Negotiating tradition and change: Sephardi Jewish life cycle practices in istanbul (1960 - 2020)

This dissertation examines how life cycle rituals—namely Brit Milah, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and Jewish weddings—have transformed in meaning, form, and function within Istanbul's Sephardi Jewish community between the 1960s and 2020. Framing these events as a "field" in the Bourdieusian sense, the study investigates how ethno-religious cultural and communal identity is co-produced through the interaction of three key agents: religious authorities, Jewish-owned event companies, and community members themselves. Drawing on over forty interviews, archival research, and participant observation, the study reveals how these rituals are shaped by competing forms of capital (economic, cultural, symbolic), and how different actors strategically deploy these resources to influence the definition of "proper" and "ideal" Jewishness. While religious authorities emphasize continuity and modesty (Kayadez), companies introduce global trends and market sensibilities, and community members negotiate visibility, belonging, habitus, and status within a shifting socio-political landscape. Special attention is given to how rituals reflect broader dynamics, such as antisemitism, gendered expectations, and class dynamics, in connection with the transformation of communal infrastructure. Life cycle events emerge not merely as religious traditions but as dynamic arenas where power, identity, and representation are continuously negotiated.