Education, Language and Social Life

Education

Most Jewish children attend state schools or private Turkish or foreign-language schools, and many are enrolled in universities. The community additionally maintains a primary school for approximately 300 pupils and a secondary school for approximately 250 students in Istanbul, and an elementary school in Ïzmir. Turkish is the language of instruction, and Hebrew is taught as part of the curriculum.

Language: Turkish, French and Ladino

While younger Jews speak Turkish as their native language, older generations were often more at home speaking in French or Judeo-Spanish (Ladino). Today, Turkish is the universal language of the community. A conscious effort continues to preserve the heritage of Judeo-Spanish — the remarkable language brought from Spain in 1492, a variant of 15th-century Castilian blended with Hebrew, Turkish, and other influences, that survived intact for five centuries in Istanbul.

Ladino lives on most visibly in the community newspaper Şalom, which publishes one page per week in Ladino alongside its Turkish content.

The press

La Buena Esperansa and La Puerta del Oriente began publication in Ïzmir in 1843; Or Israel began in Istanbul a decade later. Today one newspaper survives: Şalom, published weekly with most pages in Turkish and one page in Ladino. It is the primary voice of the Turkish-Jewish community.

Community calendar and welfare

A community calendar (Halila) is published by the Chief Rabbinate every year and distributed to members who have paid their community dues (Kisba). The community cannot levy taxes but can request donations. Two Jewish hospitals serve the community: Or ha-Hayyim in Istanbul and the Karataş Hospital in Ïzmir. Both cities have homes for the aged (Moshav Zekinim) and several welfare associations.

Social life and prominence

Social clubs with libraries, cultural and sports facilities give young people the chance to meet and maintain community ties. Limmud Türkiye, an annual Jewish learning festival, regularly draws over 1,000 participants. Despite their small numbers, Turkish Jews have distinguished themselves in academia, business, industry and the liberal professions.