The Or A Hayim Jewish Hospital

Between the 17th until the 19th centuries, Balat was a very rich Jewish neighborhood. The most common profession was Rabbinate. The Rabbis were also the teachers in the Jewish schools. Synagogues were not the only constructions of Balat's Jewry. The most important building in Balat, except the synagogues, is without any doubt the Or A Hayim Jewish hospital. This ethnical hospital is called since 2005, the Balat hospital and is used as a public hospital for everyone, Jewish or non-Jewish.

The permission was given to the Jewish community to built a hospital by the Ferman (law dictated by the Sultans) of the Sultan Mahmud II. on the 18 March 1839. Again, because of financial difficulties, the first Or A Hayim hospital was opened in 1858 by two young Jewish doctors. The first hospital bankrupted in 1883. At the end of 1884, the Or A Hayim association was founded. At the end of 1890, with the efforts of Dr. Rafael Dolmediko, the idea of building a Jewish hospital in Balat had developed again. The hospital was constructed only with the donations collected from the Jewish community. The Istanbul congregations collected 80 thousands francs, the Rotchild family donated 60 thousands francs and the Baroness of Hirsch donated 100 thousands francs.

There is various information concerning the date of construction of the hospital. According to Jak de Leon, the construction of the hospital started in 1896. And the hospital was opened 10 May 1897. According to Avraam Galante, the hospital's construction started on the 5 February 1897. The Stanbul newspaper printed in French at the time confirms that the construction started on 10 May 1896. The opening date marked at the entrance of the hospital is 1898. The main hospital building is 27, 1 meters long, 25 meters large and 15 meters high.

With the donations of Elia Kadori from Baghdad in 1922, a small synagogue was constructed in the garden of the hospital. The temple was named after the wife of Elia Kadori, Laura Kadori. This synagogue was reconstructed in 2005. Unfortunately there is nothing left today from the original building.

In 2005, a modern building was added to the complex of the hospital. This new building is used as a fully functional public hospital. The original building is used as an elderly home for old Jewish people needing special care. 40 women in groups of 6 would volunteer to come and take care of the old people residing in the Or A Hayim hospital. Those women are called the "Pink Angels".

With the joined efforts of the pink angels and the administration, the hospital is offering a pleasant shelter to its patients and elderly living in there.

Another person who played an important role in the history of the Or A Hayim hospital was Doctor Samuel Abravoya Marmarali. Dr. Marmarali, who served the hospital for 40 years, was one of the doctors of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. He also served in the Turkish parliament as a senator.