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October 21 thru 25, 2005 - Istanbul's Amazing Skyline and its Seven Hills, Topkapi, Dolmabachi, Aya sofia, Blue Mosque, Divan Yolu Street, Istiklal Street, Itanbul University, Galata Bridge and Ataturk Bridge, Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, Ferry Ride Along the Bosphorus and to the Princess Islands, the Whirling Dervishes, visited the Rabbinical Office in Istanbul and the Jewish Community


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Istanbul

My friend told me that Istanbul is an alluring city. Alluring?

When we arrived, I saw a monster of an otogar (main bus-station), congested city, terrible air-pollution and piles of trash, many buildings in a decaying condition.

It took me few days to discover the "alluring". I understand now the different points of view: My friend arrived via cruise from the Greek Islands and stayed here for only two days. We arrived via bus, at morning rush-hour straight to the Sultanhmet, the old city, and to our Paris Hotel.

Istanbul shares two continents, Asia and Europe, with the Bosphorus separating the two sides, connecting the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea. The European side is further divided by a water-way, the Golden Horn, with old Istanbul on the south, and the newer section on the north. Bridges run over the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Buses, tram and ferries move passengers around the city that 16 million people call home.

Istanbul has an amazing skyline. The old city has seven hills, each crowned with a multi-dome mosque or a palace. Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman buildings, roads, walls, churches, hamams, cisterns and tomb sites.

We crisscrossed the city, visiting the Topkapi and Dolmabachi Palaces, homes of the Sultans. We marveled at the Aya sofia, the Blue Mosque and the mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent. We walked in the path of the Empires, along the famous street, Divan Yolu, that was constructed by Roman engineers. We saw the impressive Istanbul University. We walked along the famous Istiklal Street and joined the large crowd who frequently come here. We passed impressive buildings, few consulates, fancy stores and restaurants.

We crossed over the Galata Bridges and Ataturk Bridge, we got lost in the endless bazaars, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. We took a ferry ride along the Bosphorus and another ride to the Princess Islands. We ate grilled fish straight from the fishing boats and visited few restaurants for local food. We went to an evening celebration next to the Blue Mosque, with many vendors and performances. We also went to see the Whirling Dervishes Performance and Turkish music performance.

We visited the Rabbinical Office in Istanbul, four synagogues, participated in Friday night and Shabbat morning services; we joined a seuda in a sukkah and joined Simhat Torah Celebration.

However, all along, we experienced an overwhelming feeling, the city is too large, too congested, terrible traffic jams, crowds everywhere, crowded buses, tram and ferries.

Even though we noticed some restoration projects going on, many buildings are in a decaying condition. There are too many narrow streets that do not get sunlight. Constantine and the Sultans after him picked a great location for the city and had great plans, but it grew too large and it is not maintained properly. The charm of the old Istanbul is lost to growth and modern life.

I usually see the world through pink glasses, but I could not ignore the fact that the city is not clean and people do not take good care of their city. Drivers here are the worst, and you risk your life every time that you try to cross the street. When you try to cross the street, cars will not slow down but race toward you.

We love walking, but walking in this ancient city with the most important landmarks has been rough for us. Sidewalks are narrow and crowded, so often you must walk on the streets and the cars blow the fumes at you.

The Turks that we met along our trip were warm and helpful. In the big city they look at you as if you are a $ sign. When someone approaches you with a:
Can I help you?
Can I ask you one question?
Where are you from?
Can I show you something?
Can I invite you for tea?

You know that the next, they will ask for money or try to sell you something and you really do not want to be rude, but it gets to you. The thing that bothered us the most was the air-pollution from the many cars. When you walk in the street, you cannot help but breathe polluted air. At the hotel, when we opened the window, we got the car pollution and when we opened the front door, we got the cigarette smoke from the lobby.

On Thursday, we did what the wealthy residents of Istanbul do during the summer, we took the ferry to Princess Islands, where there are no cars, only horses and bikes and enjoyed the fresh air, the slow pace of life and walk among the pine trees.

Today is our last day here. Benny and I decided to give each other a day off and spend the day on our own. I walked down Divan Yolu street, protecting my nose with a tissue from the car fume, trying to enjoy the autumn day.

First and second group of photos up to photo 114

Upon arriving to Istanbul, we went Galata, to the Rabbinical office, to get the permits to visit the synagogues. It was an opportunity to cross Galata Bridge, and visit the other side of the Golden Horn. Lizzy at the Rabbinical Office gave us the "appointments" and we went to visit Neve Shalom the synagogue that was attacked twice, in 1986 and 2003 and lost members and staff. It is considered the most beautiful synagogue in Istanbul, however most Jews do not live here anymore, they moved to the Bosphorus area up north. The place is mainly used for celebrations. From there we went to the Azhkenazi Synagogue that is under construction to redo the security entrance. There were three Ashkenazi Synagogues in Istanbul, but the other two closed and all the Sefer Torahs were moved here, so they own 21 Sefer Torahs.

Walking back we crossed the Ataturk Bridge, visited the university and passed through the Grand Bazaar.

It is Friday, we went to service where we met a handful of middle age men who come to Bet Avraam Synagogue in order to keep the place open. They do not live here anymore. They asked us to join them for a seuda in the sukkah the following day.

We came on Shabbat morning. Benny was invited for an Aliya. There were about thirty men. I was the only female and sat in the last row. They all drive for about an hour to get here. It is too far for their families to come here. The service was over at 10:00 am. The cantor, Haim Vitali is a speed reader, yet you can understand every word he says. We gathered in the small Sukkah and had a Seuda. Most of them are in the textile business, treat and material. The cantor is a tax adviser. His brother is a cantor in Istnabul too. They all have summer homes in the Princess Islands.

It is a beautiful day; we will take the ferry to the Bosphorus. An opportunity to get an orientation of the geography of this city, where is the Asian side and where is the European side where are the seven hills where is the Bosphorus, where is the Golden Horn, where is Topkapi Palace, the point where the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn meet. Where is the beginning of the black sea, where are the castles that protected the Bosphours.

We cross under the Bosphorus Bridge, an area called Ortakoy, we will be there for Simhat Torah. We watched fishing boats throwing nets to sea. At the end of the Bosphorus, we got down from the ferry and climbed up to the top of the hill to the Medieval Castle that used to guard the Bosphorus and looked at the place where the Bosphorus meet the Black Sea.

October 23 photo 115-144

Today we are taking a self-guided tour along Istiklat Street. We take the bus to Istiklat Street where we there is monument with Ataturk and from there we walk down the street with large crowd that enjoy strolling down this no-traffic street. Beautiful buildings, stores, the French, British, Russian, Swedish and Netherlands Consulates. We even found a Benny Store.

In the evening we went to watch the Whirling Dervishes Performance. It was just OK.... They turn and turn and turn...There was also a performance of Turkish music, sounds very much like Israeli music.

Monday, October 24, photos 145-184

Today we are doing the tourist circle, the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia and the Topkapi Palace. The Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia are facing each other. The Topkai Palace is next to both, on top of the hill, by the water at a place where the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn meet. It is an awesome site, buildings, architecture and everything that imagination and money can do.

Visiting the Jewish Community in Istanbul

Throughout our trip, we were trying to compare between what happened in Turkey and the History of Israel. There is a lot of similarity: the same Greek, Roman, Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire. Here, we learnt of another connection: On August 2nd, 1492, when Christopher Columbus launched his famous search for the new world, he could not use Portugal's main port; it was clogged by the Jews who were expelled from Spain, on their way to Turkey. The Ottoman Empire welcomed the Jews and the Jewish community prospered in this country. There were two terrorist attacks on synagogues here, but they were carried out by foreigners. All the Jews that I met here felt very safe in Turkey. The men must serve in the Turkish army after high school. Istanbul has about 19,000 Jews. 18,000 Sepharadim and 1,000 Ashkenazim. They have 17 synagogues; three of them are in the Princess Islands and operate only during the summer months.

In order to visit the Jewish Synagogues, we had to get an "appointment" from the Rabbinical Office here. Our first challenge: finding the Rabbinical Office. It is in the Galata area. Galata used to be a Jewish area, however, the Jews moved up north to the more affluent quarters, but the institution is still located here. From our Paris Hotel in Sultanahmet, we cross the Galata Bridge over the Golden Horn to the other side of European Istanbul. We went up, we went down, Istanbul is a city of many ups and downs, asking direction. One says to the right, another to the left. Finally we see a security booth. We know we arrived. The Turkish are guarding their Jewish Community. No signs on the outside. After careful check of our passports and belongings we are led in. Lizzy, a sweet busy lady, runs the office and between answering her phone, responding to email, people go in and out of her office, she gave us "appointment" to visit few synagogues and to visit others on Shabbat and Simchat Torah.

Our first stop, Neve Shalom Synagogue. Some more going up and going down, getting lost, asking direction, and surprisingly, people knew "Neve Shalom" and pointed to the front door. It is shut closed. Over the intercom we were instructed to go around the corner. Another security check. It is considered as the largest and the most beautiful synagogue in the city. It is now used mainly for Weddings, Bar-Mitvahs, other ceremonies and the holidays. Jews do not live around here anymore. The place suffered two terrorist attacks that killed two Hazanim, two Gabaim, a Shamash, the security staff, about 40 members, spectators and local people. The first one occurred in 1986 and the second one in 2003. In 2003, there were two simultaneous attacks. The other one occurred in the large synagogue, Bet Israel. All the attacks happened during Shabbat service and were carried by foreign terrorists who entered Turkey. The State of Israel gave the synagogue a gift, the chandelier that survived the terrorist attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires. When we were there, some workers were decorating the place for a wedding.

Next we went to the Ashkenazi Synagogue, it was built in 1900. It is just downhill from the Galata Tower. The outside is very impressive, but the entrance is under construction, to rebuild a security entrance. There used to be three Ashkenazim Synagogues, but the others closed. The Ashkenazi Synagogue used to have seven Sifrei Torah, now they have 21, they received the Torahs from the two that were closed. The older man who took us around was very proud of the ebony wood bima and arc. Indeed, it is beautiful. They did not build a sukkah this year, but have a lulav and an etrog, which I was given to bless.

We visited the sukkah of Bet Avraam Synagogue in Sirkeci on Friday and Saturday. Bet Avraam is behind the train station in Sirkeci. About thirty men drive for about one hour one way to keep the synagogue open. They do not live here anymore. They arranged for a mini-bus to pick them up and take them back home. Until thirty years ago the place was full, however today, they all moved to the Bosphorus area, to the more affluent neighborhood. They do not want the synagogue to close, so they made a commitment to come and pray here. I was the only female there, it is too far for their families to come. The cantor, a volunteer, of course, Haim Vitali, has a beautiful voice. His brother is a cantor of another synagogue in Istanbul. They are both studied at Talmud Torah in Istanbul. Haim Vitali is speed chanting the prayers and the reading of the Torah, yet I could follow every word. When I told him that I was so impressed by how fast and clear he reads, he responded "people want to go home...". On Saturday morning, the service was over at 10:00 AM and we all went to the Sukkah for a Seuda. We spoke to the cantor and to another member, Shabtai de Kimchi. They all have summer homes on the Princess Islands, where they spend their summer in their country clubs. There are synagogues that operate on the island during the summer months. Haim the cantor is a tax advisor. Shabtai is a textile importer, importing Lycra threads. Shabtai told us that many of the members deal with textile. His own son deals with fantazia thread and fabric. Shabtai and his family were in Israel for few years, but chose to come back to Turkey, his wife missed her family very much. We spoke to two other gentlemen who served in the Israeli Army in 1956, but after the service came back to Turkey. One of them lost his brother in the 1986 terrorist attack. Turkey is home for them.

We celebrated Simhat Torah in Etz Haim Synagogue in Ortakoy. It is located in Ortakoy, a beautiful neighborhood along the Bosphorus. Many Jews live here. This year the community invited old members who immigrated to Israel, so there is sort of reunion with twenty couples visiting from Israel. The Israeli definitely added to the uplifting and there was a great celebration. I asked for permission to take photos, and my photos will tell a better story. One of the Israeli guests commented to me: "see how much love is for Israel here, our youth in Israel do not care about tradition any more..."

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