Since the time of Cyrus the Great in the sixth century B.C., Iranian civilization has played an influential even pivotal role in the development of Middle East, Asia and Europe. Throughout history Iranian Jewry has been an integral part of the Iranian people, contributing enormously to the achievements of that nation. The bonds of friendship between the Iranian and Jewish peoples rest on a bedrock of mutual respect and cooperation which cannot be destroyed by current political tensions. This friendship is well documented in the Bible, Talmud and the Midrashim. Persian-speaking Jewish communities have always formed an important part of the Diaspora. Such communities survive today not only in Iran, but throughout Central Asia; in Afghanistan and India and in the south of former Soviet republics such as Uzbekistan. We also find Persian-speaking Jewish communities in Israel, USA and Europe.
Judeo-Iranian and Jewish Studies Series, therefore, examines one of the world’s richest and most important cultures. The first of ten volumes in this series is entitled Pãdyãvand (a Pahlavi word meaning victorious, prevailing and good omen). The series will treat almost all aspects of Judeo-Iranian history and culture throughout the centuries. It will embrace articles on subjects such as Judeo-Iranian documents and manuscripts; the history and culture of Iranian Jewry in the Islamic and pre-Islamic periods; the literature and dialects of the Jews of Iran, Central Asia and Afghanistan; social and cultural aspects of Iranian Jewry in modern times; the attitudes of Iranian Jews toward Israel; Iranian Jews and Judaism; and Judeo-Iranian mythology and folklore.