Jewish, Spanish in Türkiye (Turkey)

Introduction / History

The Jews of Europe arrived on the continent at least 2,000 years ago during the early days of the Roman empire. Since what is now Turkey was part of this empire, some of the Jewish people were settled there.
Others came to Turkey hundreds of years later from Spain. The word Sephard was the name used by Jews in medieval times for the Iberian Peninsula. Sephardim Jews, then, are the descendants of the Jews who lived in Spain or Portugal prior to expulsion in 1492 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Sephardim also have a distinctive language called Ladino, or Judeo-Spanish. This is a dialect of Castilian Spanish with Hebrew and Turkish elements. In Turkey they are likely to speak Turkish.
Ottoman Sultan Sultan Bayezid II Welcomed Jewish people from the emerging Spanish Empire, and it greatly benefitted his empire. Spanish Jews helped the economy of the Ottoman Empire. Some served in the medical profession while others helped the Ottomans improve in printing. Spain’s loss was Turkey’s gain.
Over half of Turkey’s Jewish population left for Israel in 1948 and beyond.

What Are Their Lives Like?

For hundreds of years, Spanish Jews in Turkey have gotten along well with the Muslim majority. There have been incidents of antisemitism, but this problem has been more prominent in other parts of the world. However, in the 2010s and beyond, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has leaned towards favoring Islamicists than his predecessors. Along with that, there has been increasing hostility towards Turkey’s Jewish population. The number of Jewish people leaving for Israel from Turkey increased after 2016. Time will tell if this trend continues.

What Are Their Beliefs?

For religious Jews, God is the Supreme Being, the Creator of the universe, and the ultimate Judge of human affairs. Beyond this, the religious beliefs of the Jewish communities vary greatly. European Jews are extremely diverse in religious practice. The Ashkenazic Jews are the most prevalent, representing the Orthodox, ultra-Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform movements. The unusual and adamantly traditional Hasidic movement was born in Poland and has gained a strong following in the United States and Israel. The Sephardic denomination is like the Orthodox Ashkenazic but is more permissive on dietary rules and some religious practices. Each Jewish denomination maintains synagogues and celebrates the traditional Jewish holiday calendar.

What Are Their Needs?

The Jews have a wonderful understanding of their connection with the Abrahamic covenant. However, they also have a history of rejecting Jesus Christ as Messiah, the one who has fulfilled that covenant. Those whose ancestors fled “Christians” in Spain 500 years ago count Christians as their persecutors. That adds another layer of resistance.

Prayer Points

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth loving Christians to work among the Jewish communities in Turkey.
Pray that the Jewish people in Turkey will understand that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
Ask the Lord to soften the hearts of the Jews towards Christ followers so that they might hear and receive the message of salvation.
Pray that God will grant Jewish believers favor as they share their faith in Christ with their own people.
Pray that strong Jewish background fellowships in Turkey that believe in Christ’s redemption.

Text Source:   Joshua Project