21 November
Movie Review: Piece by Piece 
November 21, 2024 Movie Review: Piece by Piece
November 14, 2024 "Humor on the Margins: Cartoons in the Turkish Jewish Newspaper Ţalom" by Rakel P. Meţulam
November 7, 2024 The "Ottoman and Turkish Ketubbot" Exhibition
November 4, 2024 TV Show Review: Nobody Wants This
November 1, 2024 The Irresistible Drunkenness of Reading Books
OPINION/ Can a Turkish Jew be an “advisor”?
Mois GABAY
November 5, 2014
Suppose you are a leading member of our community, a chief editor of a daily newspaper, an author, or a prominent businessman. One morning, your phone rings and the voice on the other line who is a member of the ruling party invites you to take office in the “New Turkey” as the voice of Turkish Jews. Up until that time, you have never voted in favor of the ruling party and the party’s speeches had never made you feel as one of the key elements of this country. Nevertheless, instead of being a mere spectator, would you consider saying “yes” in the name of not leaving the same voices, alone? This was the first question that came to my mind on Saturday morning when I learned that a certain Armenian journalist/author who was a member of the “Committee of Wise Men” was appointed as an advisor to Prime Minister. Right after that, I remembered our journalist’s article that was published on August 2nd and couldn’t decide whether to be happy or sad. I remembered sadly, how someone with an Armenian identity stating in his article that “Minorities and especially Jews could never see themselves as equals to Muslims” will be a PM advisor whose scope of responsibility will also include “carrying out projects addressing the segment that is rather distant to the current government”. From an outside perspective, now that the 100th anniversary of 1915 incidents is imminent, while an Armenian advisor to Turkish PM may strengthen the image of Turkey, shouldn’t this person who has taken such an important responsibility, refrain from saying things that might instigate Anti-Semitism?
If we leave the past behind and look at today, we should wish him success for the future, hoping that at least in the future he will present a realistic approach to the problems of all minorities.... This situation has reminded me of André Azoulay. He was an advisor to the King of Morocco. Azoulay was a Moroccan Jew who was a former journalist and economist. He has been an advisor to Father Hassan II and his son King Mohammed VI. Diplomat Rabbi Haim Nahum who was the most well known Chief Rabbi/diplomat of our recent history was one of the many Jews who have served as statesmen in Ottoman Empire and Early Turkey. After the proclamation of the republic, apart from Samuel Abravaya Marmarali and a few Jews from Democrat Party, Turkish Jews were forced to practice a “We shouldn’t meddle with the issues of the government” strategy. By 1995, a year which was significant since it marked the 500th anniversary of Sephardic Jews fleeing Spain being welcomed by the Ottoman Empire, taking into consideration the efforts of the Jewish Lobby, Tansu Ciller asked Cefi Kamhi to run for MP. At the same election year, a political formation under the name “New Democracy Movement” lead by Cem Boyner and Mahcupyan considered offering minorities a voice at the management, but after losing the elections, this project was put aside. Also, at those years, late Sakip Sabanci while talking to late Adnan Kahveci who was a State Minister at the time, brought up the issue of minorities stating that dignifying prominent members of Armenian, Greeks and Jewish Communities with official duties such as Member of Parliament, Ambassador, Honorary PhD and Honorary President of certain associations would contribute to Turkey’s promotion in foreign countries. He also sent out a letter regarding this issue to Prime Minister Mr. Turgut Ozal.
Undoubtedly, if I asked you the question I’ve asked at the beginning of this article back then, it would be much easier to answer. We could answer, “If assigned, why not?” However, remembering the tense environment, not long ago, most Turkish Jews would think “Who would be brave enough to take on such a role if a phone call like that comes?”
Indeed, we have seen hints of this appointment in the journalist’s latest articles and speeches where he clearly expressed his thoughts. Now, our only hope is that this Robert College graduate, Agos Newspaper’s former Chief Editor and late Hrant Dink’s friend who has also written the script of cult Turkish movie “Mrs. Salkim’s Diamonds-Salkim Hanim’in Taneleri” will not cast his conscience aside, getting carried away by the venom of power. Even though I disagree with most of his opinions, we can re-evaluate his opinions in one of his past articles and adapt it to Turkish Jewish Community within the context of Anti-Semitism: “It’s necessary to publicly expose all the wrong things and to demand action from the government. However, if Turkish Jews restrict their political attitude with just those reclaims, they will confine their Jewish heritage and life on this soil in other people’s mindsets and politics. Turkish Jewish Community aside from speaking openly about their complaints should demonstrate the will to reach out to the community, assuming responsibility for the issues regarding Turkey. Otherwise, Turkish Jewish Community with the ease of embedding today in history will miss the fact that today is actually the constructor of tomorrow. ” Even though being active and taking responsibility can help diminish prejudice, when there’s a political conflict between countries and we are required to make a decision the main problem is how with our free will we’ll defend our opinions.
When you read the readers comments below the online appointment news, you can easily guess the kind of challenges he will be faced with as an Armenian, even though he’s got close ties with the government. So, until they knock on our door, we’d better continue to work on the European Day of Jewish Culture and spill yet another drop in the ocean!
Related Newsss ss
1 November
The Irresistible Drunkenness of Reading Books
“Veni, vidi, legi! / I came, I saw, I read!"
7 March
Tracking Down Mario Levi
"My luggage has been checked. He smelled everything and rummaged around. In shirts, trousers, handkerchiefs. They were looking for lace and jewelry. Even for banned books. Idiots looking for you in your suitcase! You won´t discover anything here! The contraband traveling with me. I stuck it in my head. And there are a lot of books in my head! I assure you. My head is a chirping bird´s nest. From the confiscated books." Heinrich Heine / Germany. "A Winter´s Tale"
13 December
Kissinger´s Political Doctrine
“Life is suffering. Birth involves death. Transitoriness is the fate of existence. No civilization has yet been permanent, no longing completely fulfilled. This is necessity, the fatedness of history, the dilemma of mortality.” Henry Kissinger - From the preface of his doctorate thesis at Harvard University.
13 April
Do All Organisms Feel Pain?
Scientists have revealed that plants exposed to stress also react like humans and animals do. This is a very important discovery for understanding the universality of pain for all living things.
