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Members of Turkey鈥檚 ancient Jewish community say they feel forced to hide their identities and practice their religion in private, after noticing a rise in antisemitism following the October 7th attacks in Israel. Turkey鈥檚 President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has maintained a relentless criticism of Israel鈥檚 government for its response to Hamas鈥� 2023 attack. He has accused the Jewish state of genocide and mass murder and nicknamed its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, 鈥渢he butcher of Gaza,鈥� as well as comparing him to Adolf Hitler. Over the past year, Erdogan鈥檚 charged rhetoric has ricocheted through Turkey鈥檚 small but ancient Jewish community. Members say there has been a visible increase in hate speech and antisemitism. They say they are use more Arab-sounding names in public, and many are considering leaving for countries like Spain and Portugal where their ancestors came from. People have taken down mezuzahs that hang in doorways, or choosing not to display Chanukah. The history of Jewish people in Turkey runs deep: it was in the 1400s that many Sephardic Jews sought refuge in the Ottoman Empire after being expelled from their homeland during the Spanish Inquisition. Now, their descendants in modern-day Istanbul and Izmir face difficult decisions as they, 500 years later, feel increasingly unwelcome in the place they call home.

For this Heart and Soul, Victoria Craig meets members of Turkey鈥檚 Jewish community, delves into the unique history of Judaism in Turkey and discovers how the fabric of society has changed over the past year.

[Photo: Nesim Bencoya (our main character) standing on a rooftop overlooking part of Izmir鈥檚 historic Jewish neighbourhood where he鈥檚 helping to lead restoration works of nine synagogues and revive and preserve Jewish heritage.]

Producer/ Presenter: Victoria Craig
Executive Producer: Rajeev Gupta
Production Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno
Editor: Chloe Wlker