Etz Ahayim Synagogue

The "Tree of Life" synagogue, Etz Ahayim, is located on the main street of Ortaköy, not far from the water. Because this was a common name for synagogues during Byzantine and Ottoman times, no one knows for sure when it was built.
The permission for the synagogue's restoration can be found in a decree issued in the 17th century, which was preserved. The synagogue was severely damaged in a fire in 1703 and had to be rebuilt. Another fire completely gutted the synagogue in 1914, this time during Yom Kippur services. The Torah Ark and two marble columns with Corinthian capitals survived and are now on display in the synagogue's outdoor courtyard.

Etz Ahayim Synagogue's Architecture

The religious academy that once stood next to the site of today's synagogue was demolished, and the current synagogue was constructed (Midrash). A monumental entrance gate with a gabled arch supported by two columns was built by master Eliyahu ben Yitzak Kamhi in 1915. In the 1970s, patron Viktoria Aruz built a new marble Torah shrine as a memorial to her deceased ancestors. Near the front door, an exhibit displays the priceless artifacts that once resided in the Torah shrine. Both the Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities currently use the Etz Ahayim Synagogue, which is split into two sections. After the terrorist attacks on the Neve Shalom synagogue in 2003, all of Istanbul's synagogues had to be rebuilt for security reasons. Prayer services were held in people's homes while the building was being renovated. Photos of these devout families will be displayed in the synagogue's lobby.

Ortakoy Location

The Ortaköy Synagogue is significant in Jewish history because it was here that Rabbi Naftali Ben Isaac Katz, one of the most prominent European Cabbalists of the 18th century, stopped on his way from Russia to Jerusalem and established the Ortaköy Religious School (Midrash). His illness ultimately proved fatal. His grave in the Jewish cemetery in Ortaköy attracts pilgrims from all over the world.

Since it was registered on November 27, 1960, the Monument Protection Act has made sure that the Etz Ahayim Synagogue, which serves both Ashkenazi and Sephardic people, is safe.