From ‘Kayades’ to ‘Avlaremoz’: Jews in Today’s Turkey

Young Jews in Turkey have recently started to use a Ladino word - Avlaremoz (“Let’s Talk”) – as a call to activism and engagement in public conversations. Avlaremoz stands in opposition to the popular Ladino term Kayades (“Silence”, “discretion”) which formerly characterized the Jewish attitude of discretion in Turkey. LGBT+ rights; preservation efforts of the Ladino language; and Turkish-Israeli relations are among the issues addressed by the movement. Avlaremoz aims to question popular myths in Turkey regarding Jews and intends to reveal historical realities. It challenges the axiom that “everyone in Turkey is a Turk” constructed by Turkish national discourse and brings different identities of Turkey to light.