Ketubah from Galata

After 1453, the Jewish population in Galata increased, particularly under Sultan Beyazit II. From then on until a few decades ago, Galata was mostly Jewish. Today's Jewish population, mostly living in other parts of the city now, still attend Galata's synagogues such as Neve Shalom and Italian synagogues and the Zülfaris Synagogue Museum as well as the office of the Chief Rabbinate of Turkey. Most Turkish Jews live in Istanbul, but communities exist in Izmir (2,300) and about 100 Jews in Ankara, Bursa, and Adana. For security reasons, synagogues in Turkey are not open to the public. To enter a synagogue, please make arrangement for a tour through the Haham Bashi's office:
Chief Rabbinate of Turkey, Yemenici Sokak 23 Beyoglu, Istanbul, T: 90 212 244 8794, F:90 212 244 1980

Mavi Boncuk |

Galata was a section of Constantinople inhabited by Jews in the nineteenth century. There on 17 Tevet, 5601 (January 10, 1841), the wedding of Shamma ben Yisrael Ashkenazi and Mirele bat Ya'akov Kopel was solemnized. The ketubah reflects the Islamic environment and is indicative of the artistic sensibilities and skills of the Jewish calligraphers. it is not representational; flowers and trees are suggested, but not depicted. The colors are strong-black, green, and metallic gold-so that the bold primitive nature of the illustrations makes them look modernistic. The serviceable calligraphy makes no attempt at beauty. The ornamentation is typical of that time and place.

Source: Abraham J. Karp[1], From the Ends of the Earth: Judaic Treasures of the Library of Congress

[1] Rabbi Abraham J. Karp ( b. Poland1921- d. 2003), was a distinguished scholar of American Jewish history and collector of rare books and original documents. He served as President of The American Jewish Historical Society from 1972 to 1975. In 1972 Rabbi Karp retired from congregational life to devote himself full time to scholarly research and teaching as a professor of history and religious studies at the University of Rochester. He has also been a visiting professor at Dartmouth, JTS, Hebrew University, professor of Judaica, and research scholar at the Library of Congress. His unique, personal collection of American Judaica is a part of The Library's permanent holdings.