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Click here to search or visit burials in the Beheshtiyeh (Khavaran) Cemetery

Throughout their history in Iran, Jews have established special cemeteries under the supervision of community leaders in order to observe religious laws, especially those pertaining to the deceased and burial. It goes without saying that the dispersion of Jewish communities throughout the world, and their exposure to the cultures of their surroundings, has led to differences in the details of how they perform mourning rituals (whether personal or on religious occasions). However, in Jewish-populated cities in Iran, these differences have been very small and negligible, even in the distant past.

Established in 1936 AD, equivalent to 5696 on the Hebrew calendar, the Beheshtiyeh Jewish Cemetery stands as Tehran’s fourth exclusive burial ground for Jewish individuals. It is situated in the southern region of the city, specifically along Khorasan Road within the Soleymanieh lands.

The cemetery was designed by the Russian architect Badanski. The construction was overseen by the late Jahangir Banayan, with Loghman Mikael and Davoud Alghanian serving as supervisors. Yosef Hendizadeh and Eshagh Nowbahar provided invaluable assistance in the execution of this important project.

The Beheshtiyeh Tehran cemetery is the fourth Jewish cemetery in Tehran, following the Sepah Road Cemetery (built during Karim Khan Zand’s reign between 1751 – 1779 AD, 5506 – 5629 Hebrew Calendar), the Dangi Intersection Cemetery on Kalimian Alley, and the Mazandaran Street Cemetery (from the time of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, 1848 – 1896 AD, or 5609 – 5656 Hebrew Calendar).

Beheshtiyeh Tehran holds religious and historical significance among all Iranian Jews. This complex, covering an area of 79,500 square-meters, includes the tombs of Jewish community figures. Some notable burials include:

Suleiman Haim: Author of several bilingual dictionaries.
Tale’ Hamadani: A national Jewish poet.
Jeanette Cohensedgh: A track and field champion.
Samuel Haim
Rabbi Haim Moreh
Aziz Daneshrad
Manouchehr Nikrouz: Representative of the Jews in parliament.
Morteza Yaffe: A longtime volunteer at the Beheshtiyeh cemetery.
Martyrs of the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War.

An intriguing aspect of this cemetery is the section dedicated to Polish Jews. It serves as the final resting place for those who sought refuge in Iran during World War II to escape persecution and save their lives.

The cemetery includes a hall that was reconstructed in 2004 by the Tehran Jewish Committee. During reconstruction, a large cistern was discovered under the hall, which was turned into a museum of old gravestones gathered from across Iran.

Click here to visit other burials of the Beheshtiyeh Tehran (Khavaran) Cemetery.

Pictures of notable cultural, academic, and charitable Jewish figures who had a great role in building the modern Jewish community with their great sacrifices and humanity. May their souls rest in peace and their memory be forever honored.