Judeo-Persian literature (Modern Persian written in Hebrew characters) is likely the largest untapped group within Jewish and Persian vernacular texts. Manuscripts are scattered worldwide, found in the bottoms of drawers in people's homes and some in libraries, yet they remain untranslated and largely inaccessible.

Alan Niku, a filmmaker and writer who began researching Persian Jewish history around ten years ago in hopes of preserving it, joins Millie in discussing his findings on translating Judeo Persian manuscripts which includes poetry and philosophical teachings from writers such as Shahin Shirazi, Yehuda Ben Elazar, Amina and others. Aside from his independent work researching Persian Jewish history, Alan shares his work as a linguist, documenting various Judeo Persian languages and teaching Neo-Aramaic, which he decided to learn after discovering the language in his paternal grandfather's family line.

You can find Alan's lectures on related topics here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYsvRszbe9w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXh1D1ojves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yxmn-dLmeQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkCiEtk-4Gs

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_dreamy_kalimi/

The Jewish Language Project:
https://www.jewishlanguages.org/jewish-language-project

Intro music: Emrani's Selichot sang by Nasser Zar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9kwUSNG9Fg&ab_channel=ShlomoShawnAziz

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