Vehbi Koc and the Burla family were always in good relations after Varlik vergisi, in 1960ies and 1970ies as I know. As I mentioned in my prior post it was not a hostile take over,it was just filling the gap.

Thank you David for clarifying your post and the additional info you provided. Kindest regards

must be redefined. Dictionaries are just dictionaries. They are not the ultimate word. Logically, anti means against and semite means Semitic or pertaining to the Semitic people. Arabs are Semitic as are Jews. Perhaps anti-Judaic would be more specific and appropriate.

In a survey a few years ago, a majority of Turks responded that they would not want a Jew as their neighbor. That shows you the basic underlying sentiment of (Muslim) Turks against Jews. The Marmara incident, the "one minute" affair, the constant inflammatory rhetoric from Erdogan which are fueled partly by his true anti-semitism, partly by very calculated domestic and international political considerations, etc. are only adding fuel to an existing underlying fire. There is no immediate threat to the safety of the Turkish Jews, but it feels like we are sitting on a powder keg and things can go from uncomfortable to life-threatening on a moment's notice following impassioned Friday afternoon prayers. We all have a plan B - an exit route so yo speak, if (and more send more likely when, not if) it happens.

...I detest to most. And I'm not Jewish. As a Canadian, I believe Turks are a liability to NATO and any agreement with them is liable to be dishonoured at the most inopportune moment for the West. Just not honourable people.

Atheist Turk is spot on. Just met with my old Alevi roommate and friend and she was describing how bad it is getting for Alevis in Turkey...she's from Tunceli..my Muslim friends are totally ok with me being Jewish and stuck in israel... I've lived abroad long enough to be able to sniff out an anti-Semite...when I need to escape from israel, which happens to be every 2-3 months, I head to Turkey. I still feel 100% at home there, though I do feel the place changing each time I'm there...it's really unfortunate that Turkey is going down this path, but as david explained, it's been in the cards for awhile...oh and most of the Jews I know there would choose to move to any other country but israel. Most of them, like me, are not a fan of Israelis....I totally can relate...:)

Forgive me for my ignorance if I am wrong but if anyone who is Jewish can make Aliyah and become Israeli, be it Turkish, American etc...isn't the perception about all Jewish people being Israeli infact, true at the end? I, for example, as a muslim Turk can not choose to be a Pakistani citizen because of our common religion..As a result being Jewish is the only requirement to become a defacto Israel citizen. Can this be the reason of such perceptions?

I am Jewish but at the same time do not have any religious beliefs. I am an ethnic Jew because my parents, grand parents and as far as we have traces up to 5 generations are all Sephardi Jews. This has nothing to do with believing in Jewish religion. There are Balkan Turks often referred as Bosnak in Turkey. They are from Albania, Bulgaria, ex Yugoslavia etc. They are for example Bulgarian Turks Just like I am an American Jew and used to be a Turkish Jew. Just like Jews of all over the world are welcomed to Israel Turks also from all over the world are welcomed to Turkey. For example Naim Suleymanogly known as the pocket Hercules for taking an Olympic gold medal in weight lifting was one of many Bulgarian Turks who emigrated to Turkey when they escaped the Bulgarion oppression of Turks in 1990 ies. It is the same in that way. However there is also a difference. Jews as an ethnic group were originated in what is known today as Israel and Palestine. Turks on the other hand originated in central Asia around what is now Xinchian province of China also known as Uighur region. Food for your thought.

Thank you for your explanation. From what I understand from your reply is that 'Jewish' refers to an etnicity rather than a religious affiliation.This is a completely new concept for me. As I mentioned before, forgive my ignorance, but I am really trying to understand. In that case, based on your explanation, a Turk like myself, does not belong in Anatolia and if possible should go back to Central Asia, where I etnically belong to. However, the Jewish community in Turkey (originated from Israel as you rightly explained) are ethnically Jewish and in that way are both technically and naturally Israeli. Maybe some Turks, depending on your explanation and perception, feel the same way about the Jewish not being a Turk. I, on the other hand have a completely different worldview that is based on citizenship and equal rights in which ethnicity and religion could not define the quality of any citizenship. For me, any Turkish citizen whether Jewish,Muslim or Buddhist are equal. All other efforts end up having sugarcoated fascist undertones in my opinion. I hope for more compassionate and intelligent times in the future.And hey, maybe I still understand you?

means belonging to the Land of Israel. It has nothing to do with any ideology.

Well said. Antisemitism is a word created to mean STRICTLY Jew hating. It does not apply to any other ethnic groups whether Semitic in origin or not.

Those Turkish Jews aren't stupid. Only in America can a poor immigrant increase his wealth by hard work and ingenuity. In Israel he will be taken advantage of and laughed at for being a sucker.

Jews originated from the jewish tribes, but today jews are a people of mixed etnical groups. Meaning an american jew is an american and also being part of the jewish people, just like an american native apache is an american and also part of the apache nation. Just like you as a turk can convert to judaism you can convert to an indian tribe like an apache, making their belifs and traditions yours and then being a turkish apache. Do you get it?

Jews are not an ethnical group, but a people consisting of many ethnical origins. There are jews with chinese, indian, ethiopinan, european, african/black origin, and they are all jews. You can be a jew from whatever etnical group by converting to judaism. And why is it so? Because the jewish religion is a tribal religion, just like the american indians religions, so if you convert to judaism you´ll automatically be part of the jewish people.

The difference between the american indians and the jews is that the indians have nations but not having own statehood, and the jews are a nation/people having an own state. Meaning, when you talk about people, you have to understand it´s got different meanings dependig if you talk about a people like jews or indian that has it origin in tribes, and when talking about people having states not built on tribal origins but only citizenship.

if Israel had recognized the first Genocide of the century and the world had reacted to it ... history is repeating itself , all the modern tools have not changed the mind of hatemongers and evil worshipers

Got worse. Before WW2 Poland's economy was one of the best in Europe but after the war it weak. Turkey learn the history lesson God is watching Erdogan actions.

Turkey is going down for sure.

You are one stupid sort of a so-and-so. You can read and write, so preumably you can LOOK IT UP. The term "Anti-Semite" was ESPECIALLY coined to refer to JEWS ONLY. This was in the 1870's I think. So do us all a favour and stop with you silly nonsense.

and let the turks behind. People of jewish faith deserve better than living in an Islamic country. Let the turks start to kill each other which is normal in arab springs. Last man standing is a winner..start now...