The Upper West Side’s Congregation Heichal Moshe seeks immediate repatriation of body of Yitzhak Alishayiv, a custodian at the synagogue, after he was murdered by a bed and breakfast owner in Turkey.
A Jewish-American man from New York was fatally stabbed in Turkey earlier this month, prompting urgent efforts by his community to repatriate his body for burial, the New York Post reported.
Yitzhak “Igor” Alishayiv, 46, a custodian at Congregation Heichal Moshe (Vorhand Shteibel) on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, was killed on May 3 in the Gündoğmuş district of southern Turkey. Alishayiv, known for his passion for wildlife photography, had traveled to the region to photograph natural sites, including the Uçansu Waterfall.
According to Turkish media reports, Alishayiv was staying at a local bed and breakfast owned by Ismail Kara. An argument reportedly broke out between the two men, during which Kara allegedly stabbed Alishayiv in the chest. Kara was arrested several days later and remains in custody.
Friends and colleagues described Alishayiv as a gentle and trusting individual. Sara Shulevitz Vorhand, co-head of the synagogue where Alishayiv worked, expressed shock over the incident and emphasized the community’s efforts to bring his body back to New York for a proper Jewish burial. “We’re desperately trying to get the body back so we could properly say goodbye to him,” she said.
Concerns have been raised about the handling of the investigation and the delay in repatriating Alishayiv’s body, which remains in an Antalya forensic lab. Some friends suspect the possibility of a setup, noting that Alishayiv had brought approximately $40,000 worth of camera equipment with him, which has not been accounted for.
While Turkish authorities have ruled out antisemitism as a motive, friends had previously warned Alishayiv to be cautious due to rising antisemitic sentiments in the region. Radio personality Rabbi Zev Brenner, who knew Alishayiv for a decade, is working with the mayor’s office and the State Department to expedite the return of his body.
Alishayiv’s community continues to mourn his loss and is determined to ensure he receives the dignity of a traditional Jewish funeral as soon as possible, as Jewish law mandates a quick burial.
