About this talk

Jewish life in Anatolia dates back more than 2,000 years and encompasses Romaniote, Mizrahi, and Karaite communities, followed later by Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews. In this tour, we will explore notable historic synagogues, including the fourth-century Sardis Synagogue and the fifteenth-century Ahrida Synagogue, along with important Jewish settlements and cemeteries. We will also discuss influential figures such as Sabbatai Sevi, the Camondo family, Donna Gracia, and Joseph Nasi, and their impact on Jewish life in the region.

We will then examine World War I and World War II in Turkey from a Jewish perspective. Sephardic cuisine and music, the Judeo-Spanish language, and ethnographic and liturgical objects reflecting Ottoman artistic influences from the museum's collection will also be showcased. Finally, we will explore Jewish life in Turkey today, including the current size of the community and its remaining institutions.

About Nisya

Nisya Isman Allovi is the Director and Curator of the Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews. 

Born in Istanbul, she holds a degree in Cultural Heritage and Tourism and has attended advanced curatorial seminars organized by the Association of European Jewish Museums (AEJM) and in the Federal Republic of Germany. 

She was also a Kaplan Fellow in the Yesod Cohort II program and has given presentations on the Jews of Turkey in various countries.

Married with two children, Nisya is an active member of the Istanbul Jewish community.