BDE: Chief Rabbi Of Turkey, Chacham Yitzchak Chaleva, Z’tl, Passes Away

Chacham HaRav Yitzchak (Ishak) Chaleva, z’tl, the Chacham Bashi (Chief Rabbi of Turkey), passed away on Tuesday at the age of 84.

The niftar, who served on the presidential board of the Alliance of Rabbanim in Islamic States [ARIS), was born in Istanbul. As a bochur, he studied at a Jewish high school in Beyoğlu, served in the Turkish army, and then traveled to Eretz Yisrael to learn at the famed Yeshivat Porat Yosef, where he learned under HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef, z’tl, and HaGaon Harav Shimon Baadani, z’tl.

After receiving semicha from HaRav Ovadia, z’tl, who was serving as Israel’s Chief Rabbi at the time, he returned to Turkey, where he learned under Chacham HaRav Rafael Dovid Saban, z’tl, (who served as the Chacham Bashi from 1940-1960) and Chacham HaRav Moshe Ben Chaviv, ztl, and began serving in various positions as a Rav and mechanech. Later, he served as a member of the Beit Din HaGadol of the Chief Rabbinate of Turkey.

Over thirty years ago, he was elected to serve as the deputy to the Chacham Bashi, HaRav Dovid Asseo, z’tl, who served as the Chief Rabbi of Turkey from 1961 to 2002. After HaRav Asseo’s petirah, HaRav Chaleva was appointed to serve in his place. Hundreds attended his coronation ceremony at the Neva Shalom shul in Istanbul.

In his role, he worked to calm tensions and preserve the Jewish kehilla. On one occasion, he was invited by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to a meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was visiting the country. After Rav Chaleva shook Assad’s hand, he told him that there is also a Jewish kehilla in Syria and requested that Assad oversee its welfare.

The niftar is survived by his wife and four sons. His son, HaRav Naftali Chaleva, is the Rav of the Eitz Chaim kehilla in Istanbul.

Rav Mendy Chitrik, the chairman of IRIS and Chabad shliach in Turkey, stated: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Chief Rabbi Isak Chaleva, z’tl, the leader of the Jewish kehilla of Turkey. I have had the privilege of working with the Chief Rabbi for the past 24 years, learning from his wisdom and witnessing his friendship and humanity towards every member of the community. May his memory be a blessing to us all. יהי זכרו ברוך.”