An emotional funeral held on Thursday at the Neve Shalom synagogue in Beyoğlu (Istanbul) served as a final farewell to İsak Haleva, chief rabbi of Turkey’s Jewish community for 23 years, who passed away on 14 January at the age of 85.
As reported by numerous media outlets in Turkey, including Turkey’s leading Jewish minority publication, the Şalom newspaper, the funeral ceremony for Haleva – whose death was announced by the Jewish Rabbinate Foundation of Turkey – was attended by prominent representatives of the country’s Jewish community and several authorities, including Culture and Tourism Minister Nuri Ersoy and Istanbul Governor Davut Gül.
Following the recitation of prayers and psalms for Haleva – who would later be buried in the Sephardic cemetery of Beşiktaş – the co-president of the Jewish community of Turkey, Isak Ibrahimzadeh, referred to the late rabbi stressing that ‘he taught us kindness and generosity; with his light, he enlightened all those around him’.
For his part, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, addressing those present at the synagogue, said that ‘this loss does not bring sadness only to the Jewish community in Turkey, but is a pain that we all share. Rabbi Haleva dedicated his life to kindness, peace and brotherhood, and earned a place in the hearts of all of us as a great religious leader’.
‘His attitude, which saw our differences as a source of richness, is vital for a society built on brotherhood and honesty. Chief Rabbi Haleva, with his love for humanity, built bridges between communities, contributing to peaceful coexistence between people of different faiths and cultures… This attitude coincides with the way we understand society and unity in our country. We believe that cultural diversity and the right to live together is one of our greatest responsibilities,’ Ersoy stressed.
A man full of ‘humility, and with a positive outlook’.
Rabbi Haleva’s son, Rav Naftali Haleva, delivered remarks on behalf of the deceased’s family, beginning by saying that ‘this is the most difficult speech of my life’. ‘Our father was not only a rabbi, but also a guide for our society, a leader who shed light on thousands of people and who left a warm mark on their hearts’.
‘Our father became someone who was respected not only in our society, but also internationally… He served our society for 60 years, as chief rabbi for 23 years, and as a clergyman in many synagogues. However, his services were not only limited to the title of rabbi. My father was a teacher for 39 years, first in the private Jewish secondary school of Beyoğlu and then in the Jewish schools of Ulus, and he transformed the lives of thousands of people and enlightened them. He taught Hebrew at the theological faculty of Marmara University for many years, occupying a place in the hearts of those who studied there.’
‘One of the greatest lessons he taught, was his humility and his positive outlook on life…,’ Rabbi İsak Haleva’s son continued. ‘His main struggle was to ensure unity in our society, even if there were different ideas… He became a beloved figure in our society, and in our country,’ his son concluded his speech.
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As a history lover, Pablo Gómez was captivated by Turkey from the first day he visited it in 2006: he got married there, has a house there… and has since become an expert on Turkey’s current affairs. With a long experience in media, he has been at the helm of hispanatolia.com since 2011.
