Arkadaş Association
The Arkadaş Association ( Hebrew עמותת ארקאדאש - קהילת יוצאי טורקיה בישראל, Turkish Arkadaş Derneği ) is an Israeli - Turkish friendship organization located in the Israeli city of Jehud-Monosson . Arkadaş (pronounced Arkadash) means “friend” in Turkish.
history
The Arkadaş Association was founded in 2003 by Eyal Peretz. Its main goals are to preserve the Turkish-Jewish heritage and to promote friendship and tolerance between the Israeli and Turkish people. In 2005 the Arkadaş Association founded a Turkish-Jewish cultural center in Jehud.
On November 2, 2007, a monument to the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk , was inaugurated in the official garden of the Arkadaş Association . The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Turkish ambassador to Israel, Namık Tan .
The Arkadaş Association has gained over 4,000 members since its inception, and over 40 volunteers work for the organization and its twelve branches across the country.