Several synagogues in Istanbul have been named Neve Shalom or "Oasis of Peace." As the Jewish…read morepopulation rapidly increased in the Galata and Beyoğlu districts in the 1930s, the smaller existing neighborhood synagogues could not meet the demand especially at religious holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. As special venues had to be rented, the religious leaders planned the building of a new synagogue.
The "new" Neve Shalom synagogue was designed by Elyo Ventura and Bernar Motola, two young Jewish graduates of Istanbul Technical University. One of the biggest challenges they faced was to plan a dome that could support the massive weight of a beautiful Star of David chandelier. They also had beautiful stained glass windows created. The synagogue open its doors in 1951. It is the largest Sephardic synagogue in Istanbul.
Today, the synagogue is open to the public, but security is high due to several brutal attacks that claimed lives during Shabbat services. The first attack occurred during Shabbat services on September 6,1986. 22 Jewish citizens died as terrorists opened fire during the services. Bombings on November 15, 2003, again during Shabbat prayers, killed six people who were in the synagogues, five security guards, one police officer and eleven citizens who were on the street. The synagogue also has a chandelier that survived an attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992. Bring your passport if you visit Neve Shalom Synagogue or the Jewish Museum of Turkey.
