Being Iranian

As part of a lesson by Project Mosaics, this film, “Being Iranian,” features Lior Sternfeld, Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at Penn State University and author of Between Iran and Zionism: Jewish Histories of Twentieth Century Iran.

Recognizing that dominant narratives of Iran in the 20th and 21st centuries often overlook the nuances of Jewish experiences in that country, Sternfeld details the upward mobility of Jews prior to the 1979 Revolution and describes how the community continues to exist and adapt to contemporary circumstances decades after the Revolution. The brief video displays the importance of learning about the experiences of minority communities and the concept of global citizenship, while discussing modern Middle Eastern history and modern Iranian history.

This film is part of an engaging lesson that also studies the broad narratives of Iranian society, case studies of two Jewish women during the 1978-1979 Revolution, and photos of Iranian Jews in the 21st century. The lesson culminates in a persuasive writing and infographic project to convey the value of learning about the Jews of Iran to help make someone a “better global citizen.”