"Gazi Mustafa Kemal’s (Ataturk) declaration dated February 2nd 1923 was proclaimed in Izmir: “Our country has some elements who gave the proof of their fidelity to the motherland. Among them I have to quote the Jewish element; up to now the Jews have lived in happiness and from now they will rejoice and will be happy.”

Israel and Turkey are two democratic countries, sharing the same geographical areas, accommodating many similarities in terms of history, culture, democratic principles and human values. In the 1990’s, relations between Israel and Turkey greatly expanded and reached to an unprecedented degree of closeness. Since Turkey upgraded its diplomatic relations with Israel to ambassadorial level at the end of 1991, the two states have exchanged many high – level state visits. Bilateral trade has grown significantly, with widespread expectations for additional growth. In addition, the volume of civilian exchanges (tourist, academic, professional, sporting and cultural) increased dramatically. The signing of a series of military agreements led to military co-operation in many areas. There is also growing interaction between their respective defence industries.  

The presence of Jewish people in Turkey dates back to earlier times. The Jewish people contributed greatly to the economic, cultural and political life during the times of the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic. In modern times, Turkey again opened its homes and Universities to Jewish scientists, academicians who had fled from Nazi oppression and persecution.

In 1933 Ataturk invited to Turkey many University Professors of Jewish origin that were threatened by Nazi cruelty. The list of names is long; approximately 600 distinguished scholars took refuge in Turkey.

In 1992 the world Jewry commemorated the 500th Anniversary of the official welcome extended to the Jews by the Ottoman Empire in 1492.

Over the centuries an increasing number of European Jews, escaping persecution in their native countries, settled in the Ottoman Empire. Istanbul, Izmir, Safed and Salonika became the centers of Sephardic Jewry. Efforts at reform of the Ottoman Empire culminated in 1856 with the proclamation of the “Hatt-I Humayun”, which made all Ottoman citizens, Moslem and non-Moslem alike, equal under the law.

After the establishment of the Turkish Republic, in 1926, following Turkey’s adoption of the Swiss Civil Code, the Jewish Community renounced its minority status.

While the Jewish communities of Greece were wiped out almost completely by Hitler, the Jews of Turkey remained secure. The heroic efforts of several Turkish diplomats saved numbers of Jews from the Holocaust. Among them was Salahattin Ulkumen, Consul General in Rhodes in 1943-1944, who was the first Moslem recognized as a “Righteous Gentile” by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem.

The present size of the Jewish community is estimated at 26,000. The vast majority is in Istanbul, in Izmir and other smaller groups located in Adana, Ankara, Canakkale, Bursa, Kirklareri and other smaller towns.