Deep Roots of Shared Values
"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: ... he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem."Book of Ezra 1:2
When Cyrus the Great issued the decree freeing the Jews in 538 BCE, he did not merely release a people from captivity; he opened a bond that is still open today. The Jews who returned to Jerusalem wrote Cyrus's name into their scripture, and for centuries Iranians knew Jews as neighbours, merchants, physicians, and fellow citizens. This bond is neither a slogan nor a relic; it is a thread still being pulled taut.
Family: The Axis of Civilization
In Iranian Culture
- • Respect for parents and elders
- • Importance of children's education
- • Family support in hardships
In Jewish Culture
- • Kibbud av v'em (honoring father and mother)
- • Talmud Torah (Torah study)
- • Mutual chesed (kindness) in community
Education: The Nation's Capital
In both Iranian and Jewish traditions, knowledge and education hold sacred positions. This shared perspective has made both societies leaders throughout history in science, philosophy, and innovation.
Historical Examples
- • House of Wisdom in Baghdad: Collaboration between Iranian and Jewish scholars
- • Modern Universities: Significant presence of both communities in higher education
Spirit of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The entrepreneurial spirit in both cultures is not a claim but a history — one written in the bazaar.
For centuries, Iran's Jews were goldsmiths, cloth-merchants and physicians in the bazaars of Tehran and Isfahan; the name of Oudlajan, Tehran's old Jewish quarter, still remembers that coexistence. The same bazaar spirit — trust built on a name and one's honour, a deal sealed with a handshake — lives today both in Tel Aviv's start-ups and in Iranian-born entrepreneurs the world over.
Hospitality: Symbol of Humanity
"Hospitality to guests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence" - Talmud
In both cultures, hosting and welcoming guests is considered not just a tradition, but a sacred duty that reflects the depth of humanity and human dignity.
Shared Future: The Cyrus Accords
These deep shared values provide a solid foundation for building a future of cooperation and lasting peace. The Cyrus Accords is not just a political agreement, but a return to shared civilizational roots.
In 2020, the Abraham Accords opened a new door between Israel and several of its Arab neighbours. But the oldest friendship in this region is the one between Iran and Israel — a friendship that reaches back to Cyrus. The Cyrus Accords are not meant to invent something new; they are meant to complete the oldest thread of all, finishing a chapter Cyrus opened 2,500 years ago.
From Cyrus the Great to Cyrus Accords
2,500 years of friendship, one shared future