LOS ANGELES: After thousands of Iranian demonstrators were killed in a January crackdown, Shima Razavi Gacek wanted to keep alive her family’s favorite springtime holiday traditions but didn’t feel like throwing her annual house party with a roaring bonfire ahead of Nowruz — the Persian New Year.
Instead, the 46-year-old Los Angeles resident organized a vigil Tuesday night at a local park, where the photos of slain protesters were displayed and dozens of Iranian Americans lit candles and took turns hopping over tea lights in a version of a fire-jumping tradition known as Chaharshanbe Suri.
“It is such a beautiful and joyous time of year,” said Razavi Gacek, who has lived in the United States since she was 5. “This year, it’s not, but we need our community more than ever.”
Iranian Americans are marking Nowruz this year with a mix of somber celebrations and the traditional flowers, music and dancing. Many communities canceled festivities following the crackdown on protesters in January, while others have organized smaller, quieter versions of the usually joyous celebration.
The holiday comes less than a month after US and Israeli forces attacked Iran, killing the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, conflict has spread throughout the region.
