Istanbul Synagogue Reopens After Bombings

AP ^ | 12/13/2003 | N/A

[a_Turk]

ISTANBUL, Turkey - One of two synagogues bombed in Istanbul last month reopened Saturday for Sabbath prayers in a ceremony attended by the country's chief rabbi, a spokesman said.

The reopening came four weeks after the nearly simultaneous suicide attacks on the Beth Israel and Neve Shalom synagogues during Sabbath prayers.

The synagogue bombings were followed five days later by similar attacks on the British consulate in Istanbul and a London-based bank. Turkey's government suspects al-Qaida involvement in the string of attacks that killed 61 people.

Jewish community spokesman Silvio Ovadya said Chief Rabbi Isak Haleva, who was among those injured in the Nov. 15 attacks, attended the Sabbath prayers at Beth Israel in Istanbul's affluent Sisli district.

"This is an important day," Ovadya said. "These are the first prayers at Beth Israel since that day."

Turkey is a predominantly Muslim, but staunchly secular country.

Ovadya said the Neve Shalom synagogue, considered the most important spiritual center of Istanbul's 25,000 member Jewish community, still needed work before it could reopen.

On Friday, a state security court in Istanbul, which handles terrorism cases, charged a Turkish man, Ramazan Tahta, with belonging to an illegal organization in connection with the November attacks, the Anatolia news agency reported. The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Four others were released.

There were no immediate details on Tahta's alleged involvement.

The arrest raises the number of people charged in the investigation to at least 32. Most are believed to have played minor roles.

[a_Turk]

The repair of the Synagogues is being paid for by the cities in which they are located. Istanbul used to be made up of 12 cities, I don't know what the count is up to now.

[a_Turk]

No pictures available..

[Mortimer Snavely]

"Istanbul used to be made up of 12 cities, I don't know what the count is up to now."

Istanbul reminds me somehow of the energizer bunny: it keeps growing and growing and growing and growing and growing....

[a_Turk]

Life used to be much more exciting there, like present day Israel..