Yehuda Gerami

Yehuda Gerami is the Chief Rabbi of Iran and spiritual leader for the Jewish community of Iran since 2011.^[1]

Yehuda Gerami
Yehuda Gerami speaking at an Iranian Anti-Israel rally in Tehran in 2023.
Personal
Born	یهودا گرامی 1983-4 (age 36–37)
Religion	Judaism
Nationality	Iranian, American
Spouse	Tzipora Gerami
Jewish leader
Predecessor	Mashallah Golestani-Nejad
Position	Chief Rabbi of Iran
Synagogue	Yusef Abad Synagogue

Biography

Gerami was born in Tehran. His father, Shlomo Gerami, was a surgeon in many hospitals in Tehran including the Dr. Sapir Jewish Hospital. He went to Talmud Torah. At the age of 15, he went from Turkey to Jerusalem to study in Yeshivas Ateres Yisrael, under Rav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi. He then came back to Iran for a year and then continued his Jewish studies in Yeshivas Ner Israel in Baltimore, Maryland which has a government-sanctioned arrangement with Iran. He continued his studies in the United States until he got his rabbinical ordination under Rav Moshe Heinemann at the age of 25. He then returned to Iran and served as Chief Rabbi. Under this position, he oversees the Jewish community and supervises synagogues, mikvehs and kosher slaughter. ^[2] In 2021, Gerami took part in the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States' first summit in Istanbul, Turkey.^[3]

In November 2021 Gerami visited Jewish communities in the United States and met with many Jewish organizations such as Chabad Lubavitch. He was criticized by many American Jewish leaders for his public denunciation of the State of Israel and Zionism, and his visit to Qasem Soleimani's house in the aftermath of Soleimani's death.^[4][5][6] Speaking to an American audience, Gerami has justified his statements as having been made out of concern for the safety of the Jewish community in Iran.^[7]

External links

• Yehuda Gerami on Facebook
• Rabbi Yehuda Gerami on Twitter

See also

• Younes Hamami Lalehzar
• Tehran Jewish Committee

References

1. "Leader of Iran's Jews stresses they 'have no interest in politics'". Israel Hayom. November 25, 2021.
2. "Behind the Persian Curtain". 23 March 2021.
3. "The Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States: A Summit for Jewish Communities Old and New". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
4. "Rejecting Rabbi Gerami's 'hechsher' of Iran's ayatollah regime".
5. "Iran's Chief Rabbi Meets Global Rabbinic Leaders on Visit to New York". Retrieved 2023-09-02.
6. Eichner, Itamar (3 November 2021). "Iran chief rabbi's visit to U.S. Draws outrage among Jewish community". Ynetnews.
7. The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/in-us-irans-chief-rabbi-says-he-feared-vengeance-after-soleimani-killing/amp/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

Jewish titles
Preceded by Mashallah Golestani-Nejad	Chief Rabbi of Iran 2011–	Succeeded by