Hazar Turks (Khazaria Turks) a jewish community

[Night_Flight]

The history of Khazaria presents us with a fascinating example of how Jewish life flourished in the Middle Ages. In a time when Jews were persecuted thruout Christian Europe, the kingdom of Khazaria was a beacon of hope. Jews were able to flourish in Khazaria because of the tolerance of the Khazar rulers, who invited Byzantine and Persian Jewish refugees to settle in their country. Due to the influence of these refugees, the Khazars found the Jewish religion to be appealing and adopted Judaism in large numbers.



Origins: The Khazars were a Turkic1 people who originated in Central Asia. The early Turkic tribes were quite diverse, although it is believed that reddish hair was predominant among them prior to the Mongol conquests. In the beginning, the Khazars believed in Tengri shamanism, spoke a Turkic language, and were nomadic. Later, the Khazars adopted Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, learned Hebrew and Slavic, and became settled in cities and towns thruout the north Caucasus and Ukraine. The Khazars had a great history of ethnic independence extending approximately 800 years from the 5th to the 13th century.

The earliest history of the Khazars in southern Russia, prior to the middle of the 6th century, is hidden in obscurity. From about 550 to 630, the Khazars were part of the Western Turkish Empire, ruled by the Celestial Blue Turks (Kök Turks). When the Western Turkish Empire was broken up as a result of civil wars in the middle of the 7th century, the Khazars successfully asserted their independence. Yet, the Kök kaganate under which they had lived provided the Khazars with their system of government. For example, the Khazars followed the same guidelines as the Kök Turks regarding the succession of kings.

www.khazaria.com/images/khazaria-small.jpg

[Night_Flight]

also visit this web site. its very interestin about karay-karaim karalar a community who practise judaism.
http://www.turkiye.net/sota/karaim.html

[Deni al-Amriki]

Since we're on Turkish Jews, whatever happened to that community of Jews who converted to islam with Shabtai Zvi?

[Night_Flight]

Originally posted by Deni al-Amriki
Since we're on Turkish Jews, whatever happened to that community of Jews who converted to islam with Shabtai Zvi?


yes sebetay sevi proclaimed that he is the messiah and he was converted to islam. so were his followers. but they didnt forget their identities. (normally)

there are still nearly 30.000 jews in turkey. especially in istanbul, izmir bursa and ankara.

and sebetaists still exist. they mainly live in izmir.

[elke]

Originally posted by Night_Flight

and sebetaists still exist. they mainly live in izmir.

Are they still identifiable as Shabtaist (or whatever they call themselves)? What is the difference between them and an average Muslim? You know...curiosity killed the cat! :)

[Night_Flight]

Originally posted by elke


Are they still identifiable as Shabtaist (or whatever they call themselves)? What is the difference between them and an average Muslim? You know...curiosity killed the cat! :)

well they dont call themselves sebetaists. they call themselves muslim i guess. but they still maintain their real religion (judaism)

lots of them immigrated to israel no worries :) we didnt hurt them :)

you know turks rescued jews two times in the history

1-)sephardim jews were rescued by ottoman empire
2-)and the aschkenaz jews who were rescued by Turkish republic from the holocaust.

ottoman jewish culture is really interested in turkey.

regards

[elke]

Originally posted by Night_Flight


well they dont call themselves sebetaists. they call themselves muslim i guess. but they still maintain their real religion (judaism)

lots of them immigrated to israel no worries :) we didnt hurt them :)

you know turks rescued jews two times in the history

1-)sephardim jews were rescued by ottoman empire
2-)and the aschkenaz jews who were rescued by Turkish republic from the holocaust.

ottoman jewish culture is really interested in turkey.

regards

Very interesting, Night_Flight! Thanks! :)

[Night_Flight]

you all welcome :)


my best wishes from turkey to my israeli brothers :)

[takeo]

Very interesting links. the Khazar empire was predominantly Jewish and Khazars spoke Turkish, altough Slavic population according to historians were in the majority, did they also convert?
What happened to the Khazar outside the crimea?, did they mix with the Russians (what about the theory that at least a part of Russian Jews have Khazar ancestors?)
Sorry, a lot of questions, but this is interesting stuff! :confused:

[elke]

We were taught in school that the Khazars were conquered by the Russians, and pretty much dissolved. Given the Russia's propensity to exaggerate its importance in the world, I won't guarantee that this is correct. It seems that some Eastern European Jews have at least some Khazar ancestors.

Shabbataists are the remnants of the followers of Shabbtai Zevi, who proclaimed himself a Messiah in 17th century, and subsequently converted to Islam under the threat of death (given a choice between conversion and death, and chose conversion). They don't bear a direct relationship to the Khazars, really.

[IlyaFurman]

http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/news/170677.asp?cp1=1

the turks are good muslims, that is a great musem in the works, but turkey or anatolia was a predominatly jewish region before the turks took over and now there are still a small number of jewish people living there with harmony with muslims, i wish all people acted that way.

[takeo]

"turkey or anatolia was a predominatly jewish region before the turks took over "

I don't think so, it was a predominantly Christian region where Greek was the lingua franca.

The Khasars have been dissolved according to most historians, but perhaps some have remained jewish, people do not give up their religion that easily.

[Mediocrates]

Well at least it wasn't a post about how the Jews are evil and racist and in cahoots with the worst people on earth - cause everytime I see one of your posts, that's what I expect to read. I guess I'll hold my breath and wait for your response to this post which will probably be something along the lines of

"yes but there were never any Jews there so to say that there were is just more racist zionist expansionist revisionist lies as part of their drive to take over the region and oppress the poor people of......."

[takeo]

LOL
i am very pissed of because of the policy of Israel AND the US, both currently governed by extremists, but i will never make any remarks about the PEOPLE who live in Israel or the US, on the contrary to people who can not make a distinction between the leaders and the people of Arab or European countries. (yeah, the leaders get elected, but i don't think that our democracy is really representative, even less so in israel or the US, not to mention Arab countries, people get deceived all the time by their politicians)
And yes, Turkey was very important for the Jewish community, and vice versa, but it never had a Jewish majority during history.

[IlyaFurman]

Yes I was mistaken is saying that judaism was predominate in turkey anotlia region - this is a good article about this issue

http://www.science.co.il/hi/Turkish/

talks about how chritians persecuted the jews and muslim turks gave us safe haven, t

his is why I respect most and I stress most muslims not extremists, my family from russia was helped by an albanian muslim family during the holocaust time, and I will never forget it. Christianity has been harshed on the jews people than the muslims so far, but this trend might change with recent happenings and islamic extremists might cause more persection on jewish people

[Mediocrates]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by takeo
i am very pissed of because of the policy of Israel AND the US, both currently governed by extremists,

Coming from a card carrying communist and someone slightly to the left of Gush Shalom what does that mean?

but i will never make any remarks about the PEOPLE who live in Israel or the US, on the contrary to people who can not make a distinction between the leaders and the people of Arab or European countries.

??? eh???

(yeah, the leaders get elected, but i don't think that our democracy is really representative,

Is France too democratic or not enough?

even less so in israel or the US,

what would you actually know about it?

not to mention Arab countries,

no of course not - wouldn't want to point that out that abortion

people get deceived all the time by their politicians)

and their demagogues

[Night_Flight]

Nowadays im preparing a homework for Research Methods Lesson.

i determined a subject and it is about Turkish Jews in Ankara

There is a sinagogue in Ankara and around it there are old Ankara houses this area is called jewish District. And now there is no any single jew living there. All jews immigrated to new areas in ankara or they immigrated to israel. Now the jewish community in Ankara is not more than 50 people. Actually i would like them to stay in Ankara. Becouse jews of turkey are really a part of our mixed and rich culture.

i found some articles about this subject and they say Ankara synagogue is need to be restorated. They are right becouse the sinagouge is very old. its opened only in specific days such as rosh ashana and other jewish holdy days. or funereal times.


i'd like to talk with some jews in Ankara but i dont want to bother them. So im going to make an archive research. I really like jewish culture and history of jews.