Prestige and Piety in the Iranian Synagogue

Abstract

There are significant differences in the social organization of traditional synagogues. The Moroccan synagogue, for instance, is essentially a private institution that revolves around an aristocratic sage. The Yemenite synagogue, at the other extreme, strives to be egalitarian and tolerates few social distinctions in its religious functions. Congregants there fill religious roles according to rotation. Between these polar extremes there is a variety of social systems in the synagogues of various Jewish societies. In the Iranian variant described here, congregants have formal religious roles, but together with the formalism there is scope for individuals to assert themselves. Such assertation would not be tolerated among egalitarian Yemenite Jews, whereas among Moroccans it would not usually be possible due to the dominance of the sage. In the Iranian situation we see the synagogue as an arena, that permits dynamic and overt assertations of status, in which people can gain and also lose prestige. These dynamics have so far been described only by Loeb for the Iranian synagogue. Activities of this kind exist with differences of nuance, also in other Jewish societies, and await further study. The chapter is additionally notable for providing a rare description of a form of traditional Jewish etiquette and social skill.