Ottoman and Turkish Ketubbot – An Exhibition at the Museum of Turkish Jews

The Museum of Turkish Jews is presenting an exhibition of ketubbot, curated by Silvyo Ovadya. This ketubbot collection includes pieces hidden in forgotten homes’ forgotten corners for years, some discovered as works of art, others from the walls of collectors, and some from the Chief Rabbinate Collection.

The exhibition, titled “Ottoman and Turkish Ketubbot,” brings together ketubbot from different cities such as Van, Izmir, Istanbul, Bursa, Edirne, and Tekirdağ, spanning from the 1830s to the present day.

Most of the ketubbot on display are Sephardic, but there will also be one ketubbah from the Ashkenazic and Karay communities, brought from Crimea, and one ketubbah of Iranian origin.

From November 20, 2024, to February 20, 2025, the museum will exhibit around 50 ketubbots from the archives of the Israel Museum and various individual collections. Contributors include the Chief Rabbi of the Republic of Turkey, Rav Isak Haleva, and collectors Ceri Benardete, Jak Haim, and Silvyo Ovadya.