On April 19, 2007 the Graduate Society Foundation in a large gathering held at the Iranian Jewish Federation introduced the Farsi translation of two invaluable and well-known books from the collection of Jewish literature. These books, Of A World That Is No More by Israel Singer, a Jewish writer from Poland, and A Trumpet in the Wadi by Sami Michael, from Israel, have been translated by Mr. B. Biniaz.  They were formally presented to enthusiasts of Jewish history and literature.  Mrs. Sharona Abrams welcomed the participants and then introduced the speakers.

The first speaker, Rahmatollah Ourshalimi from The Graduate Society Foundation, explained that the roots of story telling in Jewish culture predate the creation of the Torah, in which stories play an essential role. Story telling in Jewish culture and literature continued in two forms: Midrash and Aggadah, explained Mr. Ourshalimi, citing various publications produced by our organization over the last 12 years.  He then informed the audience that the academic work History of Iranian Jewry in Nineteenth Century, by Professor David Ourshalimi from Tel Aviv University; Religious Minorities in Iran, by Dr. Daniel Sediq; and Night by Nobel Prize winner Eli Wiesel, are currently in the publication process.

 In conclusion, he expressed gratitude for the efforts and contributions of Mr. Iraj Safaee in the publication of the books being introduced this evening. In addition, he thanked the translator, Mr. B. Biniaz on behalf of the Graduate Society Foundation.

The next speaker was Professor Jaleh Pirnazar, a researcher from the University of California, Berkeley. While in the process of writing a critique of A Trumpet in Wadi, she concluded that there is a need for readers to familiarize themselves with Israeli people and their culture.  She went on to say that Sami Michael, in this work, has presented two complicated sides and shown how the Arab and Israeli people can live side by side harmoniously. 

Next, the audience watched a videotaped message from Sami Michael.  This video, produced in Israel, was translated by Mrs. Violet Sassooni and Mr. Abdi Khorramian.  He explained here that A Trumpet in Wadi, written over 20 years ago, is a favorite of his among his own works.  He is quite happy, therefore, that it has been translated to Farsi through the Graduate Society Foundation. He recalled that he lived in Iran for one year is his youth and in that time became quite influenced by the rich Persian culture.  He explores this in great depth in his book, Storm Over the Palms.  Mr. Mikhael hopes to get the opportunity to spend more time with the Persian Jewish community in Los Angeles in the near future. 

Mr. Abbas Pahlavan, author, journalist, and editor of Asr Emrooz, was the next speaker.  He remarked that in Persian culture, the first stories began with the phrase, “Yeki bood, yeki nabood, gheyr az Khoda hich kas nabood” and led to the spread of story telling throughout the world.  Religions depended on storytelling to lead their members and spread their message.  Great poets such as Rumi, Attar Neishaboori, and Ferdowsi created the best stories, which they told with both meter and rhyme.  He added that A Trumpet in Wadi is similar to the lines “Beshnow as ney……” by Rumi.

Our final presenter was Ms. Shirindokht Daghighian, a researcher, writer, and esteemed translator.  In her critique of Of A World That is No Longer she claims that we all are passengers in a caravan of literature and all deeply love Iranian Jewish culture and literature.  She added that this book, written in a sweet and humorous tone, is written from the point of a view of a simple group of people. She lamented that these societies, living throughout Eastern and Western Europe, were exterminated through ethnic cleansing and denounced the Holocaust as the most terrifying catastrophe in human history, which resulted in the destruction of the various Jewish societies throughout Europe. 

The audience was appreciative and very responsive to the program and many books were purchased that evening.