Before it was destroyed in an Israeli air strike on April 7, Tehran’s Rafi-Nia synagogue was emblematic of one of the Middle East's largest Jewish communities outside of Israel. According to one worshipper and an expert, both well acquainted with its vibrant community, the prominent synagogue was far more than just a place of worship.
It was still dark when Marjan arrived in Malek Lane, near Tehran’s historic centre, on April 7. A few minutes earlier, at around 3:30am, a friend from the neighbourhood had awakened her. She had called to tell her that the Rafi-Nia synagogue had just been hit by three Israeli strikes.
