In The Jews of Islam, a recent attempt at evaluating the history of the Jews in Muslim lands, Bernard Lewis makes several references to the fact that Jewish experience in Shi'i lands, particularly in Iran, differed substantially from that of Sunni lands. He points out that Iranian Jews were more persecuted and, on several occasions, were even forced to convert. Yet, aside from mentioning some of the conventional reasons for these differences such as the Shi'i concept of najasa (ritual impurity), he does not dwell on the experiences of Iranian Jewry at length. This is partly on account of the scarcity of reliable sources before the Safavid period and partly because the accessible sources from the Safavid period and later are still in need of close analysis.

Ali Shariati was born in Azar 2, 1312 (November 23, 1933) to a deeply religious family in the provincial capital of Khurasan, Meshed. His forefathers were all important local religious scholars in the suburb of Sabzavar, one of whom, Allamah Mahmanabadi, received a royal invitation from Naser al-din (1848-1896) to move to Tehran to teach Islamic philosophy in Sepahsalar theological center, which he did for a short period. His father, Muhammad Taqi Shariati, still living, is a well-known religious scholar of national fame and an expert on Quranic exegesis. Muhammad Taqi broke two traditions: he moved to the city for good at the age of 20 and he stopped weaving, as he had been the traditional garb of the ulama. Ali attended modern schools, entered Teachers Training College, the newly founded University of Meshed, and finally left for Paris to study at the Sorbonne on a government scholarship.

It is difficult to say something new about Nowruz. It is a national festival, and everyone knows what a national festival is. Nowruz takes place and is spoken of every year. Much has been told and much you have heard. Then is repetition appropriate?! Yes it is! Doesn't Nowruz repeat itself? Then you should attend to what is repeatedly said of Nowruz. In science and literature, repetition is boring and useless.

Farideh Fardjam (b. 1935) is an accomplished Iranian playwright. After receiving her early education in Iran, she spent several years studying in France. She then returned to Iran and obtained her B.A. degree in Persian literature from the University of Tehran.

Fardjam has been writing plays since 1961. Her interests also center on children's stories. Ten of her stories on traditional Iranian themes have already been published. Fardjam has been living in Amsterdam since the early 1970s where she has been active in the public relations division of the Dutch Radio and Television. She has prepared several documentary films including a film on Iranian women during the revolution.

The Bride has been produced and shown in both Iran and the United States. The play was shown on the Iranian television in the early 1960s with a noted cast that included Khorvash, Safavi, Nasirian, and Entezami.