Donmeh

Donmeh is a Turkish word for a religious convert. It refers to a group of Jews of the Near East who followed Sabbatai Zevi (Shabbatai Zvi) and converted to Islam in the 17th century. Zevi's conversion is generally understood to have been forced.

While outwardly Muslim, the Donmeh secretly remained Jews, and continued to practice Jewish rituals covertly. They worshipped Sabbatai Zevi as the Messiah and an incarnation of God.

As of 2000, there were an estimated 15,000-50,000 members of the Donmeh, mostly in the cities of Adrianople, Constantinople, Salonika, and Smyrna, in the Near East.

See also: converso.

External link

• Donmeh - Frequently Asked Questions