Mullah Moshe Halevi in Kashan
Rabbi Moshe Halevi, who is among prominent Iranian Jewish scholars,
emigrated from Spain to Iran almost 400 years ago and passed away in the
city of Kashan in 1600 AD (5360 of Hebrew calendar). He is well known to
be the founder of new Jewish religious schools in Iran, and is immensely
respected by the Iranian Jewish community, in particular Jews of Kashan.
Many Iranian Jews especially those from Kashan pay annual visits to this
well-respected clergy’s mausoleum in order to pray for blessings.
The gravesite of Mullah Moshe Halevi was located in the open and not
commensurate with his religious standing. However, last year, an Iranian
expatriate Jew called Elliahu ben Davoud Alliance Kashani has set aside
some funds so that the TJC may take the required measures to
rehabilitate and rebuild this Jewish shrine. Mr. Aqa Jan Shadi, who is a
member of the board of directors of the TJC and the member of Yousef
Abad synagogue of Tehran, sponsored the reconstruction of the
aforementioned shrine and reconstruction works, which was put into
effect through cooperation with the municipality of the city of Kashan,
ended in November 2002. A delegation of
Jewish officials along with the chairman of TJC as well as the Jewish
representative at the Iranian Parliament travelled to Kashan to take
part in the inauguration ceremonies of the said shrine.
Another Jewish delegation responsible for the religious education
affairs of Jews in the central city of Esfahan that was headed by
Shahrokh Paknahad also attended the afore-said inaugural services,
performed special Jewish religious services, and recited prayers for
blessing to soul of the late cleric, Harav Mullah Moshe Halevi.
