Iranians are mourning Rabbi Ettinger, Israeli victim of terror, online

The outpouring appears to show a solidarity among some Iranian members of Twitter for Israeli victims of terrorism.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN
Updated: MARCH 20, 2019 05:18
An Iranian woman mourns during the funeral of victims killed in Saudi Arabia in a stampede at the haj pilgrimage, in Tehran October 4, 2015. More than 464 Iranian nationals were killed in last month's crush in Mina, Saudi Arabia, Iran's Haj Organization says. Iranian officials have alleged the overa (photo credit: TIMA VIA REUTERS)
An Iranian woman mourns during the funeral of victims killed in Saudi Arabia in a stampede at the haj pilgrimage, in Tehran October 4, 2015. More than 464 Iranian nationals were killed in last month's crush in Mina, Saudi Arabia, Iran's Haj Organization says. Iranian officials have alleged the overa
(photo credit: TIMA VIA REUTERS)
Dozens of Iranians are sharing a memorial post to Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger and sharing photos of candles they have lit in his name online.
Ettinger, 47, was killed Sunday in a terror attack. The post, put up Monday by an anonymous account on Twitter called @TheIntangibles, had received hundreds of likes within hours of being up.
The post called for people to show sympathy and remember the rabbi. In response, people posted photos of candles they had lit in his memory, and tweeted short memorials in Farsi. In a private message, the anonymous use wrote “I urged my followers to light a candle in Farsi so it is understandable.” Some of those who replied are fearful of revealing their locations, which indicates they are in Iran. One of them appeared to be in southern Iran, due to information received. “We can defeat the idea of war by a stronger idea, the idea of peace,” one wrote.

Several noted that they wanted to light the candles in memory of a victim of terrorism. “Condolences to the Ettinger family and the people of Israel, from an Iranian family,” one writes. “I hope there will be a day when our two nations can come together as friends.” Another post noted that the writer hoped for a future when the Iranian regime would fall “and we will celebrate that day together.”

The outpouring appears to show a solidarity among some Farsi members of Twitter for Israeli victims of terrorism. Iran has also suffered under terrorism and Iranians who oppose the regime have become tired of its constant obsession with Israel.
This is not the first time Iranians have turned out in a campaign like this. The person behind the @TheIntangibles account said that there was an earlier campaign called #WeRemember to commemorate the victims of Holocaust. “Lots of users anonymously sent me handwritten a sign (sic) to raise their voice in support of the victims. You can see the images in this thread.” The social media user said he is not surprised by the support this time. “Despite the Iranian regime and its supporters, the people of Iran really like Israel. Israel is the symbol of quality for Iranians in agriculture and when our farmers wants to brag about their products, it is common to hear, for example, ‘this is an Israeli orange, best in the market.’”
He choose to commemorate Rabbi Ettinger because the victim was similar in age to his father.
“I thought to myself what if it was my father, what would I feel if such a terrible tragedy happened to me! He was the father of 12 and I could really feel the pain his children must be enduring right now.”