JEWISH HERITAGES IN ISTANBUL / Neve Shalom Synagogue, Jewish Museum of Turkey, Ahrida Synagogue, Town of Balat

After you meet your guide at Istanbul Galata Port, your first visit is Neve Shalom Synagogue. Get to know the most beautiful and the largest synagogue of the city, where most of the religious ceremonies like bar-mitzvahs, weddings, and funerals are held. Towards the end of the 1930s, the Jewish population in the district of Pera and Galata increased so much that the need for a new synagogue became imminent. Built and opened in 1951 by two young architects, it also houses the Museum of Jewish history in Turkey.

The museum is a well-designed place to learn the story of 700 years of amity between Turks and Jews. The mission of the museum is to collect, preserve, exhibit, interpret, and disseminate knowledge about the cultural heritage of the Turkish Jews. It’s an opportunity to understand the local Jewish heritage in Istanbul.

Located in Balat near the Golden Horn, built by Jews of Ohri (Macedonia) more than 550 years ago and recently renovated during the Quincentennial Celebrations in 1992, the Ahrida Synagogue is known foremost for its boat-shaped bimah.

Balat town housed the first Jews who settled in Istanbul after the Spanish expulsion. Today, it’s a middle-class neighborhood. As you walk through the town, you can see the oldest Jewish houses with their proud stars David.