IRAN

Iran

March 2023

During March, the museum will hold a series of events pertaining to Iran, a country with a rich and ancient history, from the Persian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BCE until modern-day Iran and the anti-hijab revolution.

Five

Woman. Life. Freedom

Opening Date: 2/3/23

Closing Date: 1/4/23

Curator: Orly Cohen

The exhibition Five examines the Iranian protest that began in September 2022 through the stories of five women, out of hundreds, that paid the price of opposing an extremist regime with their bodies and lives. They are a symbol, and their characters have been commemorated in artworks by contemporary Iranian artists across social media. This visual art tells a story of hope, defiance, unity, and courage displayed by a nation opposing an extremist regime.

* The exhibition may contain disturbing images

***

"The Queen: Behind the Scenes” – Lecture by Dr. Tamar Eilam Gindin and Maayan Eshkoli for the publication of their new book, “The Queen"

Monday, 6/3/23, 20:00, free entry based on vacancy, to order tickets:

The historical novel tells the story of Queen Esther by merging historical documentation from the era with haggadic and Midrashic materials and breathes new life into the heroes of the Megillah. Through their eyes, we are exposed to the court traditions, religion, and culture of ancient Persia as documented by contemporary Iranian and Greek sources, Zoroastrian writings, and descriptions of the events found in Rabbinic sources, the writings of 10^th century Iranian Jews, and naturally, the authors of the text.

Maayan Eshkoli – author, screenwriter, masseuse, and multidisciplinary artist with a golden touch for anything and everything. A prolific writer with a wild imagination.

Dr. Tamar Eilam Gindin – Iranian specialist who builds bridges between the Jewish people and the Iranian nation, opening eyes on both sides by exposing the humanity on either side and our similarities which outnumber our differences (most of which are unique). Lecturer at Shalem College, research fellow at the Meir and Miriam Center for Iran & Persian Gulf Studies at the University of Haifa, author, independent podcaster, and much more.

***

Iranian Women – Between Protest and Revolution, A Zoom Meeting with Two Iranian Women in Exile: Journalist Nazenin Ansari and Attorney Zohreh Mizrahi

* The meeting will be held in English over Zoom

Wednesday, 8/3/23. 19:00, free of charge, sign-up

To commemorate International Women’s Day, a special Zoom meeting will be held with two Iranian women in exile. The first is journalist Nazenin Ansari who lives in London, the editor of two media channels (one in English, the other in Persian) that cover contemporary events in Iran. The second is attorney Zohreh Mizrahi who lives in Los Angeles, the foremost attorney in the United States regarding human rights, immigration, and much more. The two will discuss life in exile, the clandestine threats from their homeland, the current protest, and more.

* The event is held in collaboration with ICOM Israel.

***

SWEET DESTINY – Premiere of the film by exiled-Iranian musician Arash Sobhani in Israel

Thursday, 16/3/23, 19:00, free entry based on vacancy, to order tickets:

The film is in Persian with English subtitles.

-

The film Sweet Destiny was written by exiled Iranian musician Arash Sobhani, lead singer and guitarist of the underground Iranian rock band, Kiosk. The film was also made into a rock album delving into Iran’s lack of human rights and especially the prevalence of the death penalty in the country. Arash was exiled from Iran in 2005 due to increasing censorship and a prohibition on rock music. He uses music to protest against the regime and serve as the voice of Iran’s youth held hostage by the state.

***

Iran’s Revolutionary Century: From the Telegraph to Social Media

Lecturer: Dr. Tamar Eilam Gindin

Thursday, 23/3/23, 20:00, cost included in the entry fee, to purchase tickets:

From the Tobacco Protest of the late 19^th century, through the Islamic Revolution of 1979, to the current protests, Iran has seen much turmoil over the past 100 years. The causes of each revolution were known, but what was the role played by mass communication and technology during each revolution? Is the anti-hijab protest the beginning of the Instagram Revolution?