ENGLISH CORNER, CON LINDA JIMÉNEZ – This week’s trivia question:  What happened to Gad Franco when he criticized the Turkish government for imposing a heavy tax on minorities during World War II?

Gad Franco was born in Turkey in 1881 and, as a journalist and lawyer, became an important member of the Jewish community there at a turbulent time in history. This historical biography, written by Gad’s grandson Anthony Gad Bigio, explores his life within the context of the convulsions and conflicts of the late Ottoman Empire, and the young Turkish Republic.  In it, we read about Jewish life in the Ottoman Empire and how it was affected by these turbulent events, and also about the Zionist movement and how it was received both by Jews and the Ottoman establishment. The book is extremely well-researched, with copious notes and an extensive bibliography.

Anthony Gad Bigio, an architect and urban planner, has worked internationally and served as senior urban specialist at the World Bank for two decades. Subsequently a graduate professor of urban planning at George Washington University, he now advises international agencies and pursues his personal writing projects. This week he is speaking with us about Gad Franco, his important role in the Turkish Jewish community, and the book.