May 5, 2005
Institute For Interriligious Dialogue
www.iid.org.ir
Iran youth for Peace and Interreligious Dialogue held:
A celebration of "passover" feast in gathering of Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian young adults.
Remarkable is the presence of Haroun Yashaiaiee (president of Tehran Jewish committee), Mohammad Ali Abtahi (president of IID) and some Zoroastrian and Christians at this celebration.
The session was started with some Ayah from Holy Quran, which was about the Jewish people and their scripture. Then, Arash Tehrani a the teacher of Talmud from the Jewish Committee read some parts of Torah in its traditional song. Thereafter, Arash Abaie, a researcher on Jewish Theology and the editor in chief of "Ofegh Bina" a journal for Iranian Jewish explained the rituals and importance of "Passover" among Jewish adherents.
"Passover is one of the three-fold feasts of Jewish people and it is adorned with the name of great prophet of "sons of Israel"- Prophet Moses whose result of prophetic mission from God was the freedom of sons of Israel and all the humans from slavery." Arash Abaie added: "Moses movement after God’s command is a sign of victory of Justice over oppression, monotheism over blasphemy and truth over false besides releasing "the sons of Israel" from slavery of Pharaoh. Moses movement is the beginning of Humans freedom from oppression. This is one of the greatest achievements in Jewish and human history. In all the religious books and poems of great poets of the world, Moses is performed as the hero of justice, humility and bravery. "Passover" reminds us the rise of Justice."
Arash Abaie, mentioning releasing from the slavery for Egyptions pointed: "it is after this freedom that the "sons of Israel" deny and reject any kind of slavery for other than God and repeat it in their daily prayers that: "Listen, O’ sons of Israel, the God who created us is the incomparable, unique.""
He added: "this feast has names other than Passover such as the feast of unleavened bread. As far as Jewish people at the time of departing Egypt didn’t have enough time to prepare suitable dough for bread, they had to use unleavened dough and make unleavened bread which is called "Masa" in Hebrew. In this feast, Jewish people are only allowed to use this kind of bread and not any other."
The chief editor of "Ofegh Bina" emphasized: "this feast is usually at the beginning of spring and therefore it is also named the feast of spring. The imminence of Passover feast to Nowrouz (the ancient Iranian new year feast) has resulted in a magnificent feast together with exclusive celebrations among Iranian Jewish people which is accompanied by the current Nowrouz traditions such as visiting families."
"Passover feast, in addition to its religious rituals and holy commands announces the message of freedom to all humans. God wants freedom for all humans so that they can purely worship him without any sensual intentions. Passover, is the holy and divine concept of freedom; it means getting free from void wishes in the world and attempt for performing and promoting God’s wills." He added.
In continuance of the meeting, one of the Jewish youth perfumed the spiritual Jewish Music by playing violin and explaining the routes of music in Judaism.
Haroun Yashaiaie, the president of Tehran Jewish Committee congratulating all on this occasion stated: "our hope and wish is the continuance of Interreligious Dialogue and no obstacle can stop it. Iranian nation deserves it. So they shouldn’t let the light of dialogue among civilizations which was turned on by president Khatami be turned of." He added: "Passover is the message of human freedom and the freedom is a deposit from God to humans. Humans have now reached the understanding of living free."
The president of IID, Seyed Mohammad Ali Abtahi congratulated the Jewish people on this occasion and emphasized: "a religion which does not apply to the human needs, cannot always be in their life. Freedom has always been there among humans and God has always recognized it." He added: "Freedom is a permanent philosophy and the will of all humans."
The meeting was ended with a group photo and congratulation to all Jewish people.
