Two historic synagogues in İzmir's Kemeraltı Bazaar, La Sinyora and Algazi, were vandalized on Oct 7, the anniversary of Palestinian groups’ attacks on Israel and the start of the Gaza war.
The perpetrators defaced the doors of both synagogues, painting bloody handprints and the "5.60," apparently a Quranic reference, on La Sinyora’s entrance. One person has been detained in connection with the incident.
Nesim Bencoya, the coordinator of the İzmir Jewish Heritage Project, told bianet that Turkey's Jews have been living in fear since the start of the war and warned that holding them accountable for the Israeli government’s actions could lead to bad consequences.
“We weren't there that day, we were informed about the incident through a photograph sent to us,” he said. “Someone came and drew bloody hand signs on both doors with red paint and wrote '5.60' with a number. I don't know what it means, maybe a code. Someone told me it could be part of a verse from the Quran, but I didn't look into it.
“The incident happened on the anniversary of October 7th. Of course there are things that should be protested and everyone has the right to protest, but to blame the Jews in Turkey for Netanyahu's policies or to expose them to such acts of hate is extremely wrong and can have bad consequences. Of course, someone could have gotten mad and done it that way.”
Attack on cultural heritage
Bencoya also highlighted that the vandalism targeted not just the Jewish community but shared cultural heritage. “They destroyed two 200-year-old doors. They targeted not only the common cultural heritage of Jews or İzmir, but also that of Turkey. This is very important.
“People need to produce a discourse against these attacks, not only to protect Jews but also to protect the common heritage. Local governments, NGOs, cultural heritage and educational institutions should take measures in this regard.
“We, the İzmir Jewish Community Foundation, the Jews of İzmir, are very active in the protection of cultural heritage and we have an important place in UNESCO plans and files related to Turkey's heritage. We are making many investments with our own contributions to develop this further.
“However, considering all these events, we can say that Jews in Turkey are living on the edge. They are constantly on guard and have to watch their backs. They don't know what will happen tomorrow. This feeling of anxiety is very bad, why should they live like this? No one should live like this.”
The Quranic reference
The 5.60 painted on the door of the synagogue could be a reference to verse 5:60 from the Quran, which, according to Islamic scholars, addresses punishments directed at Jews for their past disobedience to God's commands.
The verse reads, “Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ ‘Shall I inform you of those who deserve a worse punishment from Allah ˹than the rebellious˺? It is those who earned Allah’s condemnation and displeasure—some being reduced to apes and pigs1 and worshippers of false gods. These are far worse in rank and farther astray from the Right Way’.”
According to the interpretation of the Quran, known as tafsir in Islamic theology, by Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, the context of the verse indicates that it is about Jews: “Since the context of the verse we are exegeting is related to the Jews, the punishment of 'turning them into apes and pigs' - literally or figuratively - was most probably given to them, in addition to the other punishments mentioned in the verse.
“It is also reported in the Qur'an that the Jews deviated from the true religion at various times and worshiped idols (see, for example, al-Baqarah 2/54; al-Tahā 20/88). Undoubtedly, the Qur'an's intention here is not to narrate historical events, but to remind the Jews of events that were known to them and that had happened to their own nation, so that they may learn a lesson.
“Since the Jews were enlightened by revelation, i.e. the Torah, they had no excuse for violating Allah's commands, and as a result, they were subjected to such severe punishments. They are the ones whose place in the sight of Allah is worse and who have deviated more from the right path.”
(TY/VK)