“Yaldei Teheran” – what a curious name, right? I’m guessing you’re wondering about this garden tucked away in the heart of Tel Aviv, in the Hadar Yosef neighborhood. It’s not just any green space, you know.
This serene oasis right here is actually a touching memorial to a particularly poignant chapter in the history of this young city. It commemorates the “Tehran Children,” a group of Jewish orphans who fled the horrors of the Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II. Their journey was truly remarkable, spanning continents and even being aided by the Iranian government in Tehran.
They faced harrowing challenges as they made their way east, eventually finding temporary shelter in the Soviet Union. The arrival of the German army there in June 1941 threatened their safety so the Soviets, in a rare act of cooperation during this turbulent period, sent them via the Caspian Sea to Tehran.
The Jewish Agency stepped up, providing vital support to these young souls through a Jewish orphanage, even helping them reunite with families in Palestine. Many of these children went on to build lives and contribute significantly to the development of Israel.
It is so moving to think these gardens were once a sanctuary for them, a place of peace and respite after their incredible journey through war-stricken Europe and Asia.