Join us as we welcome Iranian Jewish journalist and activist Karmel Melamed who will share some special historical insights into how the Jews of Iran flourished and helped advance the growth of their ancient homeland during a large part of the 20th century. From the arts to academia, international trade, industry to technology, medicine to engineering, the Jews of Iran were a critical part of Iran’s successful development for more than 50 years in the modern era. While their forced exile from Iran due to the rise of the Islamic regime devastated many of their lives, we will also look at how Iranian Jews are continuing their remarkable advancements today while living in the United States and Israel.

About the Speaker
Karmel Melamed is an award winning internationally published journalist, activist and attorney based in Los Angeles. Born in Iran, Melamed fled that country at a young age after the Iranian revolution with his family to escape persecution from Iran’s newly established Islamic regime. As a journalist since 2000, he has given a new voice to the successful Iranian Jewish community living in the United States as well as having covered issues relating to Iran and the Middle East. His articles have appeared in the Jerusalem Post, NewsMax.com, Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), Times of Israel, the Forward, Orange County Register and the L.A. Jewish Journal, as well as a whole host of other prominent online publications.

Fluent in Farsi language, Melamed has successfully interviewed various influential leaders and newsmakers in the U.S. and in the Middle East. In 2004 he landed an exclusive interview with Empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi. Likewise, he frequently appears on various radio and television news programs, including Persian language news media outlets. He also authors a blog on the Times of Israel news site.

As an Iranian American journalist, Melamed is frequently invited to speak at various venues across the U.S. about the human rights violation.