Even though historically speaking populist antisemitism was rarer in the Ottoman Empire and Anatolia than in Europe , since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 , there has been a rise in antisemitism . On the night of 6 – 7 September 1955 , the Istanbul pogrom was unleashed . Although primarily aimed at the city 's Greek population , the Jewish and Armenian communities of Istanbul were also targeted to a degree . The caused damage was mainly material - more than 4,000 shops and 1,000 houses belonging to Greeks , Armenians and Jews were destroyed - but it deeply shocked minorities throughout the country Since 1986 , increased attacks on Jewish targets throughout Turkey impacted the security of the community , and urged many to emigrate . The Neve Shalom Synagogue in Istanbul has been attacked by Islamic militants three times . On 6 September 1986 , Arab terrorists gunned down 22 Jewish worshippers and wounded 6 during '' Shabbat '' services at Neve Shalom . This attack was blamed on the Palestinian militant Abu Nidal . In 1992 , the Lebanon-based Shi'ite Muslim group of Hezbollah carried out a bombing against the Synagogue , but nobody was injured . The Synagogue was hit again during the 2003 Istanbul bombings alongside the Bet Israel Synagogue , killing 20 and injuring over 300 people , both Jews and Muslims alike
Istanbul pogrom
Istanbul pogrom
Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries