Turkey’s “hidden treasure” — Istanbul’s Jewish Museum of Turkey is highlighted on the news site Hurriyet. Located in a 17th century synagogue, it was founded in 1992 during events marking the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of Jews from Spain. The article says about 10,000 people visit the museum each year.
Istanbul’s Quincentennial Turkish Jewish Museum is one of the hidden museums of the city, which stands in Karaköy Square at Hırdavatçılar bazaar. The building, which is 342 years old, is a synagogue that served the city’s Jewish community under the name of the Zülfaris Synagogue between 1671 and 1985. The museum tells the stories of Turkey’s Jews.
The founder of the museum, writer and historian Naim Güleryüz, said that while the museum is not a Louvre or Topkapı Museum, it has its own distinctive voice.
Read the full article, which details some of the exhibits