{"id":35518,"date":"2011-06-13T12:55:23","date_gmt":"2011-06-13T09:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turkishforum.com.tr\/en\/content\/?p=35518"},"modified":"2023-04-15T18:17:00","modified_gmt":"2023-04-15T15:17:00","slug":"seeds-of-the-pomegranate-part-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/2011\/06\/13\/seeds-of-the-pomegranate-part-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeds of the Pomegranate – Part I"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Linda Tucker<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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\u201cA trip to a cemetery in Prague to the grave of Rabbi Loew?\u201d Leah muttered angrily on her way to the bookstore. She had just left her weekly visit with her grandfather. They\u2019d been discussing places to visit on her upcoming vacation. \u201cI can\u2019t believe that\u2019s where you want me to go, Grandpa,\u201d she told him. \u201cHow could you think I\u2019d want to stumble over some crumbling gravestones for some foolish folklore? A golem<\/em>? A mystical creature who\u2019ll lead me on a spiritual journey back to Judaism? Grandpa, you have to stop finding ways to lure me into believing again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLeah, my dear,\u201d he said, taking both her hands, \u201cyou\u2019ve denied your faith for too long. There\u2019s a whole heritage that\u2019s lost to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grandpa, you have to stop finding ways to lure me into believing again\u201cI\u2019m not interested in a heritage of pogroms and persecution and annihilation. I don\u2019t want to hear about all the suffering of the Jews. And why should I have faith in a G\u2011d who allowed my father to abandon me and my mother? And mysticism? A bunch of nonsense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s part of our tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Grandpa,\u201d Leah said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a way to fool people into believing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her grandfather leaned back in his chair. \u201cI don\u2019t know what to do with you anymore,\u201d he sighed.<\/p>\n

In the bookstore, Leah went straight to the information desk. \u201cI want to travel to a place that will open new doors for me,\u201d she said. \u201cSomewhere that will dazzle and amaze me.\u201d And somewhere where there are no reminders of Judaism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you should go to Istanbul,\u201d said a young woman browsing nearby. Her pretty face was framed by a colorful scarf that covered her head completely. \u201cThere you will find what you are looking for.\u201d The young woman said her name was Filiz. She began to describe the city of her birth, leading Leah to open travel books of Istanbul whose pages spilled out its bewitching allure.<\/p>\n

She was immediately seduced by photos of the imposing city rising along the bluest waters of the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara, uniquely divided between Europe and Asia. She was eager to discover the endless treasures waiting for her at the Grand Bazaar, and wooed by the stunning elaborate Topkapi and Dolmabahce palaces that reflected the glory of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. She was particularly enchanted by the grandeur of the city\u2019s mosques, especially the Suleymaniye Mosque built by the famous architect Sinan, and the Blue Mosque that announced the glory of Sultan Ahmed I. Their graceful minarets, immense domes, stained-glass windows, marble carvings, delicate chandeliers and vast interiors instantly beckoned her. In these places there surely would be no traces of Jewish suffering.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, this is exactly what I\u2019m looking for,\u201d Leah told Filiz. \u201cI\u2019m going to make plans right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m truly delighted,\u201d Filiz smiled. \u201cAs a matter of fact, I\u2019m going back to Istanbul in two weeks to visit my brother and his family. If you should arrive by then, I would be happy to show you my favorite places.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe\u2019re nearly there,\u201d Filiz said as she and Leah made their way through the narrow winding streets of old Istanbul. Coming upon a bustling marketplace, she paused to wipe her brow as the heat of the day began to build. \u201cJust wait a moment more,\u201d she told Leah, \u201cI want to say hello to my friend Umit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Filiz surveyed the stalls of dried fruits and nuts and sandals and pots and pans and linens and all sorts of vibrantly colorful fabric. Amidst the chatter of bargaining, she called out to a man selling pistachio nuts. After he scooped half a kilo of plump green nuts into a brown paper bag for a customer, he waved as he saw Filiz. The two friends embraced and spoke a while in Turkish.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe welcome you to our mosque,\u201d Umit grinned, showing many spaces between his teeth. Then he made a sweeping gesture to the building behind them, unobtrusively tucked away.<\/p>\n

Turning around, Leah saw a small sign against a stone wall that read Rustem Pasa Camii<\/em>. \u201cOh my,\u201d she said, squeezing Filiz\u2019s hand. \u201cThe start of an amazing adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they climbed the stone steps to the mosque, smoothed and worn down by thousands of feet on the way to worship, Leah\u2019s anticipation grew. At the top, an astounding view lay before them. Along the railing of the colonnaded terrace were flower boxes filled with purple hydrangea that spilled over the balcony. Several stone benches allowed people to sit and remove their shoes before entering the mosque. Flanking the massive wooden doors were panels of exquisite tiles. Leah stood for a while, absorbing the intermingling colors from the marketplace below.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m ready to go in now,\u201d Leah said, taking a deep breath while putting on a headscarf. The women both slipped out of their sandals, leaving them on a rack near the door.<\/p>\n

In these places there surely would be no traces of Jewish suffering\u201cIt is not time for prayer now, so the mosque will be empty,\u201d Filiz said. She pulled on an ornate brass handle and the doors opened wide. In an instant the heat of the day gave way to the cool stillness of an enchanted garden, overrun by thousands of flowers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are Iznik tiles,\u201d Filiz pointed to the breathtaking beauty of the tiles that lined the walls from floor to ceiling, \u201cthe finest in the world. The famous design is the tulip. The Tulip Period was born in Turkey around the sixteenth century. You will see tulips everywhere, in gardens, on tapestries, on embroideries, in sculptures and paintings, and of course on tiles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leah stood for a moment, absorbing the tranquility of the setting, and then quickly followed Filiz, who was already walking toward the central area of the mosque, stepping lightly across the red-and-black Turkish carpet. Leah went straight up to a tall, intricately carved wooden chair. \u201cOur imam gives his sermon from this seat on Fridays,\u201d Filiz explained. Leah reached out to touch the high slope of the chair, but Filiz pulled her hand away. \u201cNo foreigner is permitted,\u201d she told Leah, tilting her head in apology.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis mosque was built for Rustem Pasha,\u201d Filiz continued, drawing her arm in an expansive arc. \u201cHe was the son-in-law of the great sultan Suleyman the Magnificent back in the sixteenth century. When the Ottoman Empire was at its height and glory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d Leah sighed, \u201chow I wish I could have lived then. To be part of the court at Topkapi Palace, surrounded by luxury. To have all the beautiful clothing and jewelry I could wish for.\u201d Leah closed her eyes, caught in her imagination.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd yet always under the sultan\u2019s rule,\u201d Filiz reminded her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe so. But I envy you feeling like royalty each time you enter such opulence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid I enter here humbly. It is simply where I come to pray.\u201d Filiz bowed her head.<\/p>\n

As Leah looked at the beautifully carved flowers in the immensely high ceiling of the mosque, and its glorious arched stained-glass windows that threw rainbows of light on the carpet, a long-hidden childhood memory suddenly sprung open before her. She saw herself climbing the creaky wooden steps to the women\u2019s balcony in the old synagogue where her grandparents worshipped, holding her mother\u2019s hand. While her grandmother pored over her prayer book, young Leah peered through the balustrade, whose luster had dulled, and looked down on the men and boys in the sanctuary below, crowded together on benches that longed for repair. There was her grandfather, standing and swaying to his own rhythm, and her father, sitting beside him. The rabbi was leading the service hunched over the bimah<\/em>, mumbling the prayers softly. Compared to the extravagance of the mosque, there was not even one thin shining sliver of splendor to be found.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy grandmother would tell me that. In synagogue, a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Filiz looked surprised. \u201cYou should have told me you are Jewish,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are synagogues in the city that would welcome you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Synagogues? Jews in Istanbul? Leah swallowed hard, feeling her heart race and her face flush. \u201cBut I\u2019ve already been welcomed here,\u201d she managed to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you should have the opportunity of praying with those of your own faith. I insist. Come,\u201d she said, leading Leah out onto the patio. \u201cUmit has a friend who can take you to his synagogue. We\u2019ll ask him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to bother, I can take you,\u201d Leah heard someone say. She turned to see a Turkish man suddenly standing beside them. Dark-haired, clean-shaven, and simply dressed in an open-collared white shirt and tan trousers, he smiled pleasantly. His eyes shone like slick black olives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you?\u201d Leah asked cautiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone who knows the way. Please allow me to escort you to the Ahrida Synagogue in the old Jewish Quarter, just along the Bosphorus. It is not far from here.\u201d The Turkish man took a breath and then continued. \u201cWe Turks are known for our hospitality, so please, I would like to extend mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLeah, the fates are with you,\u201d Filiz exclaimed with joy. \u201cIt would be rude not to take advantage of this man\u2019s kindness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leah stood stone-like, her determination to deny her Jewishness holding her fast, unable to say a word.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you are tongue-tied with happiness,\u201d Filiz said. \u201cThen it\u2019s settled.\u201d And then she turned to the Turkish man. \u201cMy friend will be happy to go with you,\u201d she told him. \u201cAnd afterward,\u201d she said to Leah, \u201cwe will meet for a special Turkish dinner at the home of my brother. Now go with blessings,\u201d and she kissed Leah on both cheeks.<\/p>\n

Leah still couldn\u2019t move. She could barely believe what happened. She would never have allowed anyone to make such a decision for her, and yet here she was allowing a stranger to take her where she willed herself never to go. What had come over her?<\/p>\n

The Turkish man led Leah to the shore of the Bosphorus. Thirsty from the heat, they bought bottles of water from a vendor nearby. As they walked along the riverbank, watching the many ferries glide by from shore to shore, they stopped at the Misir Carsisi, the Egyptian Spice Market.<\/p>\n

Here she was allowing a stranger to take her where she willed herself never to goInside the covered market the stalls exploded in bursts of color, with bushels and barrels of spices and teas and chocolates and dried fruit that teased the senses. Leah inhaled the warm spicy aromas of cumin, cloves, cinnamon, saffron and mint, which brought to mind the forgotten taste of the spring lamb stew her grandmother made for a holiday where each family member took turns reading from a special book. She recalled being permitted to drink several cups of wine.<\/p>\n

As they left the bazaar, the Turkish man pointed out another imposing mosque. \u201cThe Yeni Camii,\u201d he explained. \u201cThis mosque is the symbol of the valide sultans, the mothers of the sultans who were in power,\u201d he continued. \u201cThey had special status in Topkapi Palace and were in charge of the harem, wielding their influence over all who lived there. They were leaders in architectural patronage, building mosques, religious schools, hospitals, soup kitchens, bath houses, and extensive courtyards and gardens for the people of their empire. However, a valide sultan was still under the ultimate autocratic rule of her son. It was he who allowed her to use his wealth for her good deeds.\u201d Leah envisioned the powerful presence of elegant women in velvets and silks striding through the corridors of Topkapi Palace, commanding attention to their orders.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should be going now,\u201d the Turkish man urged. \u201cWe want to get to Balat.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Linda Tucker \u201cA trip to a cemetery in Prague to the grave of Rabbi Loew?\u201d Leah muttered angrily on her way to the bookstore. She had just left her weekly visit with her grandfather. They\u2019d been discussing places to visit on her upcoming vacation. \u201cI can\u2019t believe that\u2019s where you want me to go, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":33840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[89],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-turkey"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35518"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35518\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}