Chitrik moved to Istanbul, Turkey in 2001, and in 2003 became the Rabbi of the Ashkenazi Jewish community of Turkey, a small and ancient community that has existed for centuries and predates the much larger and more famous Sephardi community whose members settled in Istanbul mostly after the expulsion from Spain.
Chitrik is involved with interfaith[7][8] activities[9][10] focusing on Jewish-Muslim relations.[11][12] He travels extensively and writes about the history of Jews in Anatolia.[13][14] His travels across Anatolia in Summer of 2021 were widely reported.[15]
As part of his responsibilities in the Jewish community of Turkey, Chitrik leads the KTR, Turkey's Chief Rabbinate's Kashrut department for exports (Denet Gida).[16][17]
Chitrik and his wife Chaya[20] (nee Schochet, married 2000[21]) have been involved in strengthening the Jewish life and Jewish learning in Istanbul through classes, large scale Jewish holiday events,[22] one-on-one counseling, daily prayer services. With their eight children, they run an open house in Istanbul, where local residents and travelers from all over the world come on Shabbat and holidays.[23]
Some of the activities have been criticized by the more secular elements of the community.[24][25]
Publications
Chitrik has published several books on Jewish life[26][27] in Turkish, and was involve in publishing a book on Turkish-Sephardic customs. Chitrik is fluent in six languages, including Ladino.[28] He lectures on the history and customs of Turkish Jews.[29]
Podcast
In October 2021,[30] Chitrik started a podcast with his cousin Rabbi Eliezer Zalmanov[31] of Munster, Indiana titled "Chatting Rabbis," an unscripted weekly conversation about the many issues facing their families, their communities, and the Jewish world at large.
^Brink-Danan, Marcy (6 December 2011). Jewish life in 21st-century Turkey: the other side of tolerance. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN978-0-253-00526-7. OCLC769007341.
