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India Today's Pranay Upadhyaya reports from Levinsky Market in southern Tel Aviv, where Iranian heritage is on proud display in the midst of a war. Dubbed a "mini-Tehran", the market hosts dozens of spice shops run by Jewish immigrants from Iran who arrived after the Iranian Revolution. Vendors display saffron, dried herbs and traditional blends reminiscent of Tehran’s bazaars and even India’s old markets. Shopkeepers expressed concern over the ongoing hostilities, but said the people of Iran weren't to blame for its leadership's decisions. Some voiced hope for a future reconciliation. Despite political divides, the market reflects a shared cultural identity sustained through food, memory and migration.

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00:00I'm currently in the Lewinsky market of Tel Aviv.
00:03You can also call it a little Tehran in Tel Aviv.
00:06Because many shops here are spice shops and these shops are owned by people.
00:12Those who have migrated from Iran, from Tehran, from bazaars of Tehran.
00:17And in fact, they are those who have come to this country after 1979.
00:22Many of them are Jews of Iranian origin, but they have migrated to Israel.
00:29So many people in this market are from Iran, though they are Jews from Iran.
00:34Those who have migrated to Israel.
00:37And let's see these shops.
00:39These are like, you know, the spices shop.
00:43You see all those spices.
00:44And this will remind you of shops in maybe Old Delhi area or maybe in any part of India as
00:51well.
00:51Isaac, what do you feel that, you know, your home country or the country where your parental roots are there
00:59is being bombed by the country where you are living right now?
01:02What are your thoughts about that?
01:04First of all, I think that the regime is very dangerous for all the area.
01:10Not Israel.
01:12It's more powerful for us to get rid of them.
01:17First of all.
01:18Second of all, it's going to be like a nuclear war.
01:22And Israel is afraid of this, you know, because Israel, they cannot have, lose any war.
01:30Any war.
01:31If we lose, you're not going to interview me.
01:34That's the point.
01:36And that's the conclusion for our Jewish, because we are Jewish.
01:43So everyone hates us.
01:45You know why?
01:45Ask me why.
01:47Because of the brain, you know.
01:49So you heard these are the Iranian origin shopkeepers.
01:53They are basically Jews from Iran, those who have migrated to Israel, to Tel Aviv.
01:59And in fact, as he told me, that around 100 shops are being owned by people from Iranian origin.
02:06And they are running their businesses here.
02:09And they want, they think, that there should be a change in Iran.
02:14And we have another person from Iran who has migrated to Israel.
02:19What are your thoughts that, you know, a country of your root is being attacked by the country of your
02:24residents?
02:25And a lot of conflict is going on in the region.
02:28What are your thoughts on that?
02:29To my opinion, it's not the people.
02:31It's the regimes.
02:32It's fanatic regime.
02:34And I believe that once this regime will pass away, we will be more than good friends.
02:44In this market, you can see all authentic Iranian spices.
02:49And I am here in Tel Aviv, Slewanski Market, which is also known as Small Tehran inside Tel Aviv.
02:58Pranayipadhyay reporting from Tel Aviv for India Today.
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