Rabbi Yehuda Gerami, the Chief Rabbi of Iran, led afternoon prayers and danced with his students on Thursday on the eve of the Purim holiday at the Tomb of Mordechai and Esther in Hamadan, Iran. He later read the Scroll of Esther at a nearby synagogue and returned to the tomb for the evening holiday prayers.

The story of the Jewish victory related in the Book of Esther is the basis of the holiday of Purim. For several reasons, the story of Purim is an anomaly in the Bible. It does not mention the name of God, and it is the only Biblical account, apart from the Book of Daniel, to take place outside the borders of Israel. The story of the Jewish victory is based in ancient Persia, known today as Iran, the arch-enemy of modern Israel.

Most would assume that the site commemorating the Jewish heroes would be hidden away or in danger, but until the recent violence, the site was revered and Jews were permitted free access. The site is proudly displayed, known to all, and Persian Jews visit the site annually en masse to read the Book of Esther. Tucked away in a corner of Iran is a 500-year-old building purported to be the burial site of Mordechai and Esther. A previous structure is believed to have been destroyed in the 14th century by Mongol invaders.

The Iranian city of Hamadan, 200 miles west of Tehran, claims to be the Biblical city of Shushan, the capital of ancient Persia and the setting for the story of Purim.