The International Izmir Sephardic Culture Festival, which was organized first four years ago to promote the centuries-old culture of Sephardic Jews, is to kick off this year as well in Türkiye's Izmir.

Within the scope of the festival, a tour of the synagogues, Mediterranean Sephardic Music concerts, film screenings and different cultural events and talks by foreign guests who are Sephardic culture experts will be held in company with guides. A candle-lighting ceremony will also be held at the festival for Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday.

With the slogan "Let's meet each other" the festival is aimed to be transformed into an intercultural meeting, in cooperation with the Sephardic Culture Collective, Konak Municipality and the Izmir Jewish community.

President of Sephardic Cultural Collective Nesim Bencoya said that they set out to protect the cultural heritage, they are working to establish an open-air museum and a visitation center in the area where synagogues are located, and they are expanding abroad with festivals.

Bencoya stated that the Jews, who escaped from the Spanish Inquisition in the 16th century and settled in Anatolia with the support of the Ottoman Empire, developed and maintained a Sephardic culture in Izmir, embracing the exiled community.

Boyoz's Sephardic origin

Stating that Izmir has an important place in the Sephardic culture Bencoya said: "Today, boyoz, which has become one of the symbols of Izmir, is a flaky pastry brought by Sephardic Jews from Spain to Anatolia. Boyoz itself is not a Turkish word, it is Spanish. Yet, it is important in terms of gastronomy for both cultures. There is a mutual interaction in terms of both sides. It is very complicated, it is somehow blended with each other. For example, we sing our hymns and folk songs in classical Turkish music modes. This is not the case in Europe. It is in Izmir and Istanbul."

Nesim Bencoya also stated that festivals are one of the ways to carry Sephardic traditions to the future as a cultural heritage.

"We want it to be known in the world. Because Izmir is really the center of Sephardic Judaism in the 17th and 18th centuries. We see this everywhere, from music to food from architecture to synagogues. It's a great thing, both in terms of prestige and tourism. Although the festival is aimed at bringing the lost Sephardic culture back to the fore and making it a part of this city again, it is also aimed at tourism," he added.

Hanukkah festival

Known also as the Jewish Festival of Lights, the Hanukkah festival will feature a traditional menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum) lighting ceremony that will be held at the Hevra Synagogue in Kemeraltı.

Pointing out that Hanukkah is a tradition that has been celebrated for more than 2,000 years, Bencoya said: "Generally eight candles are lit every day during Hanukkah. Yet we will not light one candle every day. Symbolically, we will light all 8 candles on the last day of the festival. Although Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday, we ask people from different ethnic groups to light it as well. We think this is how we convey the messages of coexistence and multiculturalism."

Nesim Bencoya added that people from Spain, Romania, the United States and many other parts of the world applied to make a reservation for the festival.