Smyrna Jews decided today that prayers in the synagogues are to be recited in Turkish instead of the traditional Hebrew.
While no reason was given for the decision, it is obvious that the intense nationalism which reigns there has affected the small Turkish Jewish community.
Recently a violent quarrel broke out between Jews who wanted Hebrew to be the language of instruction in the Jewish community schools and the faction of young nationalistic Turkish Jews who insisted that Turkish replace Hebrew. When minor riots and fights broke out between the factions police intervened and arrested a number of the rioters.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
