Vorna Valley

Vorna Valley is a suburb of Midrand, South Africa. It is located in Region A of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.

Vorna Valley
Vorna Valley
Vorna Valley
Coordinates: 25.99833°S 28.10722°E / -25.99833; 28.10722
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceGauteng
MunicipalityCity of Johannesburg
Main PlaceMidrand
Government
 • CouncillorAnnette Deppe
Area
 • Total3.44 km2 (1.33 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total12,446
 • Density3,600/km2 (9,400/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African53.4%
 • Coloured4.2%
 • Indian/Asian25.0%
 • White16.3%
 • Other1.1%
First languages (2011)
 • English54.8%
 • Zulu9.3%
 • Afrikaans5.4%
 • Tswana5.0%
 • Other25.5%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
1686
PO box
1686

History

Vorna Valley derives its name from the Galaun family's home village of Varniai (Vornia), Lithuania. Jacob and Michelle, Father and Mother of brothers Joseph, Israel, Louis, Harry, Abe and sisters Leah, Malka, Tzira and Zira, lived in Lithuania. Jacob owned a butchery and leased a piece of land on which they kept cattle. Michelle came from a cheese-making family. The Galaun family sold cheese as well as milk to supplement their income from their butchery.

Many Jewish youths from Lithuania emigrated due to the military conscription, poverty and anti-semitism. Louis Galaun moved to South Africa where he established himself as an established property developer and owned a bottle store and land known as Halfway House. Louis eventually established the township of Vorna Valley in the 1970s.

The main arterial road was named after his brother, Harry Galaun. While other streets in the suburb were named after mainly South African artists, poets, writers, performers and influential people in the world of arts at that time.[2]

References
  1. "Sub Place Vorna Valley". Census 2011.
  2. Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft (23 September 2003). "Memorial Service for the late Abe Galaun - 2003". African Jewish Congress. Retrieved 5 February 2014.


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