The Jewish Community of Istanbul is still an active and vibrant Sephardic Jewish Community, one that has a long history dating back thousands of years. Even before the Sepharadim arrived here in the 16th century from Spain and Portugal, Romaniote Jews had been living in Istanbul for more than 1500 years. These Jews even predate both Islam and Christianity in the region, and we still find evidence today in Istanbul of Romaniote presence. Famously, when the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, the Rabbi of Istanbul named Moses Capsali, advocated for the expelled Jews of Spain to be welcomed into the Ottoman Empire by Sultan Bayazid II.
Today, the Jewish Community of Istanbul numbers approximately 14,000 Jews, with roughly another 1,000 Jews located in Izmir, and various small communities. We have nearly two dozen synagogues, a K-12 Jewish Day School, two Jewish youth clubs, a Jewish Holiday, Senior Home, and numerous historic and active Jewish cemeteries. In the summertime, many in our community will spend the season on the Princess Islands of Buyukada or Burgaz, both of which have historic Synagogues that are open and active during the Summer, along with a wonderful Jewish Beach Club for kids and families.
Although things have been challenging with the recent economic recession in Turkey and horrible earthquake that took the lives of thousand of people in the country’s South, including the President of the small Antakya Jewish Community, our Turkish Jewish Community is resilient. We invite you to join us in Istanbul for a Shabbat, as los muestros (our own) are always welcome to visit our active and vibrant community, once your home not so long ago as well.
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