious as their counterparts back home. Los Angeles is a city where there is room to be orthodox, but also being less religious is not a problem. The less religious Jews and Muslims are, the less antipathy they may have toward each other.”

A time of fear and uncertainty

Tanaz Golshan was 2 when her family left Iran in 1986. She serves as the senior vice president of Caring for Jews in Need, the Jewish Federation Los Angeles’ service arm. She is also the organization’s liaison to the Iranian Jewish community.

Judaism for Iranians is “more cultural and familial,” Golshan said. Getting together Friday for Shabbat means having Persian Jewish dishes like “gondi,” which are dumplings served in soup.

“In my family, we didn’t grow up too religious,” she said. “We don’t think about religion when we go to a restaurant or market. You’ll find people in both communities that are extreme and don’t want anything to do with the other. But in general, we have a lot of love and respect for each other.”

And yet this is proving to be a tense and scary time for Iranian Jews in the diaspora, she said.

“What happens globally can affect security locally,” Golshan said, adding the federation’s helpline has received calls asking if there are any threats to local Jewish institutions, she said. “There is real fear that temples and community centers could become targets.”

On Monday, Golshan’s organization and others hosted more than 350 community members for a virtual event titled, L.A. United: Iranian and Israeli Communities in Solidarity.

A call for regime change in Iran

Reactions to the war have been nuanced, regardless of religious affiliations. Arezo Rashidian, whose family is Muslim, is a Southern California political activist who favors regime change in Iran. She supports the return of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the shah, who has declared he is ready to lead the country’s transition to a democratic government.

Rashidian said she has never been able to visit Iran because of her activism. The only hope for her return would be for the current regime to fall. This is why the ceasefire has stirred mixed feelings for her and many others in the community, she said.

“It’s been an emotional roller coaster. No one wants a war, but we were on the brink of seeing this regime collapse. We were so close,” she said.

Lior Sternfeld, professor of history and Jewish studies at Penn State University, said Iranian Jews in the diaspora identify with Iran, Israel and the U.S., and that these identities are “often not in harmony.”

“They don’t see the Islamic Republic as Iran any more, but an entity to be demolished,” he said. “They see Israel more as a religious homeland.”

President Donald Trump enjoyed strong support in the diaspora and has now upset his backers in the community because he has stated he is not interested in regime change, Sternfeld said.

Desire for unity and common ground

There is a push, particularly in the younger generation, for peace and understanding among religious groups in the diaspora.

Bral says he is engaged in peacebuilding work through his writing and advocacy. “We are cousins at the end of the day, as clichéd and corny as that sounds,” he said.

Bral’s friend Rachel Sumekh, whose parents emigrated from Iran, grew up Jewish in the San Fernando Valley. Sumekh hosts dinner parties with her diverse group of friends as a way of widening her circle across religious lines.

In December, she hosted a gathering for Yalda, an ancient Persian festival with Zoroastrian roots, which is observed on the winter solstice as celebrants look forward to brighter days. Last year, Yalda, which also marks the victory of light over darkness, coincided with Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.

“We created a new tradition bringing people of both traditions together to emphasize how much we have in common,” Sumekh said. “This war is just a reminder that as much as our day-to-day lives may be separate, there is still a lot we share in terms of culture and as a people.”

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Video still of a protestor appearing to fire a gun at agents.

Stunning Incident: Protester Allegedly Shoots at Officer During California ICE Raid on Cannabis Farm; FBI Offers $50k Reward for Information

A MASKED protester opened fire on federal agents during a tense immigration…
Debris from a plane crash site with rescue workers.

Crash Investigators Attribute Fatal Error by Air India Pilots for Disaster, Killing 260 After Takeoff

PILOT error is suspected in the Air India crash which killed 260…
Firefighters responding to a fire at Singas Famous Pizza.

76-Year-Old Grandmother Loses Life in E-Bike Battery Explosion at Pizzeria – Son Finds Her Severely Burned

A grandma was killed after an e-bike battery went up in flames…
Chicago's 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. wants son to replace him in City Council after retirement, drawing criticism

Chicago Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. faces backlash for proposing his son as successor in City Council’s 27th Ward after retirement

The longest-tenured member of the Chicago City Council is stepping down at…
Aaron Judge’s game-ending sac fly leads Yankees to stunning comeback win over Mariners

Aaron Judge’s Sacrifice Fly Seals Yankees’ Thrilling Comeback Victory Against Mariners

The Yankees avoided being on the wrong side of history and then…
Woman in hospital bed recovering from dog attack.

Woman, 55, Attacked by Dogs While Delivering Uber Eats Order – Dogs Grabbed Her Head

A GRAN was left seriously injured after being mauled by two dogs…
2025 Illinois measles cases: Health officials declare end of outbreak in southern Illinois

Southern Illinois Measles Outbreak Concludes: Health Officials Announce in 2025

CHICAGO (WLS) — Health officials in Illinois declared an end to an…
Airport security subdues a disruptive passenger.

Dramatic Scene: Woman Throws Temper Tantrum at Airport, Screams at Police Before Being Arrested

THIS is the shocking moment a furious passenger had a full-blown foot-stomping…
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed shortly after his capture.

Guantanamo Bay Trial May Lead to Death Sentence for 9/11 Architect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

THE chief architect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks could be sentenced to death after…
Parents crashing honeymoons becomes bizarre new travel trend

Unexpected Trend: Parents Tagging Along on Honeymoon Trips

Traditionally, a honeymoon serves as a unique getaway for newlyweds to relax…
EMBARGOED TO 0001 SUNDAY JULY 6 File photo dated 10/06/25 of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a reception for London Tech Week, at no 10 Downing Street, London. Sir Keir Starmer has been urged not to "punish" children by keeping the two-child cap following Labour's U-turn on benefit cuts. The SNP urged the Prime Minister to end the limit amid reports it could stay as a result of Labour scrapping most of its welfare reforms. Issue date: Sunday July 6, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

Keir Affirms His Commitment to ‘Island of Strangers’ Message, Emphasizing the Need for UK to Be an Integrated Society

SIR Keir Starmer has affirmed his ongoing commitment to the message behind…
Striking Birmingham refuse collectors on picket line.

Angela Rayner Suspended by Labour Union Amid Bin Strike Turmoil; Group to Reevaluate Party Relations

ANGELA Rayner has been suspended by Labour union Unite over the Birmingham…