ISTANBUL, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Rav Isak Haleva, the chief rabbi of Türkiye, who led the Jewish community in the country for many years, passed away at the age of 85 in Istanbul on Tuesday.

The Turkish Chief Rabbinate Foundation announced his death on the social media platform X, stating that Haleva dedicated his life to promoting unity, peace, and love.

"He guided our community with this unwavering belief for many years," the post read. "It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the loss of our esteemed leader."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences to the co-chairs of the Turkish Jewish community following Haleva's passing.

In a message on X, Ekrem Imamoglu, mayor of Istanbul, praised Haleva for his lifelong commitment to peace, dialogue, and friendship.

Haleva was elected the chief rabbi in 2002 following the death of his predecessor, David Asseo, who had led the Turkish Jewish community for over 40 years.

The Jewish community in Türkiye is one of the country's oldest and most established minority groups. Enditem

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