About the Book
Jacqueline Saper, named after Jacqueline Kennedy, was born in Tehran to Iranian and British parents. At eighteen she witnessed the civil unrest of the 1979 Iranian revolution and continued to live in the Islamic Republic during its most volatile times, including the Iran-Iraq War. In a deeply intimate and personal story, Saper recounts her privileged childhood in prerevolutionary Iran and how she gradually became aware of the paradoxes in her life and community—primarily the disparate religions and cultures. In 1979 under the Ayatollah regime, Iran became increasingly unfamiliar and hostile to Saper. Seemingly overnight she went from living a carefree life of wearing miniskirts and attending high school to listening to fanatic diatribes, forced to wear the hijab, and hiding in the basement as Iraqi bombs fell over the city. She eventually fled to the United States in 1987 with her husband and children after, in part, witnessing her six-year-old daughter’s indoctrination into radical Islamic politics at school. At the heart of Saper’s story is a harrowing and instructive tale of how extremist ideologies seized a Westernized, affluent country and transformed it into a fundamentalist Islamic society. |
Hardcover
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Books-A-Million | University of Nebraska Press | Book Depository | Alibris eBook Kindle | Google Play | Kobo | Nook Audiobook Audible | Blackstone Audiobooks | Google Play | Kobo | Libro.fm | Nook Audiobook |
Book Reviews
- Chicago Tribune Now: Jacqueline Saper's "From Miniskirt to Hijab: is a story for our times.
- The Times of Israel: Miniskirted No More
- Sheridan Road Magazine: The Politics of Fashion
- Kayhan Life Publication of London, UK: “From Miniskirt to Hijab”
- Chicago Writers Association: Judges review for the winner of the Book of the Year Award.
- The JC of London, England: Review: From Miniskirt to Hijab
- Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles: A Young Woman’s Spellbinding Journey
- Windy City Reviews: Book Review: From Miniskirt to Hijab
- The American Academy of Religion: From Miniskirt to Hijab
- San Diego Jewish World: Modern woman tells of life under the ayatollahs
- Algemeiner: A Childhood Disturbed in Iran
- Borderless Magazine: Chicagoan Remembers Revolutionary Iran
- The JUF Magazine: Childhood Shattered by the Ayatollah and his followers
- Hippocampus Magazine: From Miniskirt to Hijab
- The Wilmette Beacon: Author relives escape from Iran during tense times
- Potomac Books Reading List: Books on Iran
- The Chicago Sun Times: They Can't Relate
- Point of No Return of the UK : One Iranian-Jewish woman's story
- The Woodstock Independent: The past wouldn't leave me alone
Book Praise
"In addition to being a memoir of resiliency and courage, From Miniskirt to Hijab offers glimpses into Iran’s history and customs, its arts and laws, how its social institutions operate, and its people think."—Fred Reiss, San Diego Jewish World
"From Miniskirt to Hijab: A Girl in Revolutionary Iran provides a memoir not just of Jacqueline Saper, but of a pivotal time in conservative Iran, and should be required reading for anyone interested in the social evolution of Iran and women's changing experiences and roles in that country."—Diane C. Donovan, Donovan’s Bookshelf
"From Miniskirt to Hijab will leave readers with the ability to understand the deeper issues related to post-revolutionary Iran. Simply put, anyone who wants to understand the human element behind American policy vis-à-vis Iran should read (and quote) this book, which should be read widely in college classrooms, among other places."—Tabby Refael, Jewish Journal
"This memoir by Saper has valuable insights for a wide range of audiences both Iranian and non-Iranian. It could be adopted in literature courses focusing on Middle Eastern writing, women’s writings, and diaspora."--Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi, Assistant Professor in Persian Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“Richly informative, From Miniskirt to Hijab captures a difficult time in Iranian history with honesty and candor. Saper demonstrates her love for the country of her birth while realistically discussing some of the challenges confronting a non-Shiite in a very conservative society.”—Mateo Mohammad Farzaneh, associate professor of history at Northeastern Illinois University and author of The Iranian Constitutional Revolution and the Clerical Leadership of Khurasani
“From Miniskirt to Hijab is a deeply moving memoir that vividly details the struggle of human life—both collective and individual—under authoritarian rule. Saper’s insightful and compelling narrative is extraordinary in its use of personal perspective to mourn the rapid loss of Iran’s once progressive society. This book is both an important historical account and a cautionary tale, a poignant reminder of the devastating impact an unchecked regime has on its unwilling participants.”—Bardia Fard, chapter president of the Iranian-American Bar Association
“From Miniskirt to Hijab is the best book yet to explain the contrast of life under the rule of the Shah versus that of the Ayatollahs. Saper is uniquely able to articulate the underlying dynamic of Iran’s sudden rejection of a Western culture that was idealized for years before 1979. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the causes of turmoil in one of the most volatile regions of the world.”—Bobak Kalhor, director and producer of A Dying King: The Shah of Iran
"I have just read your memoire…From Miniskirt to Hijab and it is absolutely one of the best books I have read in my 65 years of reading. I am married to an Iranian Jew from Tehran, but he was sent to Israel at age 12 in 1961. His parents followed several years later as did his older siblings. I was fascinated to learn all the historic details and will share them with our children. Thank you again for your excellent book."--Barbara M. from Quebec, Montreal, Canada.
"I am in awe! I just finished reading your bio/memoir/accounting of your journey and Iran's journey, From Miniskirt to Hijab. I cannot thank you enough for this beautiful book. I am recommending it all over Facebook. This book's message is timely and timeless. I'll be choosing your book as one of those we read this year in my synagogue's book club. A million thx." --Sandy Wasserman from New York.
"From Miniskirt to Hijab, illustrates the different ways religion, prejudice, discrimination, power, and minority statuses differ vastly from place to place but also share common features. Moreover, the book also teaches the strengths that diversity can bring to any culture." --Professor Jessica Emami at Marymount University
"From Miniskirt to Hijab: A Girl in Revolutionary Iran provides a memoir not just of Jacqueline Saper, but of a pivotal time in conservative Iran, and should be required reading for anyone interested in the social evolution of Iran and women's changing experiences and roles in that country."—Diane C. Donovan, Donovan’s Bookshelf
"From Miniskirt to Hijab will leave readers with the ability to understand the deeper issues related to post-revolutionary Iran. Simply put, anyone who wants to understand the human element behind American policy vis-à-vis Iran should read (and quote) this book, which should be read widely in college classrooms, among other places."—Tabby Refael, Jewish Journal
"This memoir by Saper has valuable insights for a wide range of audiences both Iranian and non-Iranian. It could be adopted in literature courses focusing on Middle Eastern writing, women’s writings, and diaspora."--Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi, Assistant Professor in Persian Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“Richly informative, From Miniskirt to Hijab captures a difficult time in Iranian history with honesty and candor. Saper demonstrates her love for the country of her birth while realistically discussing some of the challenges confronting a non-Shiite in a very conservative society.”—Mateo Mohammad Farzaneh, associate professor of history at Northeastern Illinois University and author of The Iranian Constitutional Revolution and the Clerical Leadership of Khurasani
“From Miniskirt to Hijab is a deeply moving memoir that vividly details the struggle of human life—both collective and individual—under authoritarian rule. Saper’s insightful and compelling narrative is extraordinary in its use of personal perspective to mourn the rapid loss of Iran’s once progressive society. This book is both an important historical account and a cautionary tale, a poignant reminder of the devastating impact an unchecked regime has on its unwilling participants.”—Bardia Fard, chapter president of the Iranian-American Bar Association
“From Miniskirt to Hijab is the best book yet to explain the contrast of life under the rule of the Shah versus that of the Ayatollahs. Saper is uniquely able to articulate the underlying dynamic of Iran’s sudden rejection of a Western culture that was idealized for years before 1979. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the causes of turmoil in one of the most volatile regions of the world.”—Bobak Kalhor, director and producer of A Dying King: The Shah of Iran
"I have just read your memoire…From Miniskirt to Hijab and it is absolutely one of the best books I have read in my 65 years of reading. I am married to an Iranian Jew from Tehran, but he was sent to Israel at age 12 in 1961. His parents followed several years later as did his older siblings. I was fascinated to learn all the historic details and will share them with our children. Thank you again for your excellent book."--Barbara M. from Quebec, Montreal, Canada.
"I am in awe! I just finished reading your bio/memoir/accounting of your journey and Iran's journey, From Miniskirt to Hijab. I cannot thank you enough for this beautiful book. I am recommending it all over Facebook. This book's message is timely and timeless. I'll be choosing your book as one of those we read this year in my synagogue's book club. A million thx." --Sandy Wasserman from New York.
"From Miniskirt to Hijab, illustrates the different ways religion, prejudice, discrimination, power, and minority statuses differ vastly from place to place but also share common features. Moreover, the book also teaches the strengths that diversity can bring to any culture." --Professor Jessica Emami at Marymount University
Reading Group Discussion Guide
These questions appear at the end of the book. They are a guide to enhance your understanding of the subject matter. I hope the topics discussed in the questions will enrich your conversation to enjoy the book better.
Reading Group Discussion Guide
1. In chapter 3, Jacqueline refers to prerevolution Iran as “an idyllic, golden age of peace and prosperity.” In the same chapter, her cousin Kami describes Iran as the “best place on Earth.” In what ways did Mohammad Reza Shah’s agenda of social reforms, secularism, and modernization shield the Lavis and other local Jewish families from religious discrimination?
2. Despite the country’s growing economic prosperity during the Shah’s reign, many Iranians—especially the religiously observant—perceived the dominant culture as disrespectful of their traditional Islamic values. In chapter 4, Jacqueline recalls “dining at fine restaurants on North Pahlavi Avenue and feeling the glares of waiters, doormen, and taxi drivers.” Why did some citizens not feel represented by the monarchy? How did they express their discontent? Under what circumstances would you work for someone whose values conflicted with your own?
3. In the early days of the revolution, university students were at the forefront of the protest movement that demanded the Shah to leave Iran. In chapter 4, Jacqueline, in the cafeteria, “heard students, in hushed tones, express anti-Shah sentiments.” What groups now felt marginalized? And why?
4. In chapter 12, Jacqueline quotes her father’s advice when she learned of Savak, the Shah’s secret police: “Never get involved with the authorities in this region of the world.” Later, Jacqueline’s father tells her that they must vote on the referendum because “A blank identification card is not a good thing. It may imply that your ideology is not aligned with the new regime.” How is life in a nondemocratic country different than life in a free society where citizens have full voting rights?
5. Alerted by a town crier, many people claimed to have seen the Imam’s image in the moon. In chapter 9, Jacqueline writes, “How gullible people had become to believe anything they were told.” How were religion and superstition at the forefront of daily life?
6. In chapter 11, Jacqueline expresses her concern for the safety of her English mother during the revolution. Jacqueline writes, “Mostly, she did not leave the neighborhood unless accompanied by my dad or me. It was safest for Mom to stay at home. Even though being English, French, or Canadian was preferred to being American or Israeli, expats were still treated with antipathy as pampered outsiders.” How did the rising antagonism of the masses toward Westerners in Iran affect the lives of the Lavi family more so than the average Iranian family? What made Jacqueline’s mother particularly vulnerable?
7. Jacqueline would have preferred to leave the country at the beginning of the revolution, as most of her relatives and friends had done. But, in her senior year of high school, Jacqueline meets and becomes engaged to a medical doctor in Shiraz, committing her to at least two-and-a-half more years in Iran. Unlike Jacqueline, her father believed that “This too shall pass” (chapter 6), and her mother said that they couldn’t just pick up and leave because of some upheaval (chapter 5). Why were Jacqueline’s parents’ reactions so different from her own?
8. In chapter 12, Jacqueline cringes at the stains on the Persian carpets left by the “muddy boots” of the soldiers overseeing the election. In chapter 24, during a visit to the synagogue, Jacqueline writes, “I had had two prior experiences of the outside world invading the privacy of the Jewish community.” What symbolism did the synagogue have for Jacqueline as a religious minority in Iran? Why did Jacqueline feel like an outsider in her own country?
9. In the early days of the Islamic Republic, how did the new regime differentiate between Jewish Iranians and Israeli Zionists (chapter 13)? Why was one group tolerated and the other despised? What precautions did the Lavis, and Jacqueline’s in-laws take to show their loyalty to the Islamic Republic?
10. Like Israel, America, too, was derided. Jacqueline was then teaching English privately, and in chapter 19, she states, “Alongside the people calling for ‘Death to America,’ another sector of society wanted their children (and themselves) to learn English.” What other contradictions are part of her experience?
11. On March 7, 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini imposed the hijab on women in the workplace. In chapter 12, Jacqueline tells her aunt about her concern that she too, would be forced to wear the hijab. Not long after the success of the revolution, all Iranian women over the age of six were subjected to hijab. In chapter 19, Jacqueline recalls that as a teen she walked on the beach in a swimsuit and was ignored, but “Now, a few strands of hair peeking out of my headscarf is enough 218 Reading Group Discussion Guide to have me arrested.” How did the new ideology and laws regarding women’s dress restrict Jacqueline’s life?
12. Toward the end of the Shah’s reign, Jacqueline describes street protestors dressed in white “to symbolize a death shroud” (chapter 7). During the Iran-Iraq War, the new regime espoused reverence for martyrs, and renamed streets and painted murals in their memory. In chapter 17, Jacqueline says, “These young soldiers were told that they would go straight to heaven through the path of martyrdom.” How does this theology of martyrdom—one’s willingness to die for a cause they believe in—resonate with today’s extremism?
13. In chapter 20, Jacqueline describes how religion and gender influences one’s “career prospects and their treatment in society.” How does marginalizing a sector of society through erroneous beliefs, such as the concept of being najes (impure), change a society? What is a contemporary example of a demographic facing discrimination? How does that alter your own perception of that group?
14. Jacqueline and her family relied on the television and radio as their primary life[1]line to current events and politics, and yet, Jacqueline points out how the media manipulated the truth. After the bombing in her childhood neighborhood, in chapter 27, Jacqueline expects the morning radio announcer to matter-of-factly report that a few hundred brothers and sisters had been martyred the evening before and also to understate the number of casualties. How important is the role of the media in shaping the values of a society?
15. Jacqueline suggests that Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt to freedom, is a metaphor for her own plight. In chapter 26, she juxtaposes the customary Four Questions asked at the Seder with her situation. In chapter 28, Jacqueline refers to the Prophet Moses as she speaks to the inspecting officer. She also refers to her husband, Ebi, as her “very own Moses.” How does the Passover narrative relate to Jacqueline’s personal journey?
16. Jacqueline illuminates the lives of three children across time: herself (chapter 2); her daughter, Leora (chapter 25); and her granddaughter, Juliana (Epilogue). Each generation started school in a different political era and under unique circumstances. What does each child at this tender age symbolize about the social conditions and values of the era?
Reading Group Discussion Guide
1. In chapter 3, Jacqueline refers to prerevolution Iran as “an idyllic, golden age of peace and prosperity.” In the same chapter, her cousin Kami describes Iran as the “best place on Earth.” In what ways did Mohammad Reza Shah’s agenda of social reforms, secularism, and modernization shield the Lavis and other local Jewish families from religious discrimination?
2. Despite the country’s growing economic prosperity during the Shah’s reign, many Iranians—especially the religiously observant—perceived the dominant culture as disrespectful of their traditional Islamic values. In chapter 4, Jacqueline recalls “dining at fine restaurants on North Pahlavi Avenue and feeling the glares of waiters, doormen, and taxi drivers.” Why did some citizens not feel represented by the monarchy? How did they express their discontent? Under what circumstances would you work for someone whose values conflicted with your own?
3. In the early days of the revolution, university students were at the forefront of the protest movement that demanded the Shah to leave Iran. In chapter 4, Jacqueline, in the cafeteria, “heard students, in hushed tones, express anti-Shah sentiments.” What groups now felt marginalized? And why?
4. In chapter 12, Jacqueline quotes her father’s advice when she learned of Savak, the Shah’s secret police: “Never get involved with the authorities in this region of the world.” Later, Jacqueline’s father tells her that they must vote on the referendum because “A blank identification card is not a good thing. It may imply that your ideology is not aligned with the new regime.” How is life in a nondemocratic country different than life in a free society where citizens have full voting rights?
5. Alerted by a town crier, many people claimed to have seen the Imam’s image in the moon. In chapter 9, Jacqueline writes, “How gullible people had become to believe anything they were told.” How were religion and superstition at the forefront of daily life?
6. In chapter 11, Jacqueline expresses her concern for the safety of her English mother during the revolution. Jacqueline writes, “Mostly, she did not leave the neighborhood unless accompanied by my dad or me. It was safest for Mom to stay at home. Even though being English, French, or Canadian was preferred to being American or Israeli, expats were still treated with antipathy as pampered outsiders.” How did the rising antagonism of the masses toward Westerners in Iran affect the lives of the Lavi family more so than the average Iranian family? What made Jacqueline’s mother particularly vulnerable?
7. Jacqueline would have preferred to leave the country at the beginning of the revolution, as most of her relatives and friends had done. But, in her senior year of high school, Jacqueline meets and becomes engaged to a medical doctor in Shiraz, committing her to at least two-and-a-half more years in Iran. Unlike Jacqueline, her father believed that “This too shall pass” (chapter 6), and her mother said that they couldn’t just pick up and leave because of some upheaval (chapter 5). Why were Jacqueline’s parents’ reactions so different from her own?
8. In chapter 12, Jacqueline cringes at the stains on the Persian carpets left by the “muddy boots” of the soldiers overseeing the election. In chapter 24, during a visit to the synagogue, Jacqueline writes, “I had had two prior experiences of the outside world invading the privacy of the Jewish community.” What symbolism did the synagogue have for Jacqueline as a religious minority in Iran? Why did Jacqueline feel like an outsider in her own country?
9. In the early days of the Islamic Republic, how did the new regime differentiate between Jewish Iranians and Israeli Zionists (chapter 13)? Why was one group tolerated and the other despised? What precautions did the Lavis, and Jacqueline’s in-laws take to show their loyalty to the Islamic Republic?
10. Like Israel, America, too, was derided. Jacqueline was then teaching English privately, and in chapter 19, she states, “Alongside the people calling for ‘Death to America,’ another sector of society wanted their children (and themselves) to learn English.” What other contradictions are part of her experience?
11. On March 7, 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini imposed the hijab on women in the workplace. In chapter 12, Jacqueline tells her aunt about her concern that she too, would be forced to wear the hijab. Not long after the success of the revolution, all Iranian women over the age of six were subjected to hijab. In chapter 19, Jacqueline recalls that as a teen she walked on the beach in a swimsuit and was ignored, but “Now, a few strands of hair peeking out of my headscarf is enough 218 Reading Group Discussion Guide to have me arrested.” How did the new ideology and laws regarding women’s dress restrict Jacqueline’s life?
12. Toward the end of the Shah’s reign, Jacqueline describes street protestors dressed in white “to symbolize a death shroud” (chapter 7). During the Iran-Iraq War, the new regime espoused reverence for martyrs, and renamed streets and painted murals in their memory. In chapter 17, Jacqueline says, “These young soldiers were told that they would go straight to heaven through the path of martyrdom.” How does this theology of martyrdom—one’s willingness to die for a cause they believe in—resonate with today’s extremism?
13. In chapter 20, Jacqueline describes how religion and gender influences one’s “career prospects and their treatment in society.” How does marginalizing a sector of society through erroneous beliefs, such as the concept of being najes (impure), change a society? What is a contemporary example of a demographic facing discrimination? How does that alter your own perception of that group?
14. Jacqueline and her family relied on the television and radio as their primary life[1]line to current events and politics, and yet, Jacqueline points out how the media manipulated the truth. After the bombing in her childhood neighborhood, in chapter 27, Jacqueline expects the morning radio announcer to matter-of-factly report that a few hundred brothers and sisters had been martyred the evening before and also to understate the number of casualties. How important is the role of the media in shaping the values of a society?
15. Jacqueline suggests that Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt to freedom, is a metaphor for her own plight. In chapter 26, she juxtaposes the customary Four Questions asked at the Seder with her situation. In chapter 28, Jacqueline refers to the Prophet Moses as she speaks to the inspecting officer. She also refers to her husband, Ebi, as her “very own Moses.” How does the Passover narrative relate to Jacqueline’s personal journey?
16. Jacqueline illuminates the lives of three children across time: herself (chapter 2); her daughter, Leora (chapter 25); and her granddaughter, Juliana (Epilogue). Each generation started school in a different political era and under unique circumstances. What does each child at this tender age symbolize about the social conditions and values of the era?
Book Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
The Best of Both Worlds
My bicultural upbringing in the upper-middle-class northern Tehran community of Yousefabad was evident in our home’s décor. Silk Persian carpets and traditional khatam handicraft inlaid-mosaic picture frames sat amid oil paintings of the English countryside and blue Wedgwood porcelain.
Both of my parents’ cultures placed great emphasis on tea. A large, silvertoned samovar sat on the kitchen counter next to a china pot of fragrant English breakfast tea and was left simmering on a low setting for hours. My dad elevated the preparation of tea to an art form. Just as if he were in one of his chemistry labs at the university, he would carefully measure a spoonful of loose tea into the mesh infuser of the teapot. When the water was almost boiling, he would fill the ceramic teapot halfway, cover it, and let the tea (chai) steep for about five minutes on top of the samovar’s lid. As is the Iranian custom, my father drank his chai from a glass (estekan) to better assess its quality and consistency of color. Our traditional Isfahan tea set included a hammered silver tray and six estekans. A three-legged, lidded bowl with a handle contained the lump sugar and thin, transparent yellow disks—Isfahani candies known as poolaki.
For Mom, the rules changed. Whereas Dad was precise, Mom was delicate. Dad would pour her tea into a fine English bone china cup with a saucer, leaving space at the top to add milk. Mom never drank her tea black and told me that the extra milk is “the English way, Jacqueline.”
Mom and Dad loved to take their tea in the grand living room, seated on the navy-and-cream sofa, with the sun streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows. The windows overlooked the balcony and our private garden. Among the many fruit trees, including mulberry, sour cherry, and apple, Dad’s favorite was the persimmon tree. Its graceful branches reached over and partly covered the pond; and from its prodigious harvest, we made gift baskets for our friends and neighbors. There were red, white, and yellow roses, and at the other end of the garden, in front of the watermelon bushes, lay a few rows of chrysanthemums and violets.
We also had a view of the snowcapped Alborz Mountains. In springtime, when the snow melted and after it rained, the joobs (water channels) on the side streets of Tehran filled with water that had traveled downstream from the slopes to the north. When we opened the windows, we could hear the melody of the trickling stream. My siblings, Raymond, and Victoria, and I would throw pebbles into the channels and chase them as they flowed away. The most prominent of the few religious artifacts in our home was a mezuzah affixed to the frame of our front door. The stunning transparent cylinder was decorated with gold crowns and the Hebrew letter shin, which is the first letter of the Shema prayer that is written on parchment and contained in the case. The prayer is an affirmation of the Jewish people’s faith in God.
Every room in our four-bedroom house had tiled marble floors partly covered with colorful handwoven Persian rugs. Each was a work of art, with a center medallion and an intricate pattern or an overall curvilinear design of birds and flowers. Dad said that our Persian rugs were made in Isfahan and, thus, were “top tier.” He would carefully remove his shoes before walking on them. His favorite was the blue-and-cream carpet in the living room that complemented the sofa. Beaming with pride, Dad would show off its “eighty knots per centimeter” to visitors, turning back a corner.
In the family room, a crystal chandelier hung from the tall ceiling, and a Seiko wall clock chimed on the hour. Raymond, Victoria, and I listened to records by Bob Dylan, Tom Jones, and Santana on the large oak music 4 Hope, 1961–1978 console. Nestled on the burgundy leather couches and matching ottoman, we would all watch the Schaub Lorenz television, our window to the world.
*
My parents met in September of 1947, at a social dance for University of Birmingham students. My father, Rahmat, was a foreign student in the chemical engineering department. He, along with five other students from the Petroleum University of Technology in the southern city of Abadan, Iran, had been awarded an all-expenses-paid scholarship to pursue their education in England. My mother, Stella, was pursuing a degree in journalism and also took shorthand courses.
At the end of the school term, my father returned to his homeland of Iran, and a long-distance courtship ensued. For two years, Rahmat and Stella exchanged love letters and photographs by post. I had read some of these letters, dating to the late 1940s. I found the intimate correspondence to be a testament to their love and commitment to each other. The fact that my parents had chosen each other added to the rarity of their courtship, because at that time, most marriages in Iran, for Jews and Muslims alike, were arranged. Finally, in May 1950, their engagement was announced in Birmingham’s Jewish Chronicle, despite their physical separation and the long distance between them. The news of my father’s engagement spread throughout the community, and soon after Stella received a letter of congratulation.
Tehran, Iran, 6th June, 1949
Miss Stella Averley,
239 Lichfield Rd.,
Aston Birmingham, England
Dear Miss, I am Ben. R. Mayeri, a native of Isfahan, and an old friend to Mr. R. Lavi.
I heard the good news of your engagement to Mr. Lavi through himself. I hope you will not think it out of place in me to write you this short note of congratulation on your good fortune. All Isfahan Jewry have heard the good news. Your fiancé has showed me your nice photo. I wish you every happiness and good luck and Mazel tov (congratulations, written in Hebrew).
Yours Very Sincerely,
Ben. R. Mayeri
My mother, Stella, made the difficult decision to leave her family and her native country of England and to resettle in Iran and marry Rahmat. In late December 1950, Stella boarded a plane at Heathrow Airport and flew to Tehran. At Mehrabad Airport, she was introduced to Rahmat’s family. His parents, Jacob (Yaghoub) and Shoshana, showered Stella with kisses and welcomed her with an elegant gold bracelet and other gifts. Rahmat’s older sister, Pouran, and her husband and children, along with his younger brother, Darius, were also present. Many more members of the community had also made the drive to the airport to witness the unusual phenomenon of the arrival of Rahmat’s foreign fiancée.
Two days later, Rabbi Yedidia Shofet, the chief rabbi of Tehran’s Jewish community, officiated at my parents’ wedding ceremony. Since Stella didn’t understand Farsi, Rabbi Shofet explained the service to her through a translator. During the ceremony, Stella was presented with a beautiful naqdeh (custom and handmade shawl), made from delicate sheer fabric in white, and embellished with gold-thread embroidery. The bride and groom, along with witnesses, signed the ketubah (Jewish marriage agreement) and then the sanad-e ezdevaj (the official Iranian marriage license). Rabbi Shofet praised the bride for her courage and her devotion. He blessed the unconventional couple, wishing them a long married life, filled with happiness and many children.
*
My brother, Raymond, who had the same initials as my dad, was born in 1952. My sister, Victoria, who was named after the British Queen Victoria, was born in 1956. Every year on October 26 we teased Victoria that the strings of twinkling red and green lights and flashing neon models of royal crowns that hung throughout the city were in her honor. That is because she shared a birthday with the sovereign, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.
The Best of Both Worlds
My bicultural upbringing in the upper-middle-class northern Tehran community of Yousefabad was evident in our home’s décor. Silk Persian carpets and traditional khatam handicraft inlaid-mosaic picture frames sat amid oil paintings of the English countryside and blue Wedgwood porcelain.
Both of my parents’ cultures placed great emphasis on tea. A large, silvertoned samovar sat on the kitchen counter next to a china pot of fragrant English breakfast tea and was left simmering on a low setting for hours. My dad elevated the preparation of tea to an art form. Just as if he were in one of his chemistry labs at the university, he would carefully measure a spoonful of loose tea into the mesh infuser of the teapot. When the water was almost boiling, he would fill the ceramic teapot halfway, cover it, and let the tea (chai) steep for about five minutes on top of the samovar’s lid. As is the Iranian custom, my father drank his chai from a glass (estekan) to better assess its quality and consistency of color. Our traditional Isfahan tea set included a hammered silver tray and six estekans. A three-legged, lidded bowl with a handle contained the lump sugar and thin, transparent yellow disks—Isfahani candies known as poolaki.
For Mom, the rules changed. Whereas Dad was precise, Mom was delicate. Dad would pour her tea into a fine English bone china cup with a saucer, leaving space at the top to add milk. Mom never drank her tea black and told me that the extra milk is “the English way, Jacqueline.”
Mom and Dad loved to take their tea in the grand living room, seated on the navy-and-cream sofa, with the sun streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows. The windows overlooked the balcony and our private garden. Among the many fruit trees, including mulberry, sour cherry, and apple, Dad’s favorite was the persimmon tree. Its graceful branches reached over and partly covered the pond; and from its prodigious harvest, we made gift baskets for our friends and neighbors. There were red, white, and yellow roses, and at the other end of the garden, in front of the watermelon bushes, lay a few rows of chrysanthemums and violets.
We also had a view of the snowcapped Alborz Mountains. In springtime, when the snow melted and after it rained, the joobs (water channels) on the side streets of Tehran filled with water that had traveled downstream from the slopes to the north. When we opened the windows, we could hear the melody of the trickling stream. My siblings, Raymond, and Victoria, and I would throw pebbles into the channels and chase them as they flowed away. The most prominent of the few religious artifacts in our home was a mezuzah affixed to the frame of our front door. The stunning transparent cylinder was decorated with gold crowns and the Hebrew letter shin, which is the first letter of the Shema prayer that is written on parchment and contained in the case. The prayer is an affirmation of the Jewish people’s faith in God.
Every room in our four-bedroom house had tiled marble floors partly covered with colorful handwoven Persian rugs. Each was a work of art, with a center medallion and an intricate pattern or an overall curvilinear design of birds and flowers. Dad said that our Persian rugs were made in Isfahan and, thus, were “top tier.” He would carefully remove his shoes before walking on them. His favorite was the blue-and-cream carpet in the living room that complemented the sofa. Beaming with pride, Dad would show off its “eighty knots per centimeter” to visitors, turning back a corner.
In the family room, a crystal chandelier hung from the tall ceiling, and a Seiko wall clock chimed on the hour. Raymond, Victoria, and I listened to records by Bob Dylan, Tom Jones, and Santana on the large oak music 4 Hope, 1961–1978 console. Nestled on the burgundy leather couches and matching ottoman, we would all watch the Schaub Lorenz television, our window to the world.
*
My parents met in September of 1947, at a social dance for University of Birmingham students. My father, Rahmat, was a foreign student in the chemical engineering department. He, along with five other students from the Petroleum University of Technology in the southern city of Abadan, Iran, had been awarded an all-expenses-paid scholarship to pursue their education in England. My mother, Stella, was pursuing a degree in journalism and also took shorthand courses.
At the end of the school term, my father returned to his homeland of Iran, and a long-distance courtship ensued. For two years, Rahmat and Stella exchanged love letters and photographs by post. I had read some of these letters, dating to the late 1940s. I found the intimate correspondence to be a testament to their love and commitment to each other. The fact that my parents had chosen each other added to the rarity of their courtship, because at that time, most marriages in Iran, for Jews and Muslims alike, were arranged. Finally, in May 1950, their engagement was announced in Birmingham’s Jewish Chronicle, despite their physical separation and the long distance between them. The news of my father’s engagement spread throughout the community, and soon after Stella received a letter of congratulation.
Tehran, Iran, 6th June, 1949
Miss Stella Averley,
239 Lichfield Rd.,
Aston Birmingham, England
Dear Miss, I am Ben. R. Mayeri, a native of Isfahan, and an old friend to Mr. R. Lavi.
I heard the good news of your engagement to Mr. Lavi through himself. I hope you will not think it out of place in me to write you this short note of congratulation on your good fortune. All Isfahan Jewry have heard the good news. Your fiancé has showed me your nice photo. I wish you every happiness and good luck and Mazel tov (congratulations, written in Hebrew).
Yours Very Sincerely,
Ben. R. Mayeri
My mother, Stella, made the difficult decision to leave her family and her native country of England and to resettle in Iran and marry Rahmat. In late December 1950, Stella boarded a plane at Heathrow Airport and flew to Tehran. At Mehrabad Airport, she was introduced to Rahmat’s family. His parents, Jacob (Yaghoub) and Shoshana, showered Stella with kisses and welcomed her with an elegant gold bracelet and other gifts. Rahmat’s older sister, Pouran, and her husband and children, along with his younger brother, Darius, were also present. Many more members of the community had also made the drive to the airport to witness the unusual phenomenon of the arrival of Rahmat’s foreign fiancée.
Two days later, Rabbi Yedidia Shofet, the chief rabbi of Tehran’s Jewish community, officiated at my parents’ wedding ceremony. Since Stella didn’t understand Farsi, Rabbi Shofet explained the service to her through a translator. During the ceremony, Stella was presented with a beautiful naqdeh (custom and handmade shawl), made from delicate sheer fabric in white, and embellished with gold-thread embroidery. The bride and groom, along with witnesses, signed the ketubah (Jewish marriage agreement) and then the sanad-e ezdevaj (the official Iranian marriage license). Rabbi Shofet praised the bride for her courage and her devotion. He blessed the unconventional couple, wishing them a long married life, filled with happiness and many children.
*
My brother, Raymond, who had the same initials as my dad, was born in 1952. My sister, Victoria, who was named after the British Queen Victoria, was born in 1956. Every year on October 26 we teased Victoria that the strings of twinkling red and green lights and flashing neon models of royal crowns that hung throughout the city were in her honor. That is because she shared a birthday with the sovereign, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.
Author Interviews
- Black Tortoise Press: Meet Author Jacqueline Saper
- Feathered Quill Book Awards: Interview with Book Award Finalist, Jacqueline Saper.
- PBS Newshour Chicago Tonight: Iran mourns Soliemani and vows retaliation against U.S.
- PBS News hour - WTTW: Iran mourns Soleimani and vows retaliation against US
- University of Chicago: Persian Circle at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies
- The Signal of Santa Clarita Valley: CBS Film Series
- Oakton College Profiles and themes: Between Two Worlds
- Niagara Foundation: Event Recap, From Miniskirt to Hijab
- Yedioth Ahronoth: (In Hebrew)
- India's leading publications: Dainik Jargan, Inext, Amar Ujjala, and The Dinar Times (In Hindi)
- Indiana University Bloomington
- Harvard University
- University of Tel Aviv and Brandeis University
Audiobook Excerpt