Dear Veronika, this is an interesting story:) Yet if you look at the map, the old and the new one, you'll see that "Persia" which is "Iran" is far from "Palestine", and Macca is actually in KSA which is also away from both Iran & Palestine. Just thought of telling you that, so you'll tell your grandfather's story in the right way. Good luck (,")

How much Jewish blood do you have?

I heard this story from my father. My father heard it from his father.
My great grandfather had been to Persia (it was the territory of modern Israel). It was a religious journey - a hajj to Mecca. He had been living there for 7 years in the village named Isfahan before he came back home. He was a Muslim and he could have 4 wives. He brought with him the second wife from Persia. She was Jewish. All of his kids from all of his wives grew up together; and nobody was bothered with which kid was from which wife. When my great grandfather came back from Isfahan people started to call him Asfagan (it's a Russian transcription of Isfahan). Then Asfagan became his surname and all of his kids got that surname as well. "How much Jewish blood do you have?" - People asked me always because of my surname. I really don't know. Every time I just admitted I was Jewish without disputes. It was easier than to tell them this story.

Very good work. And yes, Israel was a part of Persia at one time. Maybe long before your great grandfather was there, but it was Persia in history.