3rd Izmir Sephardic Culture Festival: 28th November – 6th December

Izmir Sephardic Culture Festival is organized for the third time this year, with the contributions of Konak Municipality, to bring together the contributions of the Sephardic community, who has lived in Izmir since the 16th century, to the city and its culture, with unique events.

Sephardic Jews, who had to leave the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century, embraced the cultural elements of the Muslim and Christian societies with which they shared life in Izmir, where different cultures and beliefs have lived side by side for thousands of years. As a result of this, a “Sephardic Culture”, which is perhaps unique in the world and unique only to Izmir, has emerged with its music, cuisine, traditions and reflections on art.

In addition to the boyoz and dwarf, which are almost identified with İzmir, historical synagogues with different architectures, Ladino folk songs and many other values have taken their place in the cultural treasure of the city. In recent years, the richness of our city in this area has become more visible. In addition to its tangible cultural heritage, intangible cultural heritage items such as cuisine, rituals, traditions and religious ceremonies have begun to enter our lives, as well as performing arts.

The festival activities will start before the “Hanukkah”, also known as the Festival of Lights, which symbolizes reason, understanding, right and justice, and will continue until the day when the last Hanukkah candle is lit. Exhibitions, concerts, interviews and film screenings with the participation of Turkish and foreign artists and researchers will once again reveal the richness of Sephardic culture in Izmir.

Nesim Bencoya
Founder Director of the Izmir Jewish Heritage Project