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NEWS
Iran Declares Traditional Graves of Mordechai and Esther a
National Heritage Site
by Yated Ne'eman Staff
The site believed to contain the graves of Mordechai Hayehudi
and Esther Hamalkoh in the city of Hamadan, known in
Megillas Esther as "Shushan Habiroh," has been
declared a national heritage site by Iran, which protects and
maintains the site.
"The tomb of Mordechai and Esther is one of the most
historically important buildings in our area and one of the
most ancient sites in the country," Asadollah Bayat, head of
the Office of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism in
Hamadan Province, told an Iranian news agency, calling it an
important religious site for Jews.
Hamadan is located in northwest Iran about 250 km (150 miles)
from Teheran. Most of the Jews left following the Islamic
Revolution in 1979 and today a handful of Jewish families
remain, overseeing the gravesites. The building over the
graves, which is properly maintained by the authorities, has
served for centuries as a pilgrimage site for Jews who come
to pray there throughout the year. Inside the Muslim-style
brick building, located in the middle of the city, is a
cellar-like pit where Mordechai and Esther are said to lie
buried. According to local Jewish tradition the pit is the
opening to a tunnel leading to the Holy City of Jerusalem.
An Israeli media figure born in the city recounts that a
remarkable gold chain crown used to be suspended over the
grave of Esther Hamalkoh, but it eventually disappeared,
apparently taken by looters. Another Israeli from the city,
who immigrated in the 1960s at the age of 13, recalled that
the large wooden tombstones of Mordechai and Esther are
covered with a tapestry and are situated inside the ancient
burial cave. Several centuries ago a brick building was built
around it with a round dome that is a known symbol of the
site. Today the building features a large entry hall and a
small inner room for prayer. The site underwent renovations
and restoration work by a Jewish architect named Yossi
Gabbai.
"The main hall features a Hebrew inscription on the wall and
inside are ancient wooden tombs also bearing Hebrew
inscriptions," said this week in his statement to IRNA.
The Iranians, who regularly proclaim their hatred towards
Israel and their desire to see it disappear, maintain
upstanding relations with Iranian Jews and make efforts to
create the impression the country is free of antisemitism.
The Jewish community of Iran, estimated at 25,000, is the
largest in all of Asia. Most Iranian Jews live in major urban
centers (Teheran, Isfahan and Shiraz) and maintain ties with
major international Jewish organizations. The kehilloh
has a representative on the Iranian Parliament (the Majlis),
who tries not to get involved in local and international
politics.
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