Jewish heritage Tours in Turkey

The Jewish community in Turkey is about twenty six thousand and most of them live in Istanbul today. The majority is made up of Sephardic, but there are also some Ashkenazi and Karaite communities as well. In 1492 Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition arrived at Istanbul and were welcomed by the Ottomans. Many of them settled in Galata neighborhood where Galata Tower was built by Genoese in the 14th century. In modern times after the Republic, in the late 1930's and early 1940’s, Turkey opened its homes and universities to Jews who had fled from Nazi oppression and persecution. In 1933 Ataturk invited to Turkey many university professors of Jewish origin who were

threatened by Nazi cruelty. In the beginning of the 19th Century Turkey was home to more than 100,000 Jews. The Jewish people in Turkey contributed immensely to the economic, cultural and political life during the times of the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic after the War of Liberation led by Ataturk. The Jewish community of Turkey is recognized by the State through its Chief Rabbinate, and Chief Rabbi is called "Haham Basi" in Turkish.

If you are planning for Jewish heritage tours in Turkey, you get to experience tower walk to Neve Shalom Synagogue. You can also visit the Jewish museum of Turkey, known also as Zulfaris Synagogue, run by Quincentennial Foundation where you will see the story of 700 years of amity between Turks and Jews. The Balat district along the Golden Horn, another old Jewish district where you will visit the Ahrida Synagogue built over 500 years ago and still in use today.

During the Jewish heritage tours in Turkey you can explore Istanbul. The impressive Hippodrome will be your first stop. Then visit the Blue Mosque named for the vivid Iznik tiles which line its interior. Browse the jewel in Turkey's Byzantine crown-the Museum of St Sophia. This splendid Church of Divine Wisdom was originally built in the 4th century AD and was lovingly restored in the 1900s, reflecting the true history of the glorious city of Istanbul. It truly represents the jewish heritage here.

The amazing Topkapi Palace-official residence of the Ottoman Sultans-with courts, pavilions, mosques, fountains and a treasury will give the experience of the culture tours in Turkey. You can also visit the Egyptian Bazaar known as Spice Market to smell and buy hundreds of lively colored spices; you can also explore small street markets around it. Then take a ferry to start your cruise on the Bosphorus Strait, while sailing along the European and Asian shores enjoy viewing Ottoman Palaces, Fortresses, Ottoman wooden houses, Suspension bridges, and fishermen. After this lovely cruise, you can enjoy the possibility of lunch in a restaurant along the Bosphorus.

The city of Izmir has a 400 year old Jewish community with many synagogues. Today you can visit the most important synagogue of the city; the Beth Israel. If you want to take a closer look at the Jewish heritage tours in Turkey then drive to Sardis, the ancient capital of Lydia, where you can see the significant ruins of the ancient city such as the Temple of Artemis, the golden river Pactalos, the Persian Royal Road, the Gymnasium and so on. You can also visit the remains of one of the world's oldest synagogue's, the Sardis Synagogue, first built in the 3rd century BC

Later you can also visit the unique and surreal landscape of Cappadoccia. It is a land of fairy chimneys and richly-frescoed churches carved from caves. A land where underground cities extend eight floors below the surface of the earth. Let the Jewish heritage tours in Turkey take you to this land of sultans’palaces, harems, lush gardens, treasure-filled museums and underground cities. Experience this exotic culture nurtured by peoples from many lands like Turkic invaders from central Asia, Jewish refugees from Spain, Greeks, North Africans, Asians and Europeans.

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