Parichehr Leviim — Social activist, writer
Born in 1946 into a thoughtful Jewish family in Tehran, Parichehr Leviim was the daughter of Moshe Leviim — also known as Moshe Rastegar — and Farzaneh, both social activists in Tehran’s Jewish community. They were hardworking and effective in resolving family conflicts. Moreover, they generously donated the land adjacent to their home for the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ceremonies. This decision eventually led to the construction of the Synagogue of Yousef Abad, which is now one of the most prominent and respected synagogues for the Iranian Jewish community.
Parichehr completed her primary education at “Kourosh Elementary School” and her secondary at “Reza Shah-e Kabir High School” and “Noorbakhsh High School”.
She was passionate about participating in cultural and social activities from a young age. At the age of eleven, she joined the “Kourosh-e Kabir Cultural Club” and quickly became one of its most active members. Parichehr displayed her artistic talent in theater and, at the age of fourteen, successfully played the role of Anne Frank in the “Nagila Art Group” under the direction of Mohammad Kahnemoui. This performance took place over several nights in September 1961 at Ferdowsi Theater, Tehran, receiving positive responses from the Jewish community. It was also covered by various artistic and news media outlets.
The success of the Anne Frank play led to the establishment of the first extensive Jewish youth art center called the “Anne Frank Art Group”. Over the years, this group performed several plays in theaters, providing theater education to aspiring students in this field.
In 1964, Ms. Leviim and her family immigrated to the Holy Land. After mastering Hebrew, she pursued higher education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and graduated in 1970 with a degree in oriental studies.
Soon after, she started working at a charitable social services organization and became a family counselor, dedicating herself to solving various issues faced by immigrants, especially Iranian Jewish families in need of guidance and assistance. Her dedication earned her recognition and appreciation, in addition to awards from organizations such as the Sochnut Charity and the Netanya Municipality, the city where she lived.
In 1970, Parichehr Leviim married Naiim Thani. They have one son, two daughters, and nine grandchildren.
As retirement age approached, Parichehr Thani decided to fulfill her long-standing dream of contributing to society. Drawing on her years of experience in social services and her familiarity with the traditional lives of Iranian Jews, she began writing novels that incorporated her teenage memories with the historical, cultural, and economic aspects of Iranian Jews.
In 2010, she published her first book in Hebrew, “Iranian Rooster”, which received unexpected acclaim. This success led to her being recognized as one of the year’s best writers by the “Merage Foundation” in Israel. The publication of this book led many academic institutions and cultural associations to invite her to speak about this book, as well as the history and culture of Iran, becoming an inspiration for her to dedicate more time to novel writing.
In 2015, Parichehr Thani published her second literary work in Hebrew titled “Love Letters from Tehran”, which is based on a true story about a Jewish family from the city of Kashan. Similar to her first book, this book was also well-received despite being in Hebrew.
Additionally, due to the demand from Persian-speaking Jews in Israel, she translated her book “Iranian Rooster” into Persian two years later. Additionally, she established the “Iranian Women Writers Group” to support and encourage Iranian female writers in Israel, fostering a sense of writing competition among them.
Thanks to the enthusiastic reception of her literary works, she unveiled her fourth book in Hebrew in late 2019, right before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. This newest addition built upon the foundations of traditional tales while maintaining her distinctive narrative approach, as seen in “Iranian Rooster”.
As an Iranian writer, Mrs. Thani actively engages in various social spheres. She volunteers her expertise in social services at the “Merage Foundation”, assisting families who have lost their soldiers. She participates as a friend and guide on the “Pars TV” television program, addressing challenges faced by Persian-speaking Jews. Mrs. Thani’s deep love for Persian and Hebrew literature motivates her to spend most of her free time reading and writing novels. She is determined to prepare her fifth book for publication as soon as possible.
Parichehr Leviim in the role of Anne Frank during a performance at Ferdowsi Theater in Tehran.
Parichehr Leviim and Eliyas Masroor during a performance of “Anne Frank” at Ferdowsi Theater, Tehran, 1961.