Rabbi Wolpe cited the difference in cultural patterns as one of the main causes of tension within the congregation. For instance, he states:

In my experience, the Persian culture is a shame culture and the American Jewish culture is a guilt culture. By that I mean: American Judaism teaches it doesn’t matter what someone else says; if you feel that it’s right, then it’s OK. The Persian community teaches what shame cultures teach, which is: if the community disapproves, then it’s wrong; even if you feel it’s right. If you feel it’s wrong, and the community approves, then it’s OK. And so, the idea that ‘it doesn’t matter what anyone else says, if you feel it’s OK,’ that doesn’t register in most of the Persian community. And the idea that you should care what everybody else says doesn’t register in most of the Ashkenazi community. So I find that people talk past each other a lot. The Persians speak much more of the community than the Ashkenazi do.

He went on to cite other cultural differences, such as the Iranian Jews having large families in one place, while the Ashkenazi community is more mobile. He also stated that the Persian community is “less likely to feel that weaknesses or difficulties should be exposed,” unlike the American culture. Lastly, he discussed the standing of women in each culture, noting that the emancipation of women happened a relatively long time ago in American culture. When it comes to it, the Persian community has a different view, and so there is sometimes agitation between the two communities.

As to the reasons behind the Iranian Jewish community joining Sinai Temple rather than, for example, Nessah Synagogue, there are a couple of explanations. First, Nessah did not exist until 1980. Second, Rabbi Wolpe stated that, “The idea was that they wanted to be American. Immigrants have a powerful drive to be American, and this was the most notable American temple near where much of the Iranian community was living.” So although it had a lot to do with the location, he also believes that it had to do with the fact that Sinai Temple was traditional, but not too traditional.