Neve Shalom Synagogue, Istanbul

Blink and you might miss it—yet, this modest building carries more stories than many of Istanbul’s grand palaces. Just off Istiklal Street, amid cafés and boutiques, stands the only Jewish museum in Turkey, quietly guarding centuries of memory. Behind its discreet façade lie traces of survival—bullet holes and bomb scars from attacks in 1986, 1992, and 2003—now covered in steel and reminding of resilience rather than ruin.

Inside, the museum paints a vivid picture of Jewish life woven through Ottoman and Turkish history. Exhibits trace how the Jewish community found a home here after exile, contributing to art, trade, and science, while navigating the city’s shifting empires. It’s a space that celebrates coexistence as much as endurance.

The synagogue itself might not charm you at first glance, but step in and look up—the stained-glass windows shimmer with color, crafted in the UK’s Academy of Art, and above you hangs an eight-ton chandelier, a gift from Buenos Aires’ Jewish community, which has itself sustained brutal attacks over the years. Together, they cast a light that feels both sacred and unbreakable.

One practical note before you visit: you won’t need an appointment, but you will need your passport. Expect a brief security screening—proof that even in a house of peace, vigilance is part of the architecture...