(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson)
President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog visited the Neve Shalom Synagogue in Istanbul Thursday morning (March 10) and met representatives of the Turkish Jewish community.
The President and his wife departed Wednesday for the first state visit to the Republic of Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the first time since 2007.
Upon his arrival, President Herzog met with President Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
“Your invitation and my visit here represent a continuation of the welcome dialogue and contact that you initiated from the moment I entered the Presidency in Israel," he said.
A centuries-old relationship
“Our peoples’ relationship is an ancient one, with strong historical, religious, and cultural roots. The long line of magnificent Jewish leaders, rabbis, poets, sages, merchants, and entrepreneurs represents only part of the Jewish People’s history here in this land."
Turkey severed relations after an unsuccessful attempt by Palestinian activists to break a naval blockade of Gaza aimed at preventing the influx of weapons to Hamas.
"Now, I believe that the relationship between our countries will be judged by deeds reflecting a spirit of mutual respect and will enable us to better confront the regional and global challenges that are common to us all... The baggage of the past never disappears of its own accord, but we, our two peoples, our two countries, are choosing to embark on a journey of trust and respect."
War - a humanitarian disaster
Ahead of his meeting, Pres. Herzog met with other regional leaders to discuss Israel-Turkey relations and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
“Only in recent weeks ... we have seen once more how bad wars are. The war in Ukraine is a humanitarian disaster, which is shocking the whole world. We cannot remain indifferent to such human suffering, and I welcome any endeavor that will lead to the end of the bloodshed. The Prime Minister of Israel, Naftali Bennett, and the Government of Israel are doing their utmost on this matter, and I also greatly appreciate and respect your efforts, Mr. President, which have led to the important summit that will be held in your country tomorrow, and I pray for positive results."
During their visit to the Jewish community yesterday, the President paid tribute to the victims murdered in terror attacks at the synagogue in 1986 and 2003 and lit a candle in their memory. He also recited Kaddish for his late mother, former First Lady Aura Herzog, who passed away in January. Here, they were accompanied by the Hakham Bashi (Chief Rabbi) Ishak Haleva, the Turkish Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Ahmet Misbah Demircan, and Turkish Jewish community co-presidents Erol Kohen and Ishak Ibrahimzadeh, Israeli Honorary Consul in İzmir Jak Eskinazi, and Chabad envoy Rabbi Mendy Chitrik.
“I know that the Jewish community here in Turkey, including in this synagogue, Neve Shalom, has experienced in the flesh painful terror attacks. Unfortunately, around the world—Jewish schools and synagogues, Jewish stores and businesses remain in the haters’ crosshairs. You have my support, and I welcome the commitment of the authorities to the wellbeing and liberty of Turkish Jewry.”
He recalled that both his father and grandfather recalled, during their historic visits, had been warmly welcomed. "The Jews who were expelled from Spain and the older Jewish community in Turkey integrated into Turkish society and played an important role in writing the history of the Jewish People. The author of the Shulchan Aruch Rabbi Yosef Caro, Doña Gracia Nasi, Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz, the scholar Moses Amon, who was the personal physician of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and a long line of rabbis, poets, sages, merchants, entrepreneurs, leaders—these all represent only a part of the history of the Jewish People here in this land.”
“Our world needs more peace and fewer wars, tragedies, and battles," the president said. "In the words of the prayer: ‘May He who makes peace in His heights make peace upon us and upon all Israel; and say, Amen.’”