Meaningful Ceremony at the Museum of Turkish Jews: NAIM A. GÜLERYÜZ RESEARCH LIBRARY

The name-giving ceremony of the Naim A. Güleryüz Research Library, which will be opened in Istanbul soon, was organized in the Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews and Neve Shalom Cultural Center complex, with the participation of the Chief Rabbi of Turkey Rabbi Isak Haleva, Turkish Jewish Community co-President Ishak Ibrahimzadeh, Chairman of the Neve Shalom Foundation Daryo Katalan, Honorary Consul of Portugal Aaron Nommaz, Vatican's past term Culture Attache Rinaldo Marmara and a crowded group of guests.

The president of the Quincentennial Foundation Silvyo Ovadya, while thanking those who have contributed to creating a center like this that our community has needed for a long time, gave some information about the library and research center. The library primarily was formed with the 9500 books from the library of Chief Rabbinate building being cleaned by ozone with meticulous work. Later the library was enriched by the personal libraries donated by Naim Güleryüz himself and the late Yılmaz Benardete's family after his death.

Silvyo Ovadya in his speech, expressing that Naim Güleryüz has served our community for years and has always kept the idea of a library on the agenda, stated, "He has worked for a long time making a great effort for this place, day and night, since the day the museum [of Turkish Jews] was established until the last two or three years. I would like to thank him on behalf of the Turkish Jewish Community and name this place after him. Maybe this way we can pay back a small part of all the things he has accomplished."

A DREAM OF 70 YEARS

Naim Güleryüz who expressed his feelings during the ceremony stated that the first idea of opening a library in our community was mentioned in an article by Albert Kohen in the 'La Boz de Turchia' newspaper in 1945, and in 1947 it was mentioned in several articles by Avram Galante, however, he was happy that a well-rounded and public library is finally being opened in our day. He also added and reminded, "Establishing it was hard, but it is also vital that it is taken advantage of". Güleryüz thanked each member of his family for their support for all the years he might have neglected them because of his struggles for the community and requested of the members of the community, "For this library to operate and reach its goal, please donate the sources, books, photographs, documents, and objects -in order for them not to be wasted in second-hand bookstores and junk dealers- at your houses."

Chief Rabbi Haleva expressing that Jews are a 'nation of the book' and to be giving is one of the fundamental values of Judaism, thanked the president of the Quincentennial Foundation Silvyo Ovadya, and all the community officials.

Turkish Jewish Community co-President Ishak Ibrahimzadeh in his speech thanked Naim Güleryüz stating that even though we are identified as the nation of the book and the first thing we had done when we left Spain and arrived in the Ottoman lands, was publish books, today only two or three names including Naim Güleryüz's appear as references in the researches made on the history of Judaism and Turkish Jews. Ibrahimzadeh also said, "If our dear brother Naim hadn't reminded us what we had to do and kept this feeling alive maybe none of us would have had the courage to write the books we had written. Of course, he served in a lot of positions in the community but it would have been enough even if he only did these."

The Naim Güleryüz Research Library, where also the master's and doctoral dissertations written on both Judaism and Turkish Jews recently, will be gathered and made available digitally, will be opened as soon as all the books within the library are completely digitalized.

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