Reuben Yeroushalmi: From Persecution in Iran to a New Life in America

Reuben Yeroushalmi was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1968. Today an established attorney in the United States, Reuben reflects on his childhood in Iran, the antisemitism his family experienced, and his dangerous journey to freedom. For many years, he avoided revisiting the painful memories of his early life. Through sharing his testimony, he emphasizes the importance of documenting the experiences of Iranian Jews and ensuring that their stories are not forgotten.

Reuben grew up in a Jewish family that had experienced discrimination across generations. He recalls stories of his grandparents facing severe restrictions on their daily lives. According to family recollections, they were discouraged or prevented from going outside during rainfall because of discriminatory beliefs that Jews were ritually impure and could contaminate their surroundings.

Although Reuben belonged to a younger generation, he also experienced antisemitism firsthand. He remembers being expelled from shops simply because he was Jewish and being called a “dirty Jew.”

His father was a successful merchant who attempted to protect his business interests by concealing his Jewish identity through the use of a different business license. When authorities discovered the arrangement, Reuben recalls that the family's assets were confiscated.

Discrimination extended into the educational system. Reuben remembers schoolchildren being assembled and instructed to chant slogans against Israel and the United States. He found these activities deeply troubling and eventually refused to attend school.

Despite the hostility his family encountered, Reuben also remembers acts of compassion and solidarity. He expresses particular gratitude toward a Muslim family that protected his relatives and allowed them to stay in their home during a period of danger.

Their kindness left a lasting impression on him, demonstrating that individual relationships could transcend the religious and political divisions surrounding his family.

Nevertheless, the increasingly difficult circumstances convinced Reuben and his parents that he needed to leave Iran.

A Dangerous Journey to Freedom

Reuben's father arranged for smugglers to help his son escape the country. Leaving meant separating from his parents and younger siblings, an experience that Reuben remembers as especially painful.

His escape involved traveling with several different groups of smugglers as he made his way toward the Pakistani border.

The journey through the desert was physically demanding, dangerous, and far longer than anticipated. Each stage presented new uncertainties, and Reuben had little assurance of when or whether he would reach safety.

He remembers feeling guilty about the anxiety his disappearance and uncertain whereabouts caused his parents. While he struggled to survive the journey, they were left wondering where he was and whether he was still alive.

Despite the hardships, Reuben understood that he was traveling toward what he described as freedom.

He recalls witnessing corruption and bribery along the escape route, including among Pakistani authorities. Navigating these obstacles required persistence, assistance from others, and considerable luck.

Looking back, Reuben emphasizes how fortunate he was to survive the journey. He recognizes that many other Jews fleeing persecution in Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East faced similarly dangerous circumstances, and that not everyone succeeded in reaching safety.

Rebuilding His Life in the United States

With assistance from HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Reuben eventually obtained a visa to enter the United States.

He settled in Northern California, where he resumed the education that had been disrupted by his experiences in Iran and his escape from the country.

After completing high school, Reuben continued his studies and eventually graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

One of the most meaningful relationships he developed in America was with his college roommate, an Iranian Christian who had helped Jews escape from Iran.

The two became close friends, united by shared experiences and a commitment to helping people facing persecution.

Reuben eventually established himself as an attorney, building a professional life in the country where he had sought refuge.

His experiences as a Jewish refugee profoundly shaped his understanding of justice, human rights, and the responsibilities individuals have toward those facing discrimination.

Preserving the Stories of Iranian Jews

For many years, Reuben found it difficult to revisit his childhood memories. The discrimination, loss, separation from his family, and dangers of his escape were experiences he had largely tried to put behind him.

Over time, however, he came to recognize the importance of sharing his story.

Reuben believes that the experiences of Iranian Jews, including those who endured persecution, lost their property, and fled their homeland, must be documented and made accessible to future generations.

His own journey has strengthened his identification with oppressed and marginalized communities, regardless of their religious or cultural backgrounds.

He emphasizes the importance of confronting injustice, challenging double standards in international institutions and the media, and engaging in honest self-examination.

For Reuben, the pursuit of truth, justice, and peace in the Middle East is a shared responsibility.

His testimony reflects both the particular experiences of Iranian Jews and the broader challenges faced by refugees who must leave their homes, families, and communities in search of safety.

From his childhood in Tehran to his escape through Pakistan and eventual resettlement in the United States, Reuben's story demonstrates the lasting consequences of antisemitism and displacement, as well as the importance of compassion, perseverance, and remembrance.

By sharing experiences he once struggled to confront, Reuben helps ensure that the histories of Iranian Jewish refugees remain part of the broader understanding of Jewish life in the Middle East.