As an Iranian Jew living during the years prior to and following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, David Matloob endured several struggles that led to his migration. The most notable of his experiences was his encounters with anti-Semitic hatred. Mr. Matloob recalls a vivid memory in which a childhood friend’s maid made him feel extremely uncomfortable on the basis of his religion. She stated, “You are a good person, why aren’t you a Muslim?” While the maid didn’t mean to be malicious in her comment to Mr. Matloob, her words suggested that she did not regard Jews as ‘good people.’ As the revolution continued, David witnessed an increase in discrimination against the Jews of Iran. Recalling another clear memory, David explained a terrible event in which his father was forced to give up a substantial portion of his property and was thus obligated to surrender his most treasured assets. Such experiences, among many others, led to his family’s decision to abandon a country they once called home and begin a new life in America, the land of religious freedom and opportunity.

Escaping from a society in which it was difficult to embrace his Jewish identity, Mr. Matloob was eager to find his place amongst other Jews in the United States. The Sinai Temple, in particular, welcomed Mr. Matloob into the Jewish community with open arms and allowed him to assimilate into the American Jewish culture with ease. As an Iranian who highly valued a great education and a Jewish future for his children, Mr. Matloob knew that his integration into Sinai Temple’s flourishing community was a step in the right direction. In fact, a major deciding factor that compelled him and his wife to become members of Sinai Temple was the assurance that their children would receive a promising Jewish education at the institution’s highly acclaimed early childhood program.

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