“We are here” for a brighter future

We are greeted by the names of those whom we lost on that horrific morning. Those who were victims of terror… Those we lost at November 15, 2003 simultaneous terror attacks on Neve Salom and Sisli Beth Israel Synagogues. Yona Romano, Avraam Varol, Israel Yoel Kohen Ulcer, Berta Ozdogan, Annette Rubinstein, Anna Rubinstein. And Yasef, Yasef Yahya… Who was murdered brutally on August 21, 2003 at his clinic just because he was a Jew. All those names are written in lights to greet us.

Before the ceremony, at the entrance, we plant little white flags with our names written on them inside a pool of white stones that spell “I am Here”. We are at the commemoration ceremony for those we grieved. We are at the same synagogue, Neve Salom Synagogue where 13 years ago we lost our loved ones. We are there for a commemoration ceremony organized by the young members of Yoel Kohen Ulcer Fund. Terrorism did not just take them away from us, it also took God knows how many more lives that those who died would bring into the world. On November the 1st, the same day we voted at the General Elections in Turkey hoping for our country to have a brighter future, we attended the commemoration ceremony to remember that dark day. We hoped that dark day we remember will be the last dark day we’ll ever have to remember. We commemorated those who lost their lives with the hope that the marginalization culture would transform into a culture of unity and with the hope to wake up to a brighter future where no bombs would explode in any part of our country and no attempts made on the lives of anyone, young or old. In this context, seeing young people among the crowded audience at the ceremony was promising. If the goal is to plant the seeds of peace for a brighter future, who else could be more effective than our young ones.

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14 November

"Humor on the Margins: Cartoons in the Turkish Jewish Newspaper Şalom" by Rakel P. Meşulam

Rakel P. Meşulam signed her first book "Humor on the Margins: Cartoons in the Turkish Jewish Newspaper Şalom (1947-2016)" at Schneidertempel Arts Center.

7 November

The "Ottoman and Turkish Ketubbot" Exhibition

The Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews is opening an exhibition of Ketubbot (Jewish wedding contracts), some from forgotten corners of our homes, some as already discovered works of art, some from the walls of the collectors, some from the Chief Rabbinate Collection, on November 7th, at Schneidertempel Arts Center, after they have been cleaned and maintained.

24 October

Izzet Keribar´s "Journey of Colors" Exhibition at Istanbul Modern

Istanbul Modern, Turkey´s first modern and contemporary art museum, is preparing to host photography artist Izzet Keribar´s solo exhibition "Journey of Colors".

5 September

Virna Gülzari´s ´Dream Rooms´ Exhibition Opened in Ayvalık

8 August

Kasadolu Draws Attention to the Increasing Hostility Towards Turkish Jews

The businessperson Doğan Kasadolu wrote a letter to AKP´s Ankara Member of Parliament Tuğrul Türkeş, drawing attention to the increasing anti-Semitism.

30 May

Annette Bat Mitzvah Club and Yoel Bar Mitzvah Club Year-End Ceremonies

The 2023-2024 "Collective Bat Mitzvah Ceremony" of the Annette Bat Mitzvah Club girls, founded in 2002 within the Chief Rabbinate of Turkey Education Commission (HEGKOM), was celebrated in the Neve Shalom Synagogue on Sunday, May 26th.

13 May

Renan Koen´s Brand-New Projects for Hatay

28 March

Democrat Party (DP) Visited Şalom

18 March

Moris Karmona Declared War On Bullying With His Book "Morhis"

Moris Karmona´s book "Morhis" in which he wrote his life story, has been published.

1 March

82nd Anniversary of the Struma Disaster

The Struma Immigration Ship had sailed from Constanza, Romania to take the Jews desperate to run from the Nazis to today´s Israel, and was sunk by a torpedo from a Russian submarine after anchoring off the coast of Istanbul for weeks.