İzmir Sephardic
Culture Festival

The International Izmir Sephardic Culture Festival preserves, shares, and introduces the Sephardic culture, which has been one of the most important components of İzmir since the 16th century, and its contributions to the city's culture.

Sephardic Jews, who were forced to leave the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century, embraced the cultural elements of the Muslim and Christian communities with whom they shared their lives in Izmir, where different cultures and beliefs have coexisted for thousands of years. As a result, a unique "Sephardic Culture" specific to İzmir emerged, with its music, cuisine, traditions, and artistic expressions. The preservation of this culture, which has found its place in the cultural heritage of the city, contributes greatly to our multicultural life and sets an example throughout Turkey.

The festival events begin before Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, which symbolizes wisdom, understanding, justice, and equality, and continue until the day the last Hanukkah candle is lit.

The exhibition, concerts, discussions, and film screenings, featuring the participation of local and international artists and researchers, showcase the richness of the Sephardic culture in İzmir.

Founding Director

Nesim Bencoya

News About the Festival

The International Izmir Sephardic Culture Festival, which aims to promote Izmir’s Jewish cultural heritage to both locals and enthusiasts worldwide, is celebrated annually in parallel with Hanukkah.

18-22 December 2022

Festivals of 2018, 2019 & 2021

  • November 28, 2021 – Sunday

    10:00 AM - Synagogue Tour with Guides
    (Departure from Çankaya Multi-Storey Car Park)

    November 29, 2021 – Monday

    8:00 PM - Festival Opening Ceremony and BAT MITZVA Exhibition – Barbara Yoaf
    Etz Hayim Synagogue (937 Sokak No: 5/C Kemeraltı)

    November 30, 2021 – Tuesday

    6:30 PM - “The First Juderia” Old Jewish Quarter – Talk by Dr. Siren Bora
    Sinyora Synagogue (927 Sokak No: 79 Kemeraltı)

    7:30 PM - “Kortijolar” A Photography Exhibition – Birol Üzmez
    Sinyora Synagogue (927 Sokak No: 79 Kemeraltı)

    December 1, 2021 – Wednesday

    6:30 PM - “Izmir Jewish Cultural Heritage Project” – Nesim Bencoya
    Sinyora Synagogue (927 Sokak No: 79 Kemeraltı)

    8:00 PM - “Cultural Heritage Initiatives” - Pecha Kucha Night - A Nobon Event
    Portuguese Synagogue (926 Sokak No: 8 Kemeraltı)
    Reservation: biletino.com/tr/e-dlq/pechakucha-night-izmir-vol-26/

    December 2, 2021 – Thursday

    6:30 PM - “Sephardic Architecture and Synagogues in Izmir” – Talk by Prof. Dr. Mine Tanag
    Sinyora Synagogue (927 Sokak No: 79 Kemeraltı)

    8:00 PM - “My Sweet Canary” Film Screening
    A film about the Rebetiko legend Roza Eskinazi
    Portuguese Synagogue (926 Sokak No: 8 Kemeraltı)

    December 3, 2021 – Friday

    4:00 PM - “Contributions of Spanish and Portuguese Sephardim to Science in the Middle Ages” – Talk by Sara Pardo
    Sinyora Synagogue (927 Sokak No: 79 Kemeraltı)

    December 4, 2021 – Saturday

    8:00 PM - “Sephardic Songs from Thessaloniki” – Concert by Salut de Smyrne
    Etz Hayim Synagogue (937 Sokak No: 5/C Kemeraltı)

    December 5, 2021 – Sunday

    4:00 PM - Concert 1: “Echoes from Spain to the Ottoman Empire”
    Ulrich Mertin, Nermin Kaygusuz, and Serdar Somuncu (Ottoman-era Jewish and Turkish composers, accompanied by violin, kemenche, and guitar)
    Hevra Synagogue (937 Sokak No: 4 Kemeraltı)

    8:00 PM - Concert 2: “Echoes from Spain to the Ottoman Empire”
    Ulrich Mertin, Nermin Kaygusuz, and Serdar Somuncu (Ottoman-era Jewish and Turkish composers, accompanied by violin, kemenche, and guitar)
    Hevra Synagogue (937 Sokak No: 4 Kemeraltı)

    December 6, 2021 – Monday

    8:00 PM - Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) Candle Lighting Ceremony

    “Hebrew Romanticism” – Concert by Isabelle Durin (violin) and Michaël Ertzschei (piano)
    Etz Hayim Synagogue (937 Sokak No: 5/C Kemeraltı)