Special Issues - turkofamerica.com

The Historic Synagogues of Turkey

Photo by Izzet Keribar.

The Historic Synagogues of Turkey, a 201-page book, published by The American Sephardi Federation, includes the pictures of 34 synagogues in Turkey. The other album book “Synagogues of Turkey” in which the photographs belong to the famous artist İzzet Keribar, the texts are written by researcher Naim A. Güleryüz, and the concept was carried out by Joelle İmamoğlu is published by Gözlem Publishing.

October 6, 2009
Published in Culture & Art
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Turkish-Sephardic Music

Los Pasharos Sefaradis has four members: Karen Gerson Sarhon (voice), I. Izzet Bana (voice), S. Selim Hubes (ud, guitar), Y. Yavuz Hubes (kanun, ud, percussion).

By Karen Gerson Şarhon
Turkish Sephardic Music is an adventure that starts in the year 1492. A great number of the Jews (according to some historians, this number was around 200,000) who were expelled from Spain by the Spanish Inquisition arrived in the Ottoman Empire and were welcomed by Sultan Bayazid II. These Jews, who settled down all over the Ottoman Empire, called themselves “Sephardic Jews”, from the Hebrew name for Spain, “Sepharad”. The traditions and culture of the Sephardic Jews have come down to us through the years, following a characteristic path of their own, which slowly turned into “Turkish-Sephardic”.

October 6, 2009
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Sephardic Cuisine

By Viki Koronya - -
Sephardic Jew brought along with them from Spain not only their customs and practices but also their cuisine. Going through a number of changes over the generations, these traditions are left to us as an inheratence. The changing conditions of life have caused them to begin to disappear. In our time, less time is spent in the kitchen. For example, instead of first boiling a certain food and, then, broiling or baking it in the oven, simpler dishes, such as a salad and grilled meat, are preferred.

October 6, 2009
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The Turkish Oscar Schindlers

Ali Çınar
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Some call them the Turkish Oskar Schindlers for what they did to rescue Jews of Turkish origin. Necdet Kent was consul general in Marseilles, France, between 1941 and 1944, Selahattin Ülkümen was a consul in Rhodes during the Second World War, and Namık Yolga was the Vice-Consul at the Turkish Embassy in Paris, France.

October 5, 2009
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Ottoman Synagogue Money and Jewish Printing in the Ottoman Empire

The Money of Ottoman Synagogue, 19th century, Ashkenaz Synagogue (Tunc Buyurgan, Aykiri Paralar)

The use of paper money (Kaime) during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz (1867-1876) was unsuccessful. In the following years, on the eve of the Ottoman-Russian war, the provision of funding requirements made it necessary for Sultan Murat V to attempt to establish its use again. The Sultan announced the Kaime Regulation to restart printing kaime on August 6th, 1877. However, the new Kaimes were not exchanged for gold and silver. The value of the paper currency began to fall and the public lost confidence in using Kaimes.

August 18, 2009
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Beyond Babylon Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum

A globalizing world, developing trade routes, and communication networks connecting these to the world... Every type of product and merchandise that you can think of can be marketed to the four corners of the globe. Today these things are normal and common... But 4000 years ago, what kind of goods were used in trade between civilizations, and how were they transported?

January 6, 2009
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A Talented Guitarist and A Fine Pianist

Ayşe Önal Zamboğlu - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - California is fortunate to have two very talented musicians; Zeynep Üçbaşaran and Mesut Özgen. Both artists are natives of Turkey and are renowned for their extraordinary talent. This special California issue gives us the chance to take a close look at these two musicians’ careers and share their successful life stories with you.

June 15, 2008
Published in Culture & Art
Written by Ayse Onal Z.

Road to the Grammys: Fahir Atakoglu's Album Hits the Charts

Fahir Atakoğlu’s new album “Istanbul in Blue” is being picked up by many radio stations across the USA and the list is growing. Atakoğlu’s fans have sent thousands of email requests to XM Radio to listen his latest album.

June 15, 2008
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Neither Too Far Nor Too Close

By Elif Özmenek

The face of New York changes with every street … I leave Chinatown, with its heavy smell of ducks hanging in the storefronts like bunches of hairpins, and move to Little Italy accompanied by the smell of cakes fresh from the oven.

July 15, 2006
Published in Culture & Art
Written by Elif Ozmenek

The Twins of the Opera

By Melda Akansel
Having made the promotion of Turkish composers and their works their mission, Sinem and Didem Balık, known in the music world as the Opera Twins, are greatly admired by vocal-music connoisseurs.
Soprano Leyla Gencer, Turkish opera’s gift to the world

July 14, 2006
Published in Culture & Art
Written by Melda Akansel

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Hollywood Needs a Turkish Story

The Turkish image in Hollywood has revolved around movies with no artistic value but which were used to spread propaganda such as “Midnight Express”, directed by Oliver Stone, or “Laurence of Arabia” and “Ararat”. The Turkish characters are shown only when there is a need for an evil Middle Easterner in a scene or when a villain is needed for a fight scene with the main character.

August 14, 2005
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The World is On the Tip of His Brush

Turkey has not sent only unskilled workers to Europe, even if the stereotype image of the Turk is that of an immigrant worker doing manual labor. Mehmet Guler is one of our painters esteemed for his career and works of art. He has displayed his canvases at exhibitions, biennials, and museums all around the world.

May 15, 2006
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Filling His Life with Music and His Music with Life

By Muge Mengu
Lovers of classical music will be familiar with the name Efe Baltacigil, a rare talent who, after astounding Yo Yo Ma with his mastery of cello, received an invitation to share the stage with music giants like Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zuckerman and Midori at Carnegie Hall, New York’s famous concert hall.

May 15, 2006
Published in Culture & Art
Written by Muge Mengu

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A Guitar Virtuoso

Ali Çınar – Connecticut
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This month we are in Milford, a town by the ocean. Every month we visit another part of the state of Connecticut, chasing a success story. Our guest in this issue is guitarist Cem Duruoz, who was awarded the Artists International Special Presentation Award at the New York Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Duruoz is the first Turkish artist to receive this award.

September 15, 2004
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