Ladino’s Last Words in Turkey, Turkish Island Delight, Once upon a time in Ankara, and Ladino Song of the Week

1 January 2016 In Honor of Norman Belmonte, a distinguished member of the American Sephardi Federation’s Board of Directors

“Once upon a time, there were Jews in Ankara!” By Dora Niyego, Salom   Leyla Aglamaz grew up in Ankara, Turkey, and migrated to Israel in 1971. Her childhood memories recall a community that, thanks to the modernization of Turkey, was slowly losing its character, from the language they spoke─Turkish instead of Ladino─to their observance of tradition: “As in all Jewish communities, we revered the holidays with great regard. Pessah and Rosh Hashanah was celebrated two nights. As time passed, I witness stores not closing up on even the first day of the holidays.”

Samanpazari Synagogue is only open for weddings and holidays, Ankara, Turkey (Photo courtesy of Jewish Journal)

“Once upon a time, there were Jews in Ankara!”
By Dora Niyego, Salom

Samanpazari Synagogue is only open for weddings and holidays, Ankara, Turkey (Photo courtesy of Jewish Journal)

Hesed Le Avraam Synagogue, Buyukada, Turkey (Photo courtesy of The Forward)

“An Island Haven for Turkey’s Jews” Tia O’Brien, Forward Buyukada is a Turkish island oasis that features “festive horse-drawn carriages, bikes and an occasional electric cart.” Istanbul’s Jews would go to Buyukada to escape the summer heat, but with the Turkish air polluted by anti-Semitism, the number of Jews in Buyukada is dwindling: “When I was a child, there were 200 kids on a Friday night [at Shabbat services]. Now, maybe 70 to 80 or less.”

Hesed Le Avraam Synagogue, Buyukada, Turkey (Photo courtesy of The Forward) “An Island Haven for Turkey’s Jews”
Tia O’Brien, Forward

Buyukada is a Turkish island oasis that features “festive horse-drawn carriages, bikes and an occasional electric cart.” Istanbul’s Jews would go to Buyukada to escape the summer heat, but with the Turkish air polluted by anti-Semitism, the number of Jews in Buyukada is dwindling: “When I was a child, there were 200 kids on a Friday night [at Shabbat services]. Now, maybe 70 to 80 or less.” Song of the Week: “İja Mia Mi Kerida” (“Daughter of Mine, My Dear”)

“‘Las Ultimas Palavras’ reveals Ladino language to be almost extinct in Turkey” By Zeynep Karatas, Today’s Zaman   A new documentary, “Las Ultimas Palavras – The Last words,” traces the demise of Ladino as a spoken language in Turkey. According to the film’s director, Rita Bender: “The documentary features people who are of my generation, people between the ages of 25 to 35, and we cannot even form a sentence.”

Ad for “Las Ultimas Palavras” (Photo courtesy of Las Ultimas Palavras)

“‘Las Ultimas Palavras’ reveals Ladino language to be almost extinct in Turkey”
By Zeynep Karatas, Today’s Zaman

Ad for “Las Ultimas Palavras” (Photo courtesy of Las Ultimas Palavras)

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Copyright © 2015 American Sephardi Federation, All rights reserved.

Thank you for opting (on our websites, at an event, or by email) to receive American Sephardi Federation Programming Updates and Publications. We apologize if this message was sent in error.

The American Sephardi Federation’s Sephardi House is located at the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16th St., New York, New York, 10011).

American Sephardi Federation | http://www.AmericanSephardi.org | info@Sephardi.House | (212) 548-4486


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