Before it was destroyed in an Israeli air strike on April 7, Tehran’s Rafi-Nia synagogue was emblematic of one of the Middle East's largest Jewish communities outside of Israel. According to one worshipper and an expert, both well acquainted with its vibrant community, the prominent synagogue was far more than just a place of worship.
Issued on: 04/08/2026 - FRANCE24
By: Bahar MAKOOI
A member of the Iranian Red Crescent holds the Torah at a synagogue which was damaged in a strike amid the US-Israeli conflict, Tehran, Iran, April 7, 2026. © Majid Asgaripour, ReutersIt was still dark when Marjan arrived in Malek Lane, near Tehran’s historic centre, on April 7. A few minutes earlier, at around 3:30am, a friend from the neighbourhood had awakened her. She had called to tell her that the Rafi-Nia synagogue had just been hit by three Israeli strikes.
‘Pages from sacred books were scattered in the streets’
“I rushed to the scene. The synagogue and the neighbouring building had been completely destroyed,’ she recalled. “The emergency services were already there, along with the Red Crescent, the Basij [a volunteer paramilitary force] and volunteers wearing vests bearing the emblem of the Revolutionary Guards, who were clearing away the rubble. Pages from the holy books had been scattered as far as the neighbouring streets.”
The scene was harrowing. The residents, who had fled their homes in panic just a few hours earlier, were returning to retrieve “what was left of their lives”, Marjan said.
“The neighbours who, for years, had welcomed us and accompanied us on our way to the synagogue were now watching, nervous, distraught and in tears, as all their possessions were destroyed in a fraction of a second.”
Iranian workers and volunteers gather at the site of Israeli-American strikes that according to local media reports destroyed the Rafi-Nia Synagogue and nearby residential buildings in Tehran on April 7, 2026. © AFP
Quietly tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac, Rafi-Nia was more than just a place of worship – it was the cornerstone of a vibrant community. Since the mid-20th century, this old house dating from the first Pahlavi dynasty was made available to the Jewish community by its owner, Abdul Rahman Rafi-Nia, in 1958. It hosted religious services and meetings of the Association of Jewish Graduates of Iran, of which Marjan is a member.
“We wanted this synagogue to remain a living space. There were always people coming and going, activities taking place, families there. We loved gathering there. It was a beautiful old house, with a charming courtyard,” Marjan said. “The memories we have of it make its destruction all the more painful.”
Quietly tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac, Rafi-Nia was more than just a place of worship – it was the cornerstone of a vibrant community. Since the mid-20th century, this old house dating from the first Pahlavi dynasty was made available to the Jewish community by its owner, Abdul Rahman Rafi-Nia, in 1958. It hosted religious services and meetings of the Association of Jewish Graduates of Iran, of which Marjan is a member.
“We wanted this synagogue to remain a living space. There were always people coming and going, activities taking place, families there. We loved gathering there. It was a beautiful old house, with a charming courtyard,” Marjan said. “The memories we have of it make its destruction all the more painful.”
The ruins of the Rafi-Nia synagogue photographed by Marjan. © DR, Marjan
Salvaging ancient Torah scrolls
Miraculously, no one was in Rafi-Nia at the time of the strike. But relief was short-lived, as Marjan and others soon realised that ancient Torah scrolls were now buried beneath tonnes of rubble – creating a race against time to save them.
Worshippers scrabbled to salvage whatever they could. “We tried to recover a few holy books. Of course, we weren’t experts and we weren’t allowed to enter the site of the strike. But we gathered as many books as we could from the alleyway and out on the road,” Marjan said.
Salvaging ancient Torah scrolls
Miraculously, no one was in Rafi-Nia at the time of the strike. But relief was short-lived, as Marjan and others soon realised that ancient Torah scrolls were now buried beneath tonnes of rubble – creating a race against time to save them.
Worshippers scrabbled to salvage whatever they could. “We tried to recover a few holy books. Of course, we weren’t experts and we weren’t allowed to enter the site of the strike. But we gathered as many books as we could from the alleyway and out on the road,” Marjan said.
An excavator removes rubble at the site of a strike that, according to a security official at the scene, destroyed half of the Khorasaniha, or Rafi-Nia, Synagogue and nearby residential buildings in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. © Francisco Seco, AP
Synagogue officials asked for the excavators to be stopped, which the head of the rescue teams agreed to do. “We knew that if the excavators continued to clear the rubble around the Torah ark, the scrolls would be destroyed. The rubble had to be removed by hand.”
The congregation waited five days before the sacred scrolls were finally found, mostly intact. It was a relief to discover that they had been protected by their sturdy wooden cases.
Synagogue officials asked for the excavators to be stopped, which the head of the rescue teams agreed to do. “We knew that if the excavators continued to clear the rubble around the Torah ark, the scrolls would be destroyed. The rubble had to be removed by hand.”
The congregation waited five days before the sacred scrolls were finally found, mostly intact. It was a relief to discover that they had been protected by their sturdy wooden cases.
Community members are recovering historic Torah scrolls that were buried under the rubble. © DR, Marjan
Fortunately, these Torah scrolls were kept in cases; they were recovered intact. © DR, Marjan
‘The door was always open’
For Narciss M. Sohrabi, a researcher in urban planning who has spent several years studying Jewish community spaces in Tehran, the news was hardly believable. “I was stunned. How could a small, modest, almost invisible building, tucked away in a cul-de-sac in central Tehran, have been targeted?”
She knows Rafi-Nia well.
“There was no sign indicating that it was a synagogue,” said Sohrabi, who is affiliated with the Ladyss laboratory in Paris and the Centre for Iranian Studies at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
“This invisibility is a characteristic of many synagogues in Iran. Yet it did not protect Rafi-Nia from Israeli missiles.”
Local families would regularly meet in the synagogue’s basement, where a kosher and vegetarian restaurant served up pizzas, falafels and sandwiches.
“The door was always open,” Sohrabi said.
‘The door was always open’
For Narciss M. Sohrabi, a researcher in urban planning who has spent several years studying Jewish community spaces in Tehran, the news was hardly believable. “I was stunned. How could a small, modest, almost invisible building, tucked away in a cul-de-sac in central Tehran, have been targeted?”
She knows Rafi-Nia well.
“There was no sign indicating that it was a synagogue,” said Sohrabi, who is affiliated with the Ladyss laboratory in Paris and the Centre for Iranian Studies at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
“This invisibility is a characteristic of many synagogues in Iran. Yet it did not protect Rafi-Nia from Israeli missiles.”
Local families would regularly meet in the synagogue’s basement, where a kosher and vegetarian restaurant served up pizzas, falafels and sandwiches.
“The door was always open,” Sohrabi said.
A photo taken inside the Rafi-Nia synagogue before its destruction. © DR, Marjan
“Israel has destroyed not only a place of worship, but also a place of remembrance and social life for the Iranian-Jewish community.”
Israeli army’s ‘mea culpa’
The Israeli army was quick to claim responsibility for the strikes. In an article in The Times of Israel, it stated that it had targeted a senior commander of the Iranian armed forces, Khatam al-Anbiya. The synagogue, it claimed, was collateral damage. “The Israeli army regrets the collateral damage caused to the synagogue” the statement said, adding it used “precision munitions” and took measures to minimise the risk to civilians.
The decimation of Rafi-Nia has hit hard, amplifying fears within an already fragile and dwindling community. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country was home to more than 100,000 Iranian Jews. Today, there are no more than 9,000 to 10,000.
“Iran, however, is still home to the largest indigenous Jewish community in the Middle East outside Israel,” said Miriam Nissimov, a senior lecturer at Tel Aviv University and author of "From Cyrus to Khomeini: The Jews of Iran".
Unlike most neighbouring countries, Iran’s Jews did not flee the country en masse following the creation of the state of Israel. “Emigration took place at a much slower pace,” the Israeli researcher explained.
Many remained, sometimes out of a sense of attachment to a presence dating back more than 2,500 years.
In Iran, Judaism is still recognised by the constitution of the Islamic Republic. The community has its own synagogues, schools and a member of parliament. However, this recognition is subject to many restrictions.
“Jews are free to practise their religion, but they do not enjoy full equality as citizens,” Nissimov said. “Their access to certain civil service posts or senior positions remains limited.” Also, citizens who are registered as Muslim at birth cannot legally convert to Judaism, according to reports by Amnesty International.
"Alongside official declarations of religious tolerance, anti-Jewish themes have long been present in certain aspects of the Islamic Republic's religious discourse, and anti-Semitic stereotypes have repeatedly appeared in state-linked media, as well as in certain television series and films," Nissimov added.
A community under pressure
Concerns have intensified since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025. According to the NGO Human Rights in Iran, at least thirty Iranian Jews were called in for questioning by security services during the conflict, primarily due to their family ties to Israel.
"Many Iranian Jews have children or relatives living in Israel," Sohrabi said. "Communication has become extremely difficult since that initial war. Some use foreign SIM cards. Others do not even answer the phone when they see an incoming Israeli number."
According to Human Rights in Iran, these actions created a climate unlike any seen since the 1979 revolution.
"They have not only sparked anxiety and concern among Iranian Jews but have also threatened their psychological and social security," sources close to the families of Jewish citizens said when cited in reports by the NGO.
READ MORE'Iran responded to peaceful quest for human rights, dignity with unprecedented violent crackdown'
"Some members of the Iranian Jewish community – who maintain close ties to Israel due to religious and family connections – are deeply concerned about the rising religious pressure and discrimination at this time," Human Rights in Iran added.
In the aftermath of the Israeli air strikes in April, Iranian authorities pledged to rebuild Rafi-Nia and designate the building as a national heritage site.
"This site should also be partially converted into a museum to commemorate the event. It will remain in the historical memory of Iranians, the world, and future generations, so that the world knows a child-killing regime attacked the heart of Iran and that this crime must be recorded in the country's history," Seyyed Reza Salehi Amiri, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, told the Iranian news agency ISNA.
READ MORE'Iraq’s Jewish history and heritage is integral to the Iraqi identity'
It would provide a tangible means for local authorities to show their commitment to preserving the heritage of the Iranian Jewish community. However, several human rights organisations say the reality is more complex. The NGO Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) reports that "certain religious or cultural sites belonging to minorities in Iran are facing abandonment, encroachment, or destruction".
“Israel has destroyed not only a place of worship, but also a place of remembrance and social life for the Iranian-Jewish community.”
Israeli army’s ‘mea culpa’
The Israeli army was quick to claim responsibility for the strikes. In an article in The Times of Israel, it stated that it had targeted a senior commander of the Iranian armed forces, Khatam al-Anbiya. The synagogue, it claimed, was collateral damage. “The Israeli army regrets the collateral damage caused to the synagogue” the statement said, adding it used “precision munitions” and took measures to minimise the risk to civilians.
The decimation of Rafi-Nia has hit hard, amplifying fears within an already fragile and dwindling community. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country was home to more than 100,000 Iranian Jews. Today, there are no more than 9,000 to 10,000.
“Iran, however, is still home to the largest indigenous Jewish community in the Middle East outside Israel,” said Miriam Nissimov, a senior lecturer at Tel Aviv University and author of "From Cyrus to Khomeini: The Jews of Iran".
Unlike most neighbouring countries, Iran’s Jews did not flee the country en masse following the creation of the state of Israel. “Emigration took place at a much slower pace,” the Israeli researcher explained.
Many remained, sometimes out of a sense of attachment to a presence dating back more than 2,500 years.
In Iran, Judaism is still recognised by the constitution of the Islamic Republic. The community has its own synagogues, schools and a member of parliament. However, this recognition is subject to many restrictions.
“Jews are free to practise their religion, but they do not enjoy full equality as citizens,” Nissimov said. “Their access to certain civil service posts or senior positions remains limited.” Also, citizens who are registered as Muslim at birth cannot legally convert to Judaism, according to reports by Amnesty International.
"Alongside official declarations of religious tolerance, anti-Jewish themes have long been present in certain aspects of the Islamic Republic's religious discourse, and anti-Semitic stereotypes have repeatedly appeared in state-linked media, as well as in certain television series and films," Nissimov added.
A community under pressure
Concerns have intensified since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025. According to the NGO Human Rights in Iran, at least thirty Iranian Jews were called in for questioning by security services during the conflict, primarily due to their family ties to Israel.
"Many Iranian Jews have children or relatives living in Israel," Sohrabi said. "Communication has become extremely difficult since that initial war. Some use foreign SIM cards. Others do not even answer the phone when they see an incoming Israeli number."
According to Human Rights in Iran, these actions created a climate unlike any seen since the 1979 revolution.
"They have not only sparked anxiety and concern among Iranian Jews but have also threatened their psychological and social security," sources close to the families of Jewish citizens said when cited in reports by the NGO.
READ MORE'Iran responded to peaceful quest for human rights, dignity with unprecedented violent crackdown'
"Some members of the Iranian Jewish community – who maintain close ties to Israel due to religious and family connections – are deeply concerned about the rising religious pressure and discrimination at this time," Human Rights in Iran added.
In the aftermath of the Israeli air strikes in April, Iranian authorities pledged to rebuild Rafi-Nia and designate the building as a national heritage site.
"This site should also be partially converted into a museum to commemorate the event. It will remain in the historical memory of Iranians, the world, and future generations, so that the world knows a child-killing regime attacked the heart of Iran and that this crime must be recorded in the country's history," Seyyed Reza Salehi Amiri, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, told the Iranian news agency ISNA.
READ MORE'Iraq’s Jewish history and heritage is integral to the Iraqi identity'
It would provide a tangible means for local authorities to show their commitment to preserving the heritage of the Iranian Jewish community. However, several human rights organisations say the reality is more complex. The NGO Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) reports that "certain religious or cultural sites belonging to minorities in Iran are facing abandonment, encroachment, or destruction".
Images of the desecration and destruction of the Giliard Jewish cemetery located in the Mazandaran province of Iran. © Hrana
HRANA has documented several cases, including that of the historic Giliard cemetery, which is listed as part of Iran's national heritage and considered one of the country's most important Jewish burial sites. The NGO warned in December that in recent months the site has been deteriorating. Located in Mazandaran province in northern Iran, "parts of the cemetery grounds are now being turned into illegal dump sites, and many tombstones are broken, displaced, or damaged".
Yet, like the Rafi-Nia synagogue, the Giliard cemetery is part of Iran's cultural heritage. Its disrepair represents not only the loss of a legacy belonging to the Iranian Jewish community, it also signifies that a piece of Iran's history is slipping away.
This article is an adaptation from the original in French by Nicole Trian.
HRANA has documented several cases, including that of the historic Giliard cemetery, which is listed as part of Iran's national heritage and considered one of the country's most important Jewish burial sites. The NGO warned in December that in recent months the site has been deteriorating. Located in Mazandaran province in northern Iran, "parts of the cemetery grounds are now being turned into illegal dump sites, and many tombstones are broken, displaced, or damaged".
Yet, like the Rafi-Nia synagogue, the Giliard cemetery is part of Iran's cultural heritage. Its disrepair represents not only the loss of a legacy belonging to the Iranian Jewish community, it also signifies that a piece of Iran's history is slipping away.
This article is an adaptation from the original in French by Nicole Trian.
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