Last year Rabbi Abraham Gisser* published a Nowruz Greeting for the Iranian people in Thamar E. Gindin’s blog.
I’ve helped Thamar translate it to Persian, and designed this graphic greeting, which is made of Iranian elements, that create a shape similar to Magen David.
The most prominent Zoroastrian element is the Fravahr, that winged being with the Mobed on top. Besides the Magen David, there’s another typical Jewish symbol hiding in the background – a very light, almost transparent Menorah.
Although the Menorah is more associated with Hanukkah, the feast of lights in December (the Hanukkah story is about a seven-fire Menorah, and the one they light is of nine candles), but Nowruz is also associated with light and fire: There are candles on the Sofre je Hæftsin, the traditional holiday table, and the night before the last Wednesday of the year – that is, the last Wednesday before Nowruz, there’s a huge fire-holiday, where people light bonfires and jump over them. It’s not exactly like Hanukkah, but I wanted to convey the light element of Nowruz by a Jewish symbol.
This graphic became viral among Iran-loving Israelis this Nowruz, and as so often happens with viral things, it was with no credit…
Hebrew says: Happy Nowruz. Iranian elements with Magen David.
You can find the original Hebrew greeting and the Persian translation in Thamar’s site. This is the English translation:
To the people of the great and honorable Iranian Nation,
May the Lord bestow all his blessings upon you, and send you happiness and freedom for a happy New Year on this Nowruz holiday, your nation’s New Year’s day.
Like you, the Jewish people also marks it national New Year in the beginning of spring. The book of Law states that spring is the time of blossom for all human and national values, and we are commanded to celebrate them each and every year.
The heart of spring celebrations is Passover, which is the holiday of Freedom. On this day the Jewish nation was redeemed, escaped the yoke of an enslaving tyrant in ancient Egypt, and turned from a nation of slaves into a free nation. Only after attaining freedom, the nation was worthy of receiving the Law from the Lord, and live its religious life to the fullest. Religious wholeness and pure belief are the lot of the free only. Enslavement and coercion are the opposite of the human spirit, and what are religious belief and observing the commandments worth if the human spirit is oppressed and humiliated?
The Jewish people are not the enemy of the honorable Iranian nation. The Iranian nation has a glorious tradition of respect for human values and struggle for freedom and equality. The common mission of the two nations is to continue striving for equality, peace, and respect for every person – man and woman, young and old. Women’s freedom is their honor. A woman’s freedom is the distinct sign of a society that chooses life and joy in life. The common enemy of both nations is any government or movement that enslaves the human spirit and humiliates the women, the weak and the different in the name of religion or in the name of any other fake ideology.
In the name of the Torah of Israel and in the name of many Rabbis and people of freedom and honor, I wish you a year of hope and peace.
* Rabbi Avraham Gisser is a religious and educational leader in Israel.
The Rabbi is head of a large congregation and of various educational systems.
Rabbi Avraham Gisser believes in leading a life of belief and observing commandments out of free choice and freedom of speech.
The passing year was anything but hope and peace. I hope the new year brings hope and peace to our peoples, at last.
All my texts, pictures and graphics are licensed cc-by-nc-sa. You are welcome to share and make non-commercial use of them, as long as you give me proper credit and a link, and allow others to do the same. Contact me, here on the upper left side, if you want to make commercial use of the materials on the site, or if you would like me to be your personal, event or business photographer and/or graphic designer.
