Jewish holidays

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has extended Hanukkah greetings to the Jewish community in Türkiye.

"The understanding of tolerance is one of the most valuable legacies of our deep-rooted history and civilization," Erdoğan said in a message shared by his office on Dec. 13, suggesting that the freedom for all citizens to practice their beliefs "will be safeguarded by our state."

Turkey's Jewish community celebrated Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, on Nov. 28 at major synagogues across the country.

"I hope and wish that Hanukkah will enlighten our souls and cause the feelings of love, respect and brotherhood among people to develop," İsak Haleva, the chief rabbi of Turkey's Jews, said in his message.

Half a year after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established diplomatic relations with Israel, discreet Jewish communities in the Gulf Arab states that once lived in the shadow of the Arab-Israeli conflict are adopting a more public profile.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Dec. 22 extended his greetings to all Jewish people on the eve of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.

Turkey's president on Sept. 30 extended good wishes to the Jewish community celebrating Rosh Hashanah festival in Turkey and around the world.

Israeli travellers must avoid travelling to Turkey, the Israeli Counter-Terrorism Bureau announced yesterday, calling on Israelis who are currently in Turkey to "leave immediately.", MEMO reports.

The bureau warned the Israeli vacationers against travelling to Europe during the Jewish holidays season in anticipation of possible terrorist attacks that could be carried out by Daesh.

At sundown yesterday it was once again the start of the New Year. The sun dawn marked the beginning of the one-day festival of Tu BiShvat, otherwise known as the New Year of Trees, one of the four Jewish celebrations that are considered as the New Year. Four New Years in a single year, now that really sounds confusing!

New clashes broke out on Sept. 28 morning between Israeli police and Palestinians at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, an AFP journalist said, with further trouble feared in the week ahead as Jews celebrate the Sukkot holiday.