JNF says ‘toda’ to 106-yr-old for smuggling Iranian Jewish youth to Israel
Israeli Haroz, born in 1915, was a Zionist activist who risked his life to send Jewish youths from Iran to Israel. Recently, he received a certificate of appreciation from KKL – JNF for his contribution to the Jewish community.
Israeli Haroz and his award
Israeli is among the oldest people in Israel. He was born 106 years ago in the Iranian city of Toysarkan and lived between two world wars. In honour of his 107th birthday taking place this coming July, KKL – JNF sent him a certificate of appreciation for his many years of activity for the Jewish community in the Land of Israel.
Bahruz was a very enthusiastic Zionist activist and worked with the Jewish Agency and the Hachaluts movement to bring Jewish refugees, mainly children and young from Iran to Israel, and sending them using various bizarre tricks while risking his life due to a total ban by the Iranian Shah to send young people out of the country. As a teacher at the Jewish school in the city, he also taught adults Hebrew and prepared them for immigration to Eretz Israel
In 1952, Bahruz, together with members of the Jewish community in Iran, donated a sum of money to the JNF. For this and his Zionist work over the years, he recently received a certificate of appreciation from the Israel Department of the JNF.
Bahruz currently lives in Be’er Sheva with his large family: six children, 16 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. “Joy and good thoughts without worries prolong human life. Bad things, suffering and worries shorten them,” he explains his secret to longevity.
