Jews missing in Turkey following deadly earthquakes - Israel's chief rabbi
Efforts are being made to locate the Jews who have gone missing after the devastating earthquake in Turkey.
Israel's Chief Rabbi David Lau spoke with the rabbis in Turkey, who informed him that there are "still missing Jews," as a result of the severe earthquake in the country on Monday. According to a press release by Lau, the Chief Rabbi spoke with the rabbis of the communities in Turkey.
Lau spoke to Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, the rabbi of the Ashkenazi community and the Chabad emissary in Istanbul, who told him that he had recently "landed in a place close to the earthquake event in order to closely monitor the required aid."
Chitrik told the chief rabbi that the situation of the members of the Jewish community is "fine," and that the last Jew who was under a collapsed building was rescued from the ruins." He added that "now [Turkish Jews] are dealing with the power cuts and the lack of telephone connection that prevails in the country."
Where are the Jews missing in Turkey after the earthquake?
Lau also spoke with Rabbi Izak Peres, who supervises all of the kosher slaughterings in Turkey and is a teacher at the Ulus School. Peres told Lau that there are 12 Jews living on the border with Syria. In addition, Peres said that two Jews from the southern Turkish community are missing and efforts are being made to locate them, after losing contact.
Lau, according to the press release, quoted a verse in Tehillim that "He who looks at the earth and it quakes, he touches the mountains and they emit smoke." Lau said that "this is the reality of God's creation, but God in his mercy also protects us from all trouble and distress."
In addition, the President of the Conference of Rabbis of Europe, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt said on Monday that "we are following with concern the state of the Jewish community in Turkey."
He added that "a terrible disaster occurred today on European soil and we all pray and hope that all the missing will be found safe and sound. We are anxiously following the situation of the Jewish community, and are sending reinforcements and prayers for their safety."
Jerusalem Post Store
`; document.getElementById("linkPremium").innerHTML = cont; var divWithLink = document.getElementById("premium-link"); if (divWithLink !== null && divWithLink !== 'undefined') { divWithLink.style.border = "solid 1px #cb0f3e"; divWithLink.style.textAlign = "center"; divWithLink.style.marginBottom = "15px"; divWithLink.style.marginTop = "15px"; divWithLink.style.width = "100%"; divWithLink.style.backgroundColor = "#122952"; divWithLink.style.color = "#ffffff"; divWithLink.style.lineHeight = "1.5"; } } (function (v, i) { });