Jewish youth in Istanbul: Habitus, generation & everyday life

This research focuses on Jewish youth living in Istanbul and discusses them in accordance with the concepts of habitus, identity, everyday life, and memory. Within the scope of the research, in-depth interviews were conducted with Jewish youth between the ages of 19-35 in Istanbul, and in the light of these concepts, their perceptions of Judaism, their identities, how their everyday lives were shaped, and what they remember through the social memory were examined. The Turkification policies in the early Republican period and the traumatic incidents faced by the community caused the previous generations to have an invisible attitude in all society and the community to live an introverted life. However, although Jewish youth today understand this silent attitude of the past, they approach it critically and desire to go out of it. Judaism continues to exist as a set of traditions for them, despite its religious aspect. Influenced by both Jewish culture and the culture they live in Turkey, Jewish youth have adopted a plural structured identity in which cultural influences play a major role. In spite of the fact that the interviewees are unwilling to stay in the shadow of the past generations, they live in what they named bubble, consisting only of Jewish spaces, and very few of the Jewish youth go out of this bubble by studying in public schools. This habitus formed by Jewish youth also determines their tastes and preferences, and their cultural capital has undeniable importance when it comes to marriage. Since memory is a structure attributed to the whole of the community, it was discussed among Jewish youth what they remember both about past generations and their own.