Editor's note: This piece was co-authored by Marziyeh Amirizadeh.
Purim is the holiday celebrated by Jews this week, marking the deliverance of the Jewish people in Persia – what was then the world’s superpower - for the past 2500 years. in recent years a growing number of Christians have identified the significance of the holiday, marking Esther‘s bravery, and the defeat and annihilation of the evil Haman and his sons, and all those who felt empowered to massacre the Jewish people.
This year more than ever, both Jews and Christians in general, and Israelis and Iranians in specific, are and should be united in the common lessons and miracles as chronicled in Esther. The often-repeated verse were Mordechai counsels Esther that she was put in her place as Queen “for such a time as this” (4:14) has never been more relevant, and never been more of an urgent rallying cry for us.
As an American born Orthodox Israeli Jew and Iranian born American Christian, we have partnered to build essential bridges between Jews and Christians, and to restore the once bright relations between Jews and Persians. We have done so by piloting Root and Branch, a remarkable project to bring Christians to harvest olives in Israel. And we have spoken out about the need to bring about the rapid demise of the Iranian Islamic Republic regime.
Not since Haman has Persia been the threat it is to the Jewish people. Iran today is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism with tentacles and cells across the world. The Islamic Republic’s goal and intent to acquire nuclear weapons is not something to be negotiated with, but unilaterally shut down. At all costs. The ayatollahs striving for a nuclear weapon is not a negotiating tactic. They are not intimidated by threats of maximum pressure. If they acquire a weapon they will use it. That is obviously potentially devastating for Israel, but also for the world because it will be putting nuclear weapons in the hands of the world evil regime that worships death and destruction. A nuclear Iran will forever use the threat of nuclear war to extort the world.
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The Islamic Republic must also meet a swift demise 46 years after hijacking an entire country because of the crimes they have committed against the Iranian people. Countless Iranians have been arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and executed in cold blood as the Islamists inflict maximum suffering on their own people.
We, each, have experienced the suffering under the heels of the Islamic regime. One (Marzi) lived under the harsh, misogynist Islamist, and was arrested, imprisoned and sentenced to death for becoming a Chrisitan, and witnessed the execution of loved ones. Another (Jonathan) has lived for decades under the threat of rockets, drones, and missiles of Iranian and Iranian-proxy threats, and witnessed terror attacks and suffering close to home.
As we celebrate the ancient victory over the evil Haman by the righteous Mordechai and Esther, we - Jews and Christians and Americans and Israelis and Iranians - must come together to realize this vision. The same way the Jewish people were saved by a divine miracle 2500 years ago, we must pray and advocate for another miracle today. Indeed, Esther herself was a woman of action. She asked that Jews in Persia pray and fast. This combination of beseeching God and taking personal action will save Israel and the Jewish people who are in the ayatollah’s crosshairs, as well as Iran and the Iranian people who have suffered the brunt of brutal domestic Islamic torture.
As Persia 2500 years ago was the world’s superpower with 127 provinces, defeating the ayatollahs will also save the world.
Our heroes then were Esther and Mordechai but also King Cyrus who empowered and funded the Jewish people’s return to Jerusalem and reconstruction of the Temple. Cyrus understood the imperative to bless the Jewish people and centrality of Jerusalem as the heart of Jewish life.
Today’s heroes are President Trump as leader of the modern superpower who has the ability to shut down the Islamic regime once and for all. Our heroes are Israel and the Jewish people who have fought and resisted decades of Iranian threats and through their evil proxies. Our heroes are the Iranian people who loathe the Islamic regime and are just waiting, begging, to be able to overthrow their evil rulers. And our hero is Crown Prince Raza Pahlavi who has shown great strength and courage in making the restoration of positive relations between Israel and Iran, and Jews and Persians.
There is a Biblical tradition that when the Jewish people were standing at the shores of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army behind them, God only performed the miracle of splitting the sea when one man demonstrated his faith and walked in the water up until his nose. Today we are calling upon Jews and Christians, Israelis, Americans, and Iranians wherever they are, and people of good conscience everywhere, to join us and our organizations Genesis 123 Foundation and NewPersia.org to demonstrate their faith and support. We are prepared to fund first class flights for Crown Prince Pahlavi to return to Iran and restore his family’s monarchy. He is the most unifying and recognized Iranian leader who can lead Iran and its relations with Israel and the world to a peaceful and prosperous future. He has the greatest ability to overcome the fake reformists who claim to be against the Islamic regime but are truly looking to prop up the regime, leading to continued death, destruction, and suffering.
At the end of the book of Esther, there is a beautiful verse that says, “The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor.” (8:16) As we celebrate Purim this week, we pray this will be the outcome not just for Israel and the Jewish people, but for Iranians and the entire world. We believe that through the power of prayer and public advocacy, we can see in our day, miracles performed that are unimaginable and will indeed be remarkable.
Marziyeh Amirizadeh is an Iranian American who immigrated to the US after being sentenced to death in Iran for the crime of converting to Christianity. She endured months of mental and physical hardships and intense interrogation. She is author of two books (the latest, A Love Journey with God), public speaker, and columnist. She has shared her inspiring story throughout the United States and around the world, to bring awareness about the ongoing human rights violations and persecution of women and religious minorities in Iran, www.MarzisJourney.com. Marzi also is the founder and president of NEW PERSIA whose mission is to be the voice of persecuted Christians and oppressed women under Islam, expose the lies of the Iranian Islamic regime, and restore the relationships between Persians, Jews, and Christians. www.NewPersia.org
Jonathan Feldstein is president of the Genesis 123 Foundation (www,genesis123.co) whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians and Christians with Israel. He was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six, and grandfather of four (so far). Two sons and a son in law are currently serving in the IDF and have been involved in combat in Gaza and Lebanon since the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre in Israel. Jonathan is a leader working with and among Christian supporters of Israel, and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel through his work, writing, and as host of the Inspiration from Zion podcast. Since the war began, he has authored more than 150 articles, and participated in a similar number of interviews, briefings, prayer events, and more. Jonathan is working with Christian leaders all over the world to realize a true peace in Gaza, details of which can be found at www.SolutionforPeaceinGaza.com. In 2023 he published the highly acclaimed book, Israel the Miracle (www.israelthemiracle.com), which makes a great gift for Chanukah and Christmas, and year round.
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