President Of Antakya Jewish Community And His Wife Apparently Killed In Monday’s Earthquake

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Israeli embassy in Ankara estimates that the president of the Jewish community in Antakia was killed in Monday’s earthquake together with his wife, after their house collapsed during the course of the earthquake.

Irit Lillian, Israel’s ambassador to Turkey, told the Keshet channel that “unfortunately the president and his wife are apparently among the victims of the earthquake as their house collapsed. As for Israelis, we are still investigating, but have yet to hear of missing Israelis in the region.”

Antakya, formerly known as Antioch, a city on the Turkish-Syrian border, once boasted a thriving, 2,300-year-old Jewish community largely composed of descendants of Syrian Jews but by 2014, the community had shrunk to fewer than 20 members.

Saving ancient Torah scrolls from the earthquake damaged synagogue of Antakya – home for a Jewish community for 2500 years… #antakyadeprem pic.twitter.com/ZsHzVKdHWZ

— Rabbi Mendy Chitrik (@mchitrik) February 7, 2023

Turkish Chief Rabbi Mendy Chitrik saves Torah scrolls from the Antakya synagogue in wake of earthquake

Lillian said that all other community members are accounted for and there are no other known casualties from the Jewish community.

The current death toll from the huge quake is 4,300 and is estimated to rise significantly over the next few days. More than half a million people have been left homeless and rescue workers are scrambling to help them as weather conditions in the area worsen, with rain and snow in the stricken region exacerbating the situation.