Mendy Chitrik
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Chitrik, better known as Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, is an American, Israeli, and Turkish Rabbi of the [Ashkenazi Synagogue of Istanbul|Ashkenazi Jewish community] of Turkey since 2003. He became the chairman of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States in 2019.
Biography
Rabbi Chitrik grew up in Safed, in a Chassidic family; his great grandfather was Rabbi Yehuda Chitrik. He studied in the Chabad Yeshiva system, at the Rabbinical College of America and in Colel Tzemach Tzedek in Jerusalem. He received his rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg of Jerusalem, the Sefardi Chief Rabbis of Israel Mordechai Eliyahu and Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, and from his maternal grandfather Chief Rabbi David Moshe Lieberman, the Chief Rabbi of Antwerp.Public life
Chitrik moved to Istanbul, Turkey in 2001, and in 2003 became the Rabbi of the Ashkenazi Jewish community of Turkey, a small and ancient community that has existed for centuries and predates the much larger and more famous Sephardi community whose members settled in Istanbul mostly after the expulsion from Spain.In 2019, Chitrik was elected the Chairman of ARIS, an alliance of rabbis living in the Muslim world. He previously served as a permanent member of the Standing Committee of the Conference of European Rabbis 2014-2020 until his appointment as chairman of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States. In 2025 he was selected to be a council member of Voice of the People and is a member of the RCA, Rabbinical Centre of Europe and other rabbinical bodies. Chitrik belongs to the Chabad movement; he has also been outspoken against Chabad Messianism, and has publicly stated that the Lubavitcher Rebbe cannot be the Messiah, since he died in 1994.
Chitrik is involved with interfaith activities focusing on Jewish-Muslim relations. He travels extensively and writes about the history of Jews in Anatolia. His travels across Anatolia in Summer of 2021 were widely reported.
As part of his responsibilities in the Jewish community of Turkey, Chitrik leads the KTR, Turkey's Chief Rabbinate's Kashrut department for exports.
He is also responsible for the Kosher standards at the History of [the Jews in the United Arab Emirates|Emirati Agency for Kosher Certification]. He is also a field representative for the OU and other major kosher organizations, a shochet, Sofer and a mohel.
Rabbi Chitrik supervised the Kosher Kitchen at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Chitrik and his wife Chaya have been involved in strengthening the Jewish life and Jewish learning in Istanbul through classes, large scale Jewish holiday events, one-on-one counseling, daily prayer services. With their eight children, they run an open house in Istanbul, where local residents and travelers from all over the world come on Shabbat and holidays.
Some of the activities have been criticized by the more secular elements of the community.
Publications
Chitrik has published several books on Jewish life in Turkish, and was involve in publishing a book on Turkish-Sephardic customs. Chitrik is fluent in six languages, including Ladino. He lectures on the history and customs of Turkish Jews.Podcast
In October 2021, Chitrik started a podcast with his cousin Rabbi Eliezer Zalmanov of Munster, Indiana titled "," an unscripted weekly conversation about the many issues facing their families, their communities, and the Jewish world at large.Social media
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Category:1977 births
Category:20th-century Turkish rabbis
Category:21st-century Turkish rabbis
Category:Living people
Category:Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis
Category:Israeli Hasidic rabbis
Category:Israeli people of Russian-Jewish descent
Category:Israeli podcasters
Category:Israeli expatriates in Turkey
Category:Turkish Ashkenazi Jews
Category:Turkish podcasters
Category:Jewish scribes
Category:Mohalim
Category:Shochtim