In Search of Jewish Musical Traditions

TurkeyA Brief History

The Hitites (ancestors of the Israelites) dominated Anatolia from the Middle Bronze Age. Then the Persians invaded followed by…

1900 BCE – 323 BCE

Alexander the Great.

The Romans brought peace, prosperity, and Christianity during a rule lasting nearly five centuries. Emperor Constantine built a new capital – Constantinople.

133 BCE – 395 CE

This eastern Roman or Byzantine empire thrived under Justinian (527-566 CE) until Muslem armies invaded from Arabia.

399- 678 CE

The first Turkic people arrived from the steppes of Central Asia.

1071-1243 CE

These Seljuks fought off the Crusadersand the Mongols and gave rise to theOttomans.

By 1820 the Ottoman Empire stretched from the Gulf to Vienna, all along the north coast of Africa, around the Red Sea and to the shores of the Caspian.

1299 – 1914 CE

The British supported an Arab revolt against the Ottomans, who sided with Germany during the First World War. After the war, the League of Nations took over the Empire.

1914 -1918

Lawrence of Arabia

The Ottoman Empire fell as its subjects revolted. The Greeks invaded western Turkey.

1920 -1922 CE

General Mustafa Kemal organized Turkish forces to defend the Turkish heartland.

The Turks reversed the Greek advance and retained Turkey. Mustafa (known as Attatürk, “Father Turk”) changed Turkey into a secular democracy.

1923

Turkey entered the Second World War on the side of the Allies shortly before its end and consequently benefited from US aid.

1939 -1945 CE

1960 Military Coup. The army staged its almost bloodless coup against the DP (Democractic Peak) government. Civilian rule was established in 1961.

1971 “Coup by memorandum.” After three years of political violence and economic problems, the army took over after signaling their intentions in a series of memos.

1974 Turkey invaded northern Cyprus claiming it was to protect Turkish Cypriots from a Greek Cypriot military takeover in the south of the island.

Civilian power restored in 1983.

Fighting between Turkish forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party erupts.

By 1999 30,000 were dead.

1980 More economic problems; another coup.

2005 Talks on membership to the European Union begin in October 2005 contingent on Turkish recognition of Cyprus.

Our trip began on a Thursday afternoon in January as four JTSstudents, Rabbi Hillel and Debby Millgram, Professor Edwin

and Cantor Marlena boarded the El Al flight to Istanbul.

Istanbul has a unique position in the World by being the only city settled on two different continents and  thereby  offering a chance to make an intercontinental trip by bus or ferry like some of the Istanbullers do everyday

After the flight, there’s a 45 min bus ride into the city.

From the bus the views are breathtaking…

YakovMatt

The BossThe Rav

Arriving in the evening the magicthat has captured imaginations for centuries took hold of our group of pilgrims.

We hurriedly checked into our hotel and rushed out into the unseasonably warm winter evening. Streets were teeming with activity. The energy was contagious.

Istiklal Caddesi, a main pedestrian street

Friday Museums, a church that became a mosque, that became a museum, ancient cisterns & Shabbat

Jon

Friday morning Taksim Square was just as lively. We choose this area as it is walking distances from the two B’tei Knesset which were on our agenda for Shabbat.

At the center of Taksim Square is the Monument to the Republic

Our first stop was theArcheological Museumwhich houses treasures fromBiblical times forward.

Finding it was a little tricky butluckily we brought our Israelilogistics officer & as you can seehe has every under control?!

¿Dónde están yo?

The Archeological Museum

Rabbi Hillel, tour guide to the museum

Hittite Copy of the treatybetween Eqypt (Ramses II)and the Hittite Empire afterthe Battle of Kadesh

Ishtar Gate

After the destruction of the first temple in 586 BCE, the Hebrew Exiles were taken as prisoners to Babylonia. The entrance to the city, The Ishtar Gate, built by Nebuchadnezar II, opened to the great processional way in which the walls were covered with giant, fierce animals made of tiles. A number of these wall hangings were brought to the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul.

Oרות ב Tה Vל־נ Vנו ע ר\ כ[ Oז ינו ב[ bכ Oם ב Vנו ג ב[ Vש Oם י Oל ש fביון bת־צ fא

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. (Ps.137)

נור כ> ל ו< Aב Cנ לוהו ב< ל< Gה Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dance. ( Tehilim 150)

Nevel & Kinor, Biblical harps

Larry Moe Curly

We weren’t the only class on a field trip that day.

Blowing me a kiss

Alexander the GreatSarcophagus

Sarcophagus of The Weeping Women

Hadrian,Roman Emperor whose persecu-tion of Jews led to Bar Kochba revolt in 135 CE.

Wesurvived!

Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) Museum

Hagia Sophia church was built over the remains of the previous basilica by order of Justinian, the Byzantine Emperor. The construction was started in 532 and completed in five years. In Hagia Sophia, Justinian had

attempted for the first time in the history of architecture to build a gigantic centraldome over a rectangular plan.

The interior illustratesHagia Sofia’s variousincarnations.

Hagia Sophia, which was converted to a mosque in Ottoman period, was turned into a museum on Atatürk's orders after the foundation of Turkish Republic.

Yerebatan (Basilica) CisternThe largest of covered cisterns in the city was built during the reign of Justinian I, the Byzantine Emperor. 336 columns arranged in 12 rows support brick cross-vaults covering an area of 9800 sq.m. Lots of fish swim very happily in the cistern.

Yicks!I’m head over

heels for you

Hazzanijanim

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii, aka Blue Mosque) is known for its six minarets and its visual effect of perfect harmony.

Because Shabbat comes early in January, we rushed back to the hotel midafternoon to prepare for Erev Shabbat services at Beth Israel and the main focus of our trip – the Jewish musical traditions of Turkey.

Early Jews to Istanbul

Jews have lived in Turkey more than 500 years. Most of them were exiled from Spain and came to Turkey to start a new life. During the 16th century the Sultan accepted the Jews into the Ottoman Empire and they were allowed to work, rent houses, marry, have their own business and also pray. These Jews spoke Judeo-Spanish and until today you can find Jewish families who speak this dialect at home. The music in this presentation is from the Turkish-Sephardic Tradition.

Following the collapse of the Ottoman empire, many minorities left the country. Today statistics show that there are about 20 thousand Jews in Turkey and a number of synagogues.

While for the most part they live in peace with Christians and Muslims, the community was shattered when ...

In 1986 Palestinian gunmen rushed into Neve Shalom synagogue during Shabbat morning services and opened fire on the clergy and congregation killing 22 worshippers and wounding six.

And…

The Iranian-backed Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah carried out a bomb attack against the synagogue in 1992. No one was injured.

And... On November 15, 2003, two truck bombs simultaniously slammed into the Neve Shalom and Beth Israel synagogues and exploded during Shabbat morning Bar Mitzvah celebration. The explosions devastated the synagogues and killed twenty-seven people, most of them Turkish Muslims, also injuring more than 300 others. Six Jews were among the dead.

Neve Shalom exterior before the terrorists’ attacks

Shall priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

Let tearsrun downlike a river…

…day andnight. (Echa 2)

The hallowedstones arepoured out…

…at the top of every street. (Echa 4)

Memorial Plaque and new entrance toNeve Shalom

Due to the terrorist attacks all visitors are required to register with the office of the Chief Rabbi before visiting the Istanbul synagogues.

Our plan was to daven Erev Shabbat at Beth Israel and Shabbat morning at Neve Shalom and return for Shabbat Mincha/Maariv to Beth Israel.

Hazzan David Zvi of Beit Knesset Beth Israel invited our group to tour the shul Friday afternoon before Shabbat.

As our cabs approached the area of the Beth Israel, all roads were blocked. The drivers left us near a subway station and still having a little time before Shabbat, we took the train to a station a few blocks from the shul. When we came out of the train station we learned that the Armenian outspoken yet moderate editor/reporter Hrank Dink had been assasinated only two blocks from Beth Israel in the Shishli district…

…our destination.

The city was in uproar.

With this lastest addition to crimes against ethnic and religious groups a pall descended on the Erev Shabbat services. None the less we were warmly welcomed Friday evening at Beth Israel and Shabbat morning at Neve Shalom.

At Neve Shalom the students were given special honors in the service and we were invited to Kiddush after which the president acted as our personal tour guide to the synagogue.

The Turkish Tradition is very formal with the Chief Rabbi appearing in purple vestments and the under rabbis in red. Mourners are greeted during the service and worshipers have a set of gestures not seen in Ashkenaz synagogues and which were quite a delight to our American students.

Neve Shalom Synagogue (1949) is the most beautiful and important synagogue in Istanbul, where most of the religious ceremonies like bar mitzahs, weddings and funerals are held.

Shabbat afternoon we walked back to Beth Israel to join Hazzan David Zviand about 30 men in the resurrected tradition of singing Maftirim*. Even the director of the program (poor, lowly woman that she is) was given a song bookletand allowed to join in. Following this lively jam session mincha and maariv services were attended by more than 100 Turkish Jews: men, women and children.

**Sufism is a mystic tradition within Islam that encompasses a diverse range of beliefs and practices dedicated to Divine love and the cultivation of the elements of the Divine within the individual human being. Practitioners of this tradition are known as "Sufis" generally, though some senior members of the tradition reserve this term for those who have attained the goals of the tradition.

*Maftirim is a musical form of para-liturgical poetry which originated from the interaction of Jewish and Muslim Sufis** in 16th century.

Fish is the specialty of the chic restaurant district on Istiklal Caddesi.

Debby’s in charge of choosing

And more

Which way to

the BALL?

Sid

Matt

Yakov

Or the Mosad

The Library

From the palace grounds a view of the Bosporus…

Yakov

…and Asia!

Sunday afternoon walkoffered views of the many mosques

Süleymaniye (Suleiman) MosqueThis 16th century masterpiece was constructed by Architect Sinan, the most famous of Ottoman architects, by order of Süleyman the Magnificient. Its construction was began in 1550 and was finished in 1557. The 53 m. high central dome of the mosque rests on four pillars, called elephant-feet, and has a diameter of 26.5 m.

Süleymaniye interior

Süleymaniye

Fatih Mosque

There was no shortage of goodies…

And the shop keepers happily displayedtheir treasures to the guys…

Grabbing a fish sandwich on the banks of The Bosphorus.

One last look…

A little more window shopping…

One last cuppa Turkish coffee…