Israeli producer Dana Eden has passed away at age 52.
The mother of three was found dead in the Athens, Greece, hotel where she had been staying while shooting season four of the hit show “Tehran,” which she helmed as producer and co-creator. Her production company, Shula and Donna Productions, has stated that any rumors about her death being related to political or criminal activity are false.
Eden was part of Israeli TV history since she was just 1 year old. Her father named his production company, Dana Productions, after his daughter. Eden took over the business when he was too ill to continue spearheading the company.
She was 23 years old when she produced her first show, “Chalomot Ne’urim” (“Teenage Dreams”), a teen show whose format was sold overseas in Australia (“The Real Thing”) and France (“Face Caméra”).
She became a prolific producer of diverse TV content: the children’s show “Shakshuka,” ׳which stars her son Gur; a rom-com about age-gap relationships starring Israeli singer Miri Mesika; a documentary series about wildlife hospitals; and the 2026 Arabic language drama “Sada” about a Muslim woman at a crossroads after the untimely death of her husband. Eden was concerned with making compelling TV, first and foremost. She was truly a pioneer in her field.
Fellow Israeli TV maven Dana Stern called Eden “a TV producer who was actually a creator, with an abundance of ideas, a creator of worlds who breaks through walls to make them happen.”
Back in 2014, Eden got an email that would go on to change Israeli TV and the way it’s viewed around the world. The subject line was simply “Tehran,” which she spoke about in a 2020 interview for JTA.
“I said to myself, ‘Oh my God, that’s an amazing title,’” said Eden. “That’s a show I would really want to see, I hope that what’s written inside will be as good as the title is.”
The show, co-created by Eden, Maor Cohen and “Fauda” writer Moshe Zonder, indeed held all the promise of that pithy subject line. Stern helped sell it to Apple TV+ for an unprecedented $20 million dollars, securing multiple season renewals for the show about an Israeli Mossad spy with Persian roots who goes on a mission in the title Iranian city. The show stars Niv Sultan as heroine Tamar Rabinayan. Sultan previously starred in Eden’s 2018 show “She’s Got It” as an aspiring fashion designer.
“Tehran” eventually attracted international stars: Glenn Close for season two, and Hugh Laurie for season three, who joined the cast as an avid fan of the spy drama.
That third season, which also features “Shtisel” star Sasson Gabay, is currently airing on Apple TV+, after its premiere was delayed because of October 7 and the war in Gaza.
It deals with many hot topics that are more pertinent than ever, including the way the country copes with sanctions to the Iranian government’s human rights violations, especially against women, which are at the forefront in the news now due to mass protests. Those protests have been met with violent and deadly crackdowns by the Iranian government, which have led to a devastating number of casualties.
“The fact that the series is airing at the same time as the uprising in Iran is coincidental, but it shows that the show is more relevant than ever,” Eden told Calcalist last month.“If there’s a season five, we’ll just write that there’s peace between Israel and Iran, maybe it will come true.”
“Tehran” is well known for being an excellent, fast-paced, nail-biting thriller. But at the end of the day, as Eden said back in 2020, it was created to encourage viewers, especially Jewish viewers, “to be proud” of who they are and their heritage.
“We’re all immigrants. And wherever your homeland is, be proud of it and feel connected to it. And don’t lose your roots. Always feel Jewish. And don’t ignore your past. Embrace it,” she said.
Eden’s body is being flown to Israel, where her funeral will take place this coming Wednesday, in accordance with Jewish tradition. Shooting of season four has been halted until next Sunday to allow the cast and crew to attend the funeral and shiva and pay their respects.
May the memory of this incredible TV creator be a blessing.
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