VIDEO: Hasidic Jew’s trip to Iran to find Queen Esther’s tomb
Abraham Schwartz had no idea that very soon Iran would be at war with Israel and a trip like this would be impossible
Abraham Schwartz meets an imam near the tombs of Queen Esther and Mordechai, in Hamedan Courtesy of Abraham Schwartz
By Rukhl Schaechter June 18, 2025
Just three months ago, right before Purim, Abraham Schwartz — an adventurous, effusive young man from the Hasidic community — undertook a quest that was dear to his heart. He flew to Iran to find the tombs of the two heroes of the Purim story: Queen Esther and her uncle, Mordechai.
Amazingly, he made the trip wearing traditional Hasidic garb, apparently unconcerned that looking too Jewish might be risky in a Muslim country whose leadership regularly calls for Israel’s destruction.
He filmed his experiences through selfies and a handy tripod, not knowing, of course, that three months later, Iran would be at war with Israel and a trip like this would be impossible.
Although Schwartz narrates the video in Yiddish, he uses so many English words, you can probably follow along, even if you don’t know mame-loshn.
The video begins with his running around to acquire a visa on the day of his departure (apparently, three months wasn’t enough time to apply for one), and then follows him onto the plane; his landing in Tehran; what he finds in his hotel room in Hamedan, and then his visits to memorable sites, including a bazaar close to his hotel, a Shi’ite shrine and a magnificent water cave.
Schwartz is accompanied throughout by an English-speaking tour guide. Although he himself apparently knows no Persian or Arabic, he manages to communicate with the locals by using familiar English phrases, smiling and gesturing.
He also peppers his story with occasional ads from his sponsors in the Hasidic community, including a travel agency (yes, travel agencies are still used by Hasidim, since many don’t use the internet); a party planner and a laundry service.
