Iran Loomed Large

"Iran Loomed Large" features Esther Amini, author of Concealed: Memoir of a Jewish-Iranian Daughter Caught Between the Chador and America. As a first generation American, Esther was raised in a home where the language, food, music, and values of Iran surrounded her in ways that connected her to the country of her parents and ancestors.

The film is part of a lesson by Project Mosaics that provides students with an opportunity to examine the experiences of Mashhadi Jews, after immigrating to New York and navigating the challenges and opportunities of adapting to and integrating within American society. During the lesson, students will reflect on their own experiences being misunderstood or excluded. Students will view the "Jewish Above Ground” film, read excerpts from Esther’s memoir, Concealed, and participate in a discussion about the ways “walls” and “bridges” may be built between communities, even across different Jewish communities. They will watch the “Iran Loomed Large” film and read another passage from Concealed, observing through the lens of cultural cross-pollination while identifying tensions between value systems and the support systems Mashhadi Jews created for each other. The lesson culminates with students crafting their own vignette, emulating the personal storytelling of Esther Amini by focusing on the same themes she addresses.