The last Jew living in Afghanistan arrives in Istanbul with a Turkish visa

Zebulun Simantov, 62, known as the last Jew living in Afghanistan, arrived in Istanbul on Sunday after the Turkish government granted him a visa and helped him leave Afghanistan, where his life was in danger. Born in the Afghan province of Herat, Simantov flew from Islamabad to Istanbul airport, where he was greeted by several family members and by the rabbi of the city’s Ashkenazi community, Mendy Chitrik. For now Simantov has a visa to stay 90 days in Turkey, but it is likely that he will decide to settle permanently in the country.