The First Local Spiritual Assembly in Ryde Community
The believers started to arrive as early as 1968 and the Assembly was formed by 1969.
Members of the first Assembly (photo left to right):
- Monireh Yaganegi
- Maria Cox
- Firozeh Yaganegi
- Reginald Markham
- Dolat Rahpayma
- Victoria Yaganegi
- Ruhi Sarooshi
- Anayat Yaganegi
- Hedayat Yaganegi
Reginald Markham was elected chair of the Spiritual Assembly for the first five years, when he left, Yurgen Voightmann was elected chair for 10 years. From the mid 1980s, Adrian Salter served as chair for over 10 years and was pillar for the Ryde community. Hedayat Yaganegi was elected as secretary for the first 15 years of the Local Assembly; then Nur Mihrshahi served as secretary for a further 5 years.
Families in the Ryde community in the early days were Cox, Yaganegi, Markham, Voightmann, Barnard, Peterson and Hallmond. Maria Cox would arrange children’s classes and after she left the community, she maintained regular contact with the Ryde friends.
Mrs. Firoozeh Gustasb Yaganegi
(Mama Yaganegi)
Firoozeh Yaganegi was born and raised in India of Persian and Zoroastrian decent. In 1950 when her husband passed away, she sent her children to boarding school and went pioneering as had been previously planned. In a letter on behalf of the Guardian addressed to the National Assembly of India, it said “The noble spirit shown by Mrs. Yaganegi, in pioneering after the death of her dear husband, is an example to all.” June 28, 1950 written on behalf of the Guardian.
A few years later, Firoozeh responded to the Guardian’s call in 1953 for the Ten Year Crusade and pioneered to Goa, becoming a Knight of Baha’u’llah. On her pilgrimage in 1957 she was in the presence of the Guardian and formed a close friendship with Rúhiyyih Khánum that would last for the remainder of their days.
Firoozeh was a founding member of Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Ryde in 1969. She was continuously involved in teaching the faith in various parts of Australia and overseas. In the mid 1970s she visited India for a few years where she participated in nationwide teaching campaign. Other than that she resided in Ryde from 1968 until her passing in 2008.
In 1984 Firoozeh attended the dedication of the Bahá’i House of Worship in Apia, Samoa. There she caught up Rúhiyyih Khánum, coincidentally they had both recently travelled to Fiji. Rúhiyyih Khánum was struck by presence of Indian population there and was heard saying several times “where is Firoozeh to teach the Faith to these people?” In response to this call, over the next 20 years or so Firoozeh made 18 visits to all parts of the Fiji Islands with great success in her teaching efforts. She was accompanied by family and various friends who supported the teaching and consolation activity. Other highlights of this period included returning to Goa for a visit in 1991, attending the gathering of the Knights of Baha’u’llah at the Holy Land in 1992 and attending the Bahá’i World Congress in New York also in 1992. Other areas of service included supporting initiatives with Indigenous teaching in NSW and her long term involvement with the Chinese teaching based at the time in Cabramatta.
“We were saddened to hear of the passing of Firoozeh Yaganegi who rendered devoted services to the Bahá’i Faith for over seven decades…She was renowned for her dedication to teaching the Faith in India, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
She will long be remembered for her radiant sprit and the loving encouragement she provided to others in the path of service.”
– Universal House of Justice, 22 July 2008
The Newcomers From Iran to the Ryde Community
In 1970 Victoria Yaganegi visited Iran to see her family. Dr Mohajer met her there and requested that she encourage friends to immigrate to Australia and New Zealand to serve the Faith there. His concern was the friends had ignored the Guardian’s warning to leave Iran. Victoria responded to call to action by visiting the friends at gatherings in various cities. The immigration applications started pouring in immediately. Hedayat Yaganegi worked in the Sydney CBD, he would fill out the sponsorship papers for each family during his lunch breaks at the immigration office.
The first families from Iran to move into Ryde in the 1970s included Hessar-Amiri, Forghani, Furudi and Shahidi. As each family immigrated to Australia, they sponsored other families as well. This led to a significant number of the early Bahá’is coming from Iran to Australia not just in Ryde. This established expat population played an important role assisting the persecuted Iranian Bahá’is to settle in Australia after the revolution in 1978.
(Con’t…) In 1974 when Dr Muhajir visited Sydney, he asked Victoria to assemble the Iranian Bahá’is in Sydney and ACT to her house in Eastwood. Around a hundred friends came at various times on a Saturday afternoon. They were all given lunch and the ladies in the kitchen including Mrs Hessar-Amiri and Mrs Firoozeh Yaganegi cooking all day long. Dr Muhajir’s told the friends that they were here to pioneer and propagate the Faith not just seek a comfortable lifestyle in Australia. His direct message to the friends led to an increase in propagation and homefront pioneering activity.
As an aside, a few years later Rúhiyyih Khánum was hosted to a dinner in Ryde, as was Dr Ugo Giachery. Collis Featherstone when visiting would often stay at a caravan park in North Ryde, he would often speak to youth from across Sydney assembled Ryde, as did Dr Peter Khan.
