Two threatening demonstrations including acts of vandalism against shuls in Turkey which took place recently seem to have had tacit support from the government. They apparently protest the recent events on Har Habayis and have aroused deep concern within the Jewish populace in Turkey.
The Ahrida Shul
This past Friday evening, the Neveh Shalom synagogue in Istanbul was subjected to a demonstration, while on Shabbos, the ancient Ahrida shul, built by Macedonian Jews almost 600 years ago in the Balat neighborhood of Istanbul similarly experienced a protest demonstration. In both instances, the police cars which patrol on a steady basis left the scene shortly before the demonstrations.
In the first one taking place on Friday night, dozens of demonstrators threw stones at the shul, kicked the doors and attempted to storm their way inside. They were protesting the installation of magnetometer metal detectors on Har Habayis and vociferously shouted Moslem curses and threats.
The Jewish community is very alarmed about the situation. It publicized an official announcement demanding that the government stop this phenomenon.
"We feel obligated not to criticize the policy of the government as a whole, but an expression of protest against a place of worship is certainly not in place. Such expressions should rather be held in front of embassies and consulates." This is the first time that the authorities have allowed demonstrations against synagogues in Turkey. The community regards this as a dangerous precedent.
The Neve Shalom Shul
In the 2014 Gaza war (Mivtza Tzuk Eitan), many stormy demonstrations took place in front of the embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul. Political experts estimate that these recent protest demonstrations are connecting the issue with religion rather than politics as in the past, since in the eyes of Islamists in Turkey, a synagogue represents a branch of Israel.
HaRav Menachem Mendel Hitrik, one of the rabbonim of Istanbul and a member of the Council of European Rabbonim, spoke this past Monday with Yated Ne'eman staff and described the situation of Jews in Istanbul.
"The demonstrations did not prevent us from entering the synagogues and continuing the routine of Jewish life. The two demonstrations did not take place during services but at times when there were no Jews on site. This is why the police preferred to leave, so as not to fan the flames, in a silent agreement that the demonstration organizers would maintain a low profile and indeed, aside from a few young hotheads who kicked at the doors, those in charge made sure that it did not accelerate to breaking down the doors and barging in."
From your words, it sounds like everything was peaceful.
Rabbi Hitrik hastened to clarify the situation, expressing his fear of an outbreak of a national-religious revolution. "There is no doubt that these two demonstrations are causes for concern, even deep anxiety. If until now such demonstrations took place in front of embassies and consulates, this time they chose to demonstrate in front of synagogues as a religious act. This is why we, in the Jewish community, are very worried, even extremely so, since this is an expression of unrest through the Islamic world."
