You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Hebrew. (October 2023) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Istanbul became one of the world's most important Jewish centers in the 16th and 17th centuries.[1] In marked contrast to Jews in Europe, Ottoman Jews were allowed to work in any profession and could also enter the Ottoman court. Ottoman Jews in Istanbul excelled in commerce and trade and came to dominate the medical profession.[2] Despite making up only 10% of the city population, Jews constituted 62% of licensed doctors in 1600.[1]