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Noor-e Sedaghat School
Fourth grade pupils pose for a picture by their teacher, Mr. Mahboub. Noor-e Sedaghat School, 1948.
First row from right: 1. Manouchehr Sachme’echi; 2. Said Yodim; 3. Unknown; 4. Unknown.
Second row: 1. Unknown; 2. Unknown; 3. Unknown; 4. Unknown.
Third row: 1. Iraj Eshaghian; 2. Hizghiya Of; 3. Unknown; 4. Moradchaman.
Fourth row: 1.Bijan Galutin; 2. Unknown; 3. Bemoni.
Fifth row: 1. Unknown; 2. Unknown.
Noor-e Sedaghat School was founded with the support of British Protestant missionaries in 1931. A building had been rented for the school on the northern side of Oudlajan. It was over 6,000 square-meters big and was at the eastern side of the Sarcheshmeh intersection, opposite Mirza Mahmoud Street.
The school supported six grades and had a total of 120-150 pupils, boys and girls together. The headmaster was Mirza Jalinous, an important Baha’i figure born to a Jew. Miss Noorollah was responsible for the girls of the school.
The school had been constructed with the claim of educating the Jewish children of the Oudlajan neighborhood, even including Hebrew classes in the curriculum. However, their decisions made it clear from the beginning that the true intention of the missionaries was to convert Jewish children, drawing them to Christianity as they eventually left the faith of their fathers.
At its inception, the authorities of the school made elaborate efforts to draw the attention of Jewish parents to their school. The authorities of the school offered free registration, payments, and gifts such as free uniforms to impoverished families. It worked. Jewish families welcomed the school and the school maintained its policy for years.
Noor-e Sedaghat school was closed on Shabbats. On Fridays, however, they held special classes known as “Happiness Club”, where they performed recreational activities such as plays and music aimed at introducing Jewish students to the principles and practices of Christianity.
It is important to highlight that alongside the widespread missionary efforts of European missionaries in Iran aimed at converting Muslims to Christianity, British Protestant Christians took a different approach. They initially focused on establishing and developing Noor-e Sedaghat schools in Tehran and Isfahan, which were schools specifically dedicated for the Jewish community.
However, thanks to the significant success and growth of Alliance (Ettehad) schools throughout Iran, alongside the establishment of the Otsar Hatorah cultural complex and the founding of Ganj-e Danesh schools in Tehran and other urban centers, coupled with the evident achievements of these religious educational institutions, the Protestant missionaries faced a stark reality: their objectives remained unattainable even after more than four decades of tireless activity and dedication. Ultimately, they were compelled to shut down the Noor-e Sedaghat School. This outcome was attributed to the fact that throughout this period, not even a single pupil had converted.
Employees of Noor-e Sedaghat School:
Rahim Boostani: English teacher and school principal
Morteza Eshghi: Logistics
Khalil Shirazi: Sixth grade teacher
Mrs. Hadashian: First grade teacher
Mr. Shemtoob: Math teacher
Mr. Saghani: Hebrew teacher
Mr. Bayat: Physical education teacher
Mr. Zahab: Teacher
Mrs. Tehrani: Teacher
Abbas Agha: School janitor
It is interesting to know that the website administrator studied in the first and second grades of this school in the academic years 1959-1960 and 1960-1961 school years.
A graduation ceremony for the high school class of Noor-e Sedaghat’s Girl’s School, attended by parents and teachers, 1962.
From right: Suleiman Haim, Miss Noorollah (Principal of Noor-eGirl’s School), Unidentified person, Mirza Jalinous (Principal of the Boys’ School), and Hossein Ala (former Prime Minister and Minister of Court, 1955-1957).
A graduation ceremony for the high school class of Noor-e Sedaghat’s Girl’s School, attended by parents and teachers, 1962.
From right: Suleiman Haim, Miss Noorollah (Principal of Noor-eGirl’s School), Unidentified person, Mirza Jalinous (Principal of the Boys’ School), and Hossein Ala (former Prime Minister and Minister of Court, 1955-1957).
Noor-e Sedagaht School
Noor-e Sedagaht School year 2011
Noor-e Sedagaht School was established in one of the old gardens of Tehran. It was at the corner of Amin Hozour intersection, Amir Kabir Street (formerly Cheragh Bargh), opposite Martyr Alireza Javidi Alley (formerly Haj Mirza Mahmoud Vaziri), No. 117.
This building stands directly opposite the house of Dr. Arastou Alaj Ardastani, a renowned physician — unfortunately, the house was demolished a few months ago to make way for a shopping complex.
Mirza Noorollah and Mirza Jalinous Hakim established the Noor-e Sedaghat School during the early reign of Reza Shah. The school was named after Mirza Noorollah.
Noor-e Sedagaht School year 2011
Noor-e Sedagaht School year 2011
The Hakim family was a powerful lineage during the Qajar and Pahlavi eras. They descended from a Jewish immigrant named Hakim Suleiman, who migrated to Iran during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar. His descendants, Hakim Hagh Nazar and Hakim Moshe, served as the personal physicians to Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.
Noor Sedaghat School year 2011
The Noor-e Sedaghat School building comprised two floors, constructed in an east-west orientation facing south. Access to the floors was provided by two staircases, one on the east and one on the west. Over time, the western portion of the school building was demolished and converted into a warehouse using asbestos roofing. Additionally, the eastern courtyard was transformed into an open-air warehouse for refrigerators, washing machines, gas stoves, televisions, carpets, and spare parts. Subsequently, the Noor-e Sedaghat School became known as the “Ivory” warehouse. The janitor’s family resided in the remaining section of the school building located in the northeast corner of the property.
On Tuesday, August 14, 2007, at 4:48 PM, the “Ivory” warehouse, formerly the Noor-e Sedaghat School, caught fire. Multiple fire stations were dispatched to the warehouse situated in Amin Hozour intersection to extinguish the blaze. Additionally, Rescue Stations 1 and 9 responded to the scene. The incident, one of the largest in the capital, was contained without any fatalities. Only the janitor’s family and two firefighters sustained minor injuries and were promptly transported to the hospital for treatment.
Noor-e Sedagaht School
Noor-e Sedagaht School