Turkey

Overview
Turkey is the descendant state of the Ottoman Empire and is often considered the bridge between Europe and Asia. Turkey has served as a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution for more than five centuries, and has a long tradition of fostering a welcoming environment where a self-sufficient Jewish community has been able to sustain a vibrant Jewish communal life. Recently, however, religious tolerance has lessened, and the high cost of maintaining enhanced security measures has drained the community’s resources.

Need
The combination of increased security costs and an economic downturn has cut into resources and diminished opportunities. There is an increased need to provide employment counseling and skills training, as well as small business development. Also critical is the need to support the community’s efforts to ensure a rich Jewish future and a connection to global Jewry.

Response
JDC’s involvement in the Turkish Jewish community began following World War I when it came to the aid of Jewish children orphaned by the conflict. JDC’s reinvestment in Turkey in 1992 resulted from the community’s request for help in improving social services and community-based economic development. To that end, JDC’s efforts include:

• Employment counseling, job placement programs, and small-business-development assistance
• Scholarships for Jewish schools and camp programs
• Training seminars such as Buncher and Leatid; Jewish education and networking for young adults through Gesher regional programs

Impact
JDC’s involvement has helped this proud and traditionally self-sufficient community add to its resources so that it can continue its rich history as it builds a vibrant Jewish future. Evidence of JDC’s impact includes:

• 88 people found employment in 2008 with the help of JDC-funded training programs for workforce re-entry
• 615 students—close to 40% of the Jewish community’s children—are enrolled in the highly regarded Jewish school in Istanbul
• Hadracha Training Institute seminars for senior youth leaders are creating role models and facilitators for the Turkish Jewish community and other communities in the region