
Vids 28/29/31/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43
To go to the synagogue I had to make prior arrangements for security reasons. I tried to find the place on my own using google maps, but there are few street signs here so that proved impossible. I e-mailed the the Turkish Jewish agency in Istanbul to see if I could make a connection with someone associated with the Gerush Synagogue here. The did come through and told me the name and number of a community leader named Leon. I was supposed to meet them at the synagogue on Thursday at 11 am. Dr. Camak called the person Leon and Leon asked a lot of questions. There is always the concern for security at synagogues here. Well it turned out that there is a medical professor here at Uludag Universtiy whose family belongs to the synagogue. Her name is Dr. Alis Ozcakir She actually came to the be center to meet us and talk about our interests and spoke to us about some of the history of Jews in Bursa. She suggested we go to a shabbat service to see the synagogue in action. Jews in Bursa first arrived here in large numbers in 1492 (Jews of Bursa). This was after their Spanish expulsion. The Ottomon empire offered them refuge. This synagogue was built around that time. All the people praying there are descendents of those people from Spain. The entire neighbourhood used to be Jewish, but now there only 50 Jews left in the city of Bursa. Dr. Ozcakir picked me, Amanda and Maria up at 730 am and drove us to the place (no way I would have been able to find it). It is simple looking from the street. There are no signs and markings at all until you get into the courtyard. There was a gate on the street so cars could not get near. Only people that they knew could drive by the gate after it was unlocked. There were some police around, but it was relaxed. We passed through a gate into the synagogue courtyard and we were greeted very warmly. The inside had the look of mosque architecture. It was round with a domed roof over the pulpit which was in the center, as per sephardic tradition. There was a womens section on the second floor that was closed off the women sat on one sit of the circle. There were benches in the wall and in an inner section that surrounded the pulpit. I was going to get an Alyiah (called up to the Torah), I gave them my hebrew name. The praying was all in hebrew so I could follow them. There tunes were different than the ones I am used to but the words are the same. They asked me to open up the ark were the Torahs are. That turned out to be really different. They gave me a key that opened the first wooden door. Beneath that was a thick metal door, very heavy. I unlocked that and opened it and then pulled over the curtain to reveal about 12 Torahs of various sized, but general smaller than what I am used to. The had silver breast plates and simple crowns. One thing that really hit me was the musty smell of the ark. The Torahs are this communities treasures as they predate the Jewish arrival to Turkey. They came here over 500 years ago and who knows when they were written in Spain. I handed the Torah to the Rabbi and carried around to the pulpit. A man was called to recite the blessings for the first reading. After the that Torah portion was read, he himself lifted the Torah up to show the congregation. My turn next. BUT what happened next denied me the chance to
say the prayers in Turkey in an ancient synagogue. One of the men in the congregation, perhaps someone who was visitiing, he kind of looked that he was not a member left the service abruptly, which sent everyone in a tizzy. Why, now we had only 9 men. This is not good as you need to have 10 men to read from the Torah and complete the entire service. Some men left the synagogue to search for other potential people to help complete the service, but to no avail. They returned the Torahs to the ark and finished the service with a couple of quick prayers. After the service we went in a separate room, with a big picture of Ataturk and other photos from years past. We had a nice home cooked style breakfast. One women helped interpret for us. She was a visting student who worked in agriculture. Afterwards Albert Ozcakir, Alic's father took us to his jewlery shop which was in a market-bazaar area. His shop which also had a picture of Attaturk, as most places do belonged to his father (a picture of him was also there). We sat on some chairs of this very small shop, tea was ordered for us and I had my first Turkish coffee. The coffee, which is served in a small cup, was quite strong. He gave each of us a silk scarf. (Turkish hospitality knows no bounds). Amanda bought a piece of jewlery. This turned out to be the beginning of a big shopping and spending day. We then left and wondered in and out of stores. The area was an incredible labryinth of maze like alleys each side lined with stores and vendors selling food, carpets, household items you name it they sell it. We went to an area, really run down where they sold fridges, TV's, stoves and computers. If I lived here this is where I would always shop. We even saw a real blacksmith, making metal stands; this was not one of the blacksmith you see at a pioneer restoration village. He was the real deal. Okay I am sure you are wondering what I bought today. Here is my list: fancy hand decorated plate/carpet/2 sports t-shirts/dates, the food/bracelet/olive oil soap/Nay/Bendir/scarf. This is not like me but why not.
We had such a magical time all day. It is really hard to describe. As we went in and out of stores, people wanted to talk to us. Find out where we were from, did we like Turkey? what is going on with the US economy. In 4 stores (there could have been more if we wanted) they asked us to stay and have some cay or a cold drink. Out came chairs, laughter and questions. This hospitality is like nothing we have in the United States.
It is a ingrained Turkish-Moslem tradition. Nothing is rushed, people from other shops or customers join in for tea and conversation. We spent about 5 hours just talking and relaxing with people in stores, a jewelery and carpet store, artisan shops. At the end of the day we went back to the Dem Cayevi, that is the place were the play music with people coming in during the day to jam. They were so pleased that we came back to see them. Mesut was there the owner and one or two recognized musicians from last time. Howerver this time two women and a girl were singing playing the dumbek and these wooden spoons. After this I went to some music stores to purchase instruments for 2 of my children. We went out for a light dinner and headed home to the dorm.
This day was so eventful, fun and eye opening.
Related websites
Silk making
Silk Trade in Bursa
Maria, Albert, Amanda, Me in Albert's shop
View of Gerush synagogue from the inner courtyard
This is the outside street view of the synagogue
Windows of the santuary
The Gerush Community of Bursa
There are only a few Jewish symbols on the outside of the synagogue
Albert and me
My first Turkish coffee
Calendar in Albert's shop
Albert's shop
Puppet shop in artisans area
Talking to our artisan friend Fatma
To go to the synagogue I had to make prior arrangements for security reasons. I tried to find the place on my own using google maps, but there are few street signs here so that proved impossible. I e-mailed the the Turkish Jewish agency in Istanbul to see if I could make a connection with someone associated with the Gerush Synagogue here. The did come through and told me the name and number of a community leader named Leon. I was supposed to meet them at the synagogue on Thursday at 11 am. Dr. Camak called the person Leon and Leon asked a lot of questions. There is always the concern for security at synagogues here. Well it turned out that there is a medical professor here at Uludag Universtiy whose family belongs to the synagogue. Her name is Dr. Alis Ozcakir She actually came to the be center to meet us and talk about our interests and spoke to us about some of the history of Jews in Bursa. She suggested we go to a shabbat service to see the synagogue in action. Jews in Bursa first arrived here in large numbers in 1492 (Jews of Bursa). This was after their Spanish expulsion. The Ottomon empire offered them refuge. This synagogue was built around that time. All the people praying there are descendents of those people from Spain. The entire neighbourhood used to be Jewish, but now there only 50 Jews left in the city of Bursa. Dr. Ozcakir picked me, Amanda and Maria up at 730 am and drove us to the place (no way I would have been able to find it). It is simple looking from the street. There are no signs and markings at all until you get into the courtyard. There was a gate on the street so cars could not get near. Only people that they knew could drive by the gate after it was unlocked. There were some police around, but it was relaxed. We passed through a gate into the synagogue courtyard and we were greeted very warmly. The inside had the look of mosque architecture. It was round with a domed roof over the pulpit which was in the center, as per sephardic tradition. There was a womens section on the second floor that was closed off the women sat on one sit of the circle. There were benches in the wall and in an inner section that surrounded the pulpit. I was going to get an Alyiah (called up to the Torah), I gave them my hebrew name. The praying was all in hebrew so I could follow them. There tunes were different than the ones I am used to but the words are the same. They asked me to open up the ark were the Torahs are. That turned out to be really different. They gave me a key that opened the first wooden door. Beneath that was a thick metal door, very heavy. I unlocked that and opened it and then pulled over the curtain to reveal about 12 Torahs of various sized, but general smaller than what I am used to. The had silver breast plates and simple crowns. One thing that really hit me was the musty smell of the ark. The Torahs are this communities treasures as they predate the Jewish arrival to Turkey. They came here over 500 years ago and who knows when they were written in Spain. I handed the Torah to the Rabbi and carried around to the pulpit. A man was called to recite the blessings for the first reading. After the that Torah portion was read, he himself lifted the Torah up to show the congregation. My turn next. BUT what happened next denied me the chance to
say the prayers in Turkey in an ancient synagogue. One of the men in the congregation, perhaps someone who was visitiing, he kind of looked that he was not a member left the service abruptly, which sent everyone in a tizzy. Why, now we had only 9 men. This is not good as you need to have 10 men to read from the Torah and complete the entire service. Some men left the synagogue to search for other potential people to help complete the service, but to no avail. They returned the Torahs to the ark and finished the service with a couple of quick prayers. After the service we went in a separate room, with a big picture of Ataturk and other photos from years past. We had a nice home cooked style breakfast. One women helped interpret for us. She was a visting student who worked in agriculture. Afterwards Albert Ozcakir, Alic's father took us to his jewlery shop which was in a market-bazaar area. His shop which also had a picture of Attaturk, as most places do belonged to his father (a picture of him was also there). We sat on some chairs of this very small shop, tea was ordered for us and I had my first Turkish coffee. The coffee, which is served in a small cup, was quite strong. He gave each of us a silk scarf. (Turkish hospitality knows no bounds). Amanda bought a piece of jewlery. This turned out to be the beginning of a big shopping and spending day. We then left and wondered in and out of stores. The area was an incredible labryinth of maze like alleys each side lined with stores and vendors selling food, carpets, household items you name it they sell it. We went to an area, really run down where they sold fridges, TV's, stoves and computers. If I lived here this is where I would always shop. We even saw a real blacksmith, making metal stands; this was not one of the blacksmith you see at a pioneer restoration village. He was the real deal. Okay I am sure you are wondering what I bought today. Here is my list: fancy hand decorated plate/carpet/2 sports t-shirts/dates, the food/bracelet/olive oil soap/Nay/Bendir/scarf. This is not like me but why not.
We had such a magical time all day. It is really hard to describe. As we went in and out of stores, people wanted to talk to us. Find out where we were from, did we like Turkey? what is going on with the US economy. In 4 stores (there could have been more if we wanted) they asked us to stay and have some cay or a cold drink. Out came chairs, laughter and questions. This hospitality is like nothing we have in the United States.
It is a ingrained Turkish-Moslem tradition. Nothing is rushed, people from other shops or customers join in for tea and conversation. We spent about 5 hours just talking and relaxing with people in stores, a jewelery and carpet store, artisan shops. At the end of the day we went back to the Dem Cayevi, that is the place were the play music with people coming in during the day to jam. They were so pleased that we came back to see them. Mesut was there the owner and one or two recognized musicians from last time. Howerver this time two women and a girl were singing playing the dumbek and these wooden spoons. After this I went to some music stores to purchase instruments for 2 of my children. We went out for a light dinner and headed home to the dorm.
This day was so eventful, fun and eye opening.
Related websites
Silk making
Silk Trade in Bursa
Maria, Albert, Amanda, Me in Albert's shop
View of Gerush synagogue from the inner courtyard
This is the outside street view of the synagogue

Windows of the santuary

The Gerush Community of Bursa


There are only a few Jewish symbols on the outside of the synagogue


Albert and me
My first Turkish coffee

Calendar in Albert's shop
Albert's shop

Puppet shop in artisans area
Talking to our artisan friend Fatma
Amazing pictures! Quick correction, The "manta ray" is a skate, close relative of the manta ray.
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