External Cultural Influences on the Jewish Community of Izmir r 285sitting in coffeehouses, a phenomenon that began in the mid-sixteenth
century among the Jews of the Empire.^1 These and other influences were
more vastly expressed from the beginning of the nineteenth century, with
the introduction of modernization and westernization to the Empire.
The westernization and modernization of the Ottoman Empire, which
increased in intensity from the end of the eighteenth century, had a pro-
found impact on Ottoman Jewry.
In the mid-nineteenth century, the Alliance Israélite Universelle or-
ganization began its activities among the Jewish communities in the Ot-
toman Empire. The Alliance established a network of modern schools,
which played a significant role in the westernization and modernization
of the local communities. An integral part of this westernization was the
introduction of western literary and artistic motifs into the communities’
cultural and artistic life.^2 This was the beginning of a multifaceted cultural
transformation for the Jewish communities throughout the Empire. Jour-
nalism, literature, poetry, historical records, and naturally drama—both
original and translated—were influenced.
Modernization was more evident in Izmir than in other regions. In
fact, during the nineteenth century, Izmir became an important metropo-
lis and one of the most renowned cultural and commercial centers in the
world and in the Ottoman Empire.^3 Izmir’s financial and cultural pros-
perity attracted many Jews and other minorities such as Armenians and
Greeks. Therefore, we have chosen Izmir in order to make a case study
for the other communities in the Ottoman Empire, examining the vari-
ous theatrical foundations and transformations undergone by the Jewish-
Sephardic theater and music.
As the upper classes discovered the opportunities for educational en-
lightenment at these new AIU schools, they began distancing themselves
from the old communal framework and traditions. New employment op-
portunities arose, clothing became more westernized, and wealthy Jews
left the Jewish quarters in Izmir and moved to new ethnically and reli-
giously mixed areas.^4 Until then, the Jews used to live in the bazaar areas
(Çarşı), such as Argat Bazar and Lazarato. From the end of the nineteenth
century, the wealthy families who were now new bourgeoisie moved to
the western side of the city, to neighborhoods such as Çeşme, Karataş,
Karantina, and Gœztepe, where new housing was built.^5 Moreover, La-
dino, which was the language used for daily life up to this period, was