History of the Jews in Turkey modest Jewish population. According to Jewish scripture, Noah's Ark landed on the top of Mount Ararat, a mountain in the Taurus range in Eastern Anatolia, near the present-day borders of Turkey, Armenia, and Iran. Flavius Josephus, Jewish historian of the first century, notes Jewish origins for many of the cities in Asia Minor, though much of his sourcing for these passages is traditional. New Testament mention of Jewish populations in Anatolia is widespread: Iconium (now: Konya) is said to have a synagogue in Acts 14:1, and Ephesus is mentioned as having a synagogue in Acts 19:1 and in Paul's Epistle
Ararat rebellion Ararat rebellion The Ararat rebellion, also known as the Ağrı rebellion ( or "Ağrı isyanı"), was an uprising amongst the Kurdish inhabitants of the province of Ağrı in eastern Turkey against the Turkish government that took place in 1930. The leader of the Kurdish guerrilla forces during this rebellion was Ihsan Nuri from the Kurdish Jibran tribe. In 1926 Ibrahim Heski commanded the Hesenan, Jalali and Haydaran tribes and started a rebellion (May 16-June 17, 1926). On 16 May, Kurdish forces fought against the 28th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division of the Turkish army and a Gendarmie regiment