So, I have been curious about the Persian communities in L.A. I have to admit, I had to google Persia to see that it basically means Iran. I thought, why are so many Persians (Iranians) in Beverly Hills? I don't understand. So here is the answer. I didn't know this! I would not have guessed that anyone from Iran was Jewish in the first place.
Judaism is one of the oldest religions practiced in Iran and dates back to the late biblical times. The biblical books of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles, and Esther contain some references to the experiences of Jews in Persia. Some material has been validated by Biblical scholars.
Today, the largest group of Persian Jews is found in Israel. As of 2007, Israel is home to just over 47,000 Iranian-born Jews and roughly 87,000 Israeli-born Jews with fathers born in Iran.[5] While these numbers add up to about 135,000, when Israelis with more distant or solely maternal Iranian roots are included the total number of Persian Jews in Israel is estimated to be between 200,000[1]-250,000.[6]
The United States is home to 60,000-80,000 Iranian Jews, who have settled especially in the Los Angeles area and Great Neck, New York. Those in Los Angeles have settled mostly in the Westside upper-class cities of Beverly Hills and Santa Monica and the Los Angeles Westside neighborhoods of Brentwood, Westwood, and West L.A., as well as the San Fernando Valley communities of Tarzana and Encino.
According to the former mayor of Beverly Hills, Iranians make up at least a fifth of the resident population of Beverly Hills (the large majority of them Jewish),[11] and a third of the student body at the local high school.[7][8] Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, tens of thousands of Persian Jews migrated from Iran, forming one of the wealthiest waves of immigrants to ever come to the United States.[12]
This is when I get excited to move to L.A. I feel like we are going to learn about new people, new things, step out of my comfort bubble a bit. We are going to see and learn. Just thought you might be interested too. I love Wikipedia.
Artist of the Week:
He is We
My kids went to this concert while I was in L.A. Basically, they somehow found out about this 19-year-old girl and her friend who made a little CD. A small group from their high school went to a local theatre and paid $10 a ticket to see them. This is the best time to see an artist. This girl spent the whole night with them taking pictures, exchanging email addresses, etc. She is just traveling to small little venues trying to be heard.
Although she sings what I call "teenage music", I can still appreciate that she wrote it, that she has the guts to tour and make a CD. Good for her or I should say them! I find myself really liking her, especially because I know her story now. My pet peeve is when people criticize songwriters. The most I will say is that they maybe aren't my style, but never "I hate her....or He stinks,etc." To those who diss a songwriter who is actually making a living, I say- go write your own stuff, become successful and then criticize!! Standing ovation from me to anyone who can write and hold a CD in their hand of their own creation. Pretty cool.
