Did You Know?
About The Staff
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Judaism has played a significant role in Jewish History, and Judaism has had a continuous presence in Turkey since biblical times.

Signs written in Hebrew and menorahs carved into stone at historical sites such as Ephesus, Kusadasi, Priene, Hieropolis, and Pammukale attest to a long history of Jews in Turkey. In Sardis, near Izmir, the remains of the largest ancient synagogue in existence date to the 3rd century AD. Its frescoes and mosaics suggest a large, well established and successful Jewish community in Sardis.

According to our tradition, Noah's Ark ran aground at Mount Afri (Ararat). When the loodwaters receeded, Noah and his family descended from the mountain into the fertile Idgir Plain (called today) and repopulated the world. Olive groves still cover much of this area even today.

Avraham and Job also made their mark in eastern Turkey. Sanli Urfa in southeastern Turkey is known as the city of the prophets. A cave there is said to be the birthplace of Avraham. Job is believed to have spent seven years recovering from illness inside another cave located in the district of Eyyubiye about four miles south of Sanli Urfa.

Jews have enjoyed tolerance and peace in Turkey for centuries. After the Jewish communities in Spain and Portugal were exiled in 1492 during the Inquisition, Sultan Beyazit II welcomed them to the Ottomon Empire (present day Turkey). As a result, many Jewish communities still thrive in modern Turkey.

In Istanbul's old Jewish Quarter is the 19th century Neve Shalom Synagogue, the Zulfaris Jewish Museum and nearby, the 15th century Ahrida Synagogue. The first Jewish printing press began operating in Istanbul in 1493 and Jewish literature and music flourished during this period.

In Bursa, a short drive south of Istanbul, campers will find the Gerus Synagogue, built at the end of the 15th century by the Jews who settled in the city after being expelled from Spain. The name of the synagogue in Hebrew means "Expelled."

Izmir, located on the Aegean coast, has several synagogues including Beth Israel Synagogue, Bikour Cholim Synagaogue, named in memory of an epidemic when city hospitals were so full that synagogues were used to house the sick, and Giveret Synagogue, rebuilt in 1841 after a fire.

Turkish people genuinly love foreigners, and anyone who has visited Turkey in the past will understand exactly what we mean. If not, you’ll experience Turkish hospitality at Matmonim.

Educational Director: Julie Weiss

Julie has been involved in education for almost all of her adult life. She currently holds a Masters of Sciences degree in Jewish Education from the Azrieli School of Education of Yeshiva University. She is also a Doctorate Candidate in Jewish Education from the Azrieli School of Education. Julie also served as a Teacher’s Assistant in the Masters program, specializing in the field of Curriculum Development and Methodology.

From 1982 until 1999, she was the Educational and Administrative Director of Gan Miriam, an early childhood day care center located in Riverdale, NY. Her responsibilities there ranged from teacher recruiting, hiring and training to the intricacies of budget planning, curriculum and methodology development and their application in the classroom setting.

For 10 years she taught Holocaust studies at Westchester Day School in Mamaroneck, NY. There she also served as the Early Childhood Director from 1997 through 1998. Julie has the benefit of a broad background in various fields. From August 1973 until January 1975 she was Secretary to the Treasurer of the NY Branch of Israeli Aircraft Industries. Before that, she was the Director of the Statistics Laboratory at Bar-Ilan University, in Israel. In 2004, Julie together with her son Josh founded Matmonim, in the hopes that the next generation would benefit from learning ancient history in an atmosphere enjoyed by young adults.

Executive Director: Joshua Weiss

Besides the conception of Matmonim, Joshua Weiss is the Founder and former CEO of a national roadside assistance firm which serviced the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Josh invented Pre-Paid Roadside Assistance Cards, a patented product that was sold in over 7,000 retail locations including Rite Aid, Staples, Advance Auto Parts and many others. Josh also secured contracts with CNN and Wal-Mart. Josh is currently the CEO of Strike2Win, an online auction site he founded which enables retail companies to utilize auction software directly on the retail company’s website. Josh lives in Linden, NJ with his wife Eliana and two children Daniella and Moshe Eliyahu. Josh is currently the Executive Vice President of the Orthodox synagogue in Linden, NJ called Anshe Chesed. Josh’s true passions lie buried with the secrets and treasures of ancient history. Josh periodically goes on archaeological digs and treasure hunting adventures.

Josh founded Matmonim to help Jewish teens connect ancient Jewish history to our modern State of Israel. The camp itinerary and activities are used as a tool to help strengthen campers' Jewish identity and bond with Israel. The Matmonim camp directors are members of the Archaeological Institute of America and subscribe to “Archaeology”, which is its official publication. Campers receive a free one year subscription to the magazine.

Our Counselors

All our counselors have been personally interviewed and we believe they will function well as counselors. Like the administration, our counselors employ an appropriate mixture of safety and adventure and dedication to make Matmonim a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Campers are divided into groups of 8, and each one is assigned a counselor to make sure they have fun and stay safe.

Our Partners

In Turkey, Matmonim utilizes the tour expertise of  Turkish Travel, a member of ASTA, which is the American Society of Travel Agents. Their Turkish Republic Ministry of Tourism License number is A-3885. They are a member of TURSAB, which is the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies. They are They are also a member of TURLINK, which is the Turkish Travel Agencies Network.