Ladino in Turkey: Rescuing an Endangered Language
A group of Turkish Jews is championing the revival of the 500-year-old Judeo-Spanish language
02
Mar
14
Oct
With Plans to Withdraw Troops From Syria, Is Trump Still Israel’s ‘True Friend’?
No less surprising than Trump’s decision to withdraw forces from Northern Syria, following a single phone call with Turkey’s Erdogan, was the new defiant energy this move injected in the Republican Party. After sticking with Trump as he struggled to explain the Ukrainian affair, members of his party suddenly found their voice.
14
Oct
Yom Kippur, Israel and Turkey
By Leigh Nusbaum
There is a saying in my High Holy Day siddur, the Gates of Repentance, that says, “For transgressions against God, the Day of Atonement atones; but for transgressions of one human being against another, the Day of Atonement does not atone until they have made peace with one another.”
This sentence always unnerves me when I hear it. I feel as though I have not received that clean slate that I am supposed to possess upon breaking my fast, that my name’s inscription in the Book of Life is still in question the moment after the Ni’lah service is over.
My own personal fears aside, I do wonder what went through the minds of Israel’s political leaders this Yom Kippur if they heard this line as well, particularly when it comes to the issue of Turkey.
For...
10
Mar
Lessons for Germany's Turks from France's Jews
By Symi Rom-Rymer
In the midst of cheering crowds and booming music at an auditorium in Düsseldorf, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Turkish audience of 10,000 to "integrate…into German society but don't assimilate. No one has the right to deprive us of our culture and our identity." Later he said, “I am here to show that you're not alone!...You are part of Germany, but you are also part our great Turkey." The response inside the hall was jubilant. Throngs of people shouted out “Turkey is great!” and waved Turkish flags. In the words of one audience member, Erdogan is “their savior.”
Erdogan’s visit comes at a time of particular upheaval for Germany, where an ongoing debate over the meaning of Turkish assimilation. Anti-Muslim feeling is strong. One of...
10
Mar
Lessons for Germany’s Turks from France’s Jews
By Symi Rom-Rymer
In the midst of cheering crowds and booming music at an auditorium in Düsseldorf, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Turkish audience of 10,000 to "integrate…into German society but don't assimilate. No one has the right to deprive us of our culture and our identity." Later he said, “I am here to show that you're not alone!...You are part of Germany, but you are also part our great Turkey." The response inside the hall was jubilant. Throngs of people shouted out “Turkey is great!” and waved Turkish flags. In the words of one audience member, Erdogan is “their savior.”
Erdogan’s visit comes at a time of particular upheaval for Germany, where an ongoing debate over the meaning of Turkish assimilation. Anti-Muslim feeling is strong. One of...
11
Jun
New Angles/Old Topics
By Symi Rom-Rymer
The recent flotilla fiasco has unleashed a torrent of articles about Jews, Israel, Zionism, and any semi-related topic. Buried beneath the information overload, it has been difficult to pinpoint articles that truly have something new to offer. But here are some that have stood out for me:
The first is an op-ed that appeared in Le Monde this week. Written by Gilles Bernheim, France’s Chief Rabbi, he explores what happens when disparate religious and ethnic groups must share the same land and figure out how to live peacefully side-by-side. While his focus is France, with little effort one can see echoes of advice for those mired in the Middle East conflict.
The second is a piece in the Deutche Welle that looks at the flotilla incident from a European geo-political perspective. The author, Bahaeddin Guengoer,...
10
Jun
TLV→IST: Flying Solo
By Zoe Fox
Last Monday, the Israeli Navy stopped a so-called “Freedom Flotilla” from breaking the Gaza blockade in a deadly encounter. Four days later, I found myself on a nearly empty flight out of Ben Gurion International Airport headed for Istanbul. When I booked the flight in January, I had no reason to expect a major change in Israeli-Turkish relations. Five months later, six decades of regional partnership were resting on thin ice.
Turkey has always been Israel’s best friend in the Middle East. In 1948, Turkey became the first Muslim country to recognize Israel’s independence. On Thursday, at the funeral for the activists killed aboard the Mavi Marmara, Turkish President Abdulluh Gul said the two countries relations had suffered irrevocable damage. The Christian ...
18
Feb
Should Israel Recognize Kosovo's Independence?
By Jeremy Gillick
In February of 2008, the Republic of Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. Now, as the country of two million--almost all of whom are Muslim--celebrates its first birthday, Israel wonders whether or not to recognize it.
Over 50 nations have already done so, including the United States, the U.K., Germany, France and Turkey, but Israel has thus far avoided the issue entirely. As Ha'aretz puts it, "Jerusalem is hesitant to endorse the independence of a break-away Muslim country, in light of the implications it could have for Israel with regard to the Palestinians."
"Israel may also view recognition of the breakaway republic as one that could potentially lead to a domino effect which could encourage other contested areas to declare independence, and possibly raise international calls for Palestinian statehood."
In worrying about the potential repercussions, though,...