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We stayed in Kuzguncuk for 2 years and then moved to Galata [the Galata Tower district on the European side of Istanbul]. My childhood passed in Galata and I also went to school there. There were many Jewish families around where we lived. We had wonderful neighbors; we were like siblings with them. The Jewish community used to be quite big then. We had a synagogue in Kuledibi [Galata Tower district] and there was also the Italian synagogue [9]. Our Italian synagogue had a hazan [chazzan] and a haham [hakham]. The haham’s name was Monsieur Gabay. We also had a mikve [mikveh], a talmud tora [talmud torah] and a yeshiva [yeshivah].
Jews at that time used to live in big crowded groups. We were at Galata, but on the other side of the Golden Horn there was Haskoy, and then there was also Ortakoy, where many Jews lived. I remember there being lots of small tradesmen, like the shoemaker, the tinman, the junkman etc etc, they were all Jewish. We did not have a hamam [Turkish bath] in our district, there was one further away. We used to go to that hamam quite often. We went there with my father; we went to the hamam, washed and came back. I do not have any specific memories of the hamam.
Jews at that time used to live in big crowded groups. We were at Galata, but on the other side of the Golden Horn there was Haskoy, and then there was also Ortakoy, where many Jews lived. I remember there being lots of small tradesmen, like the shoemaker, the tinman, the junkman etc etc, they were all Jewish. We did not have a hamam [Turkish bath] in our district, there was one further away. We used to go to that hamam quite often. We went there with my father; we went to the hamam, washed and came back. I do not have any specific memories of the hamam.
Period
Location
Beyoğlu/İstanbul
Türkiye
Interview
Sami Schilton