Rabbinite in Turkey: Its history, institutional structure, its importance and function

Wherever Jews live, they have been organized into a community structure. As we have discussed here, Jews have a very long history in Anatolia. The structure of the said congregation has gone towards institutionalization over time. The institutionalization process coincided with the Ottoman period. It has also gained an official identity during this period. The Jewish community, which was organized under the name of the Rabbinnate or Rabbinical Institution, lost its legal basis with the establishment of the Republic. The chief rabbi of the institution has also begun to perform his duties as a spiritual leader. In this study, the process of historical development and functions of the Rabbinical institution/Foundation and its subordinate institutions before and after the Republic was explained. In addition, it has been tried to take an objective view of the lives of the people connected to the Rabbinical institution during this time. Thus, it is aimed to reveal the structural change that the Rabbinical institution has undergone after the Republic. Keywords: Jewishs, Jewish Community, Rabbi, Chief Rabbinate, Turkish Jewry.