Turkish Jews Today

Population and distribution

The Jewish community of Türkiye is estimated at approximately 14,000–15,000, the result of continuous emigration — primarily to Israel — over the past seven decades. At the time of the original text the community stood at around 26,000; in Atatürk’s era it reached nearly 100,000.

Over 95 percent live in Istanbul. A community of approximately 1,000–1,500 also exists in Ïzmir, with smaller groups in Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Çanakkale, Ïskenderun, and Kırklareli. Sephardim constitute the overwhelming majority; approximately 600 Ashkenazi Jews and a very small Karaite community also live in Türkiye.

The Hahambaşı — Chief Rabbi

Turkish Jews are legally represented by the Hahambaşı, the Chief Rabbi — an institution established at the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Since 2002, the Chief Rabbi has been elected by direct democratic vote of all Jewish community members over 18.

Sevi’s predecessor, Hahambaşı Rav Ïsak Haleva (in office 2002–2025), served for 23 years and was the first Chief Rabbi to deliver sermons in Turkish in the synagogues. He died on January 14, 2025, aged 84.

Community life

The community maintains a school complex in Ulus with elementary and secondary schools serving approximately 600 students combined. The weekly newspaper Şalom continues to be published in Turkish with a page in Ladino. Two Jewish hospitals serve the community: Or Ha-Hayim in Istanbul and the Karataş Hospital in Ïzmir. Limmud Türkiye, an annual Jewish learning festival, regularly draws over 1,000 participants.

The community’s official website is turkyahudileri.com.

Resilience

The community has faced serious trauma in recent decades. On September 6, 1986, Abu Nidal Organisation terrorists attacked Neve Şalom during Shabbat morning services, killing 22 worshippers. On November 15, 2003, Al-Qaeda truck bombs targeted both Neve Şalom and Beth Israel synagogues simultaneously, killing 23 and injuring more than 600 — the majority Muslims in surrounding streets. Despite these attacks, the community has endured and continues to celebrate its heritage openly.