The Divergence of Judaism and Islam. Interdependence, Modernity, and Political Turmoil

(Joyce) #1

58 · Ömer Turan


This page in history approaches its end with ominous signs. The
Bulgarians will undoubtly give us beautiful cities and magnificent
edifices. They will give us a foretaste of Europe. But we Jews have
much to be thankful for to this Ottoman society that is so far from
progress—this is true—and yet, it is so humane. Who knows after
how many days of suffering we will lament the [ruling] hand of the
Turks that was so gentle towards the Jewish population.^32

Turkey was the safe haven for the Jews during World War II. Many Jew-
ish families left Germany and came to Turkey. Hundreds of Jewish schol-
ars also came to Turkey and worked in Turkish universities.^33 Between
1934 and 1944, about 37,000 European Jews also used Turkey as a transit
site to emigrate to Palestine.^34


Greece


The attacks on the Jews and Turks in Greece were not limited to the period
of Greek revolts. After the establishment of the Greek Kingdom in 1830,
the remaining Jews and Muslims were still targets for the Greeks. One of
the most interesting attacks on the Jews was the case of Pasifico in 1847.
During Easter, traditionally the Greeks in Athens stoned and burned an
effigy of Judas Iscariot, which was called “Jewish.” Before Easter, the
Greek government canceled the ceremony because an important British
figure of Jewish origin was to visit Athens. The Greeks were angered by
that decision, and they sacked and burned the house of the Portuguese
consul, Don Pacifico, a Jew born in Gibraltar and therefore a British citi-
zen. The British government asked for compensation for the Pacifico’s
losses several times. Finally, the British navy blockaded Piraeus, the port
of Athens, and the Greek government agreed to pay compensation.^35


(^) In 1891, Jews and Muslims were attacked in the Ionian islands. Many
were killed, and the rest escaped to Ottoman territories. In 1897, Greeks
organized a revolt in Crete, and Muslims and Jews took refuge in Otto-
man lands. They were settled in Izmir.^36
The fate of the Muslims and Jews of Greece in the twentieth century
was no different than in the previous age. In the great fire of 1917, the
Muslim and Jewish quarters of Thessaloniki were burned. Only Greeks
from Anatolia were allowed to settle in the quarters.^37 The Greek army
occupied Anatolia after World War I, killed civilians, seized Turkish and

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