A wildlife photography enthusiast from the Upper West Side has reportedly been murdered during a vacation in Turkey, with the owner of a bed and breakfast being the suspect.
Yitzhak “Igor” Alishayiv, 46, was regarded as a calm and reliable friend in his close-knit, orthodox Jewish community. Each year, he traveled to the secluded Gandogmus area in southern Antalya, around 400 miles south of Istanbul, driven by his love for nature.
He had the intent to visit the Uçansu Waterfall, often referred to as the flying waterfall. A longtime friend described him as “a mountaineer—not an urban guy” and noted his fondness for calling nature “innocent.”
However, not long into what was supposed to be a six-week trip, he found himself in an intense argument with Ismail Kara, the bed and breakfast owner, whom he had paid $30 a night. Reports suggest that the situation escalated and, during a heated moment, Kara fatally stabbed Alishayiv in the chest. The reason for the argument remains unclear, and Turkish media indicated that Kara was arrested within a week following the incident.
“We’re all in shock. No one could have anticipated this,” stated Sarah Schlevitz Volhand, a criminal defense attorney and a leader at the congregation’s Hichal Moshe Synagogue, where Alishayiv worked as a custodian.
She added, “We’re desperately trying to bring him home so we can say our goodbyes.”
Families and friends are facing challenges in repatriating his body for a proper Jewish burial, amidst suspicions of foul play. Volhand expressed that navigating through the delays and red tape has been quite frustrating, explaining that Alishayiv’s body remains in a forensic lab in Antalya, with no clear updates on the investigation.
There are concerns among friends about the transparency of Turkish officials, with the last known contact from Alishayiv being on April 28, which raises questions about the timeline surrounding his death.
Authorities have ruled out anti-Semitism as a motive.
Despite the tragic event, friends recalled that Alishayiv always took precautions before his trips due to rising anti-Semitism in predominantly Muslim nations. “We were always anxious when he traveled, but thankfully he always returned safe and sound,” Volhand commented.
Alishayiv’s photography gear, valued at about $40,000, has led friends to suspect that his death could have been orchestrated to facilitate a theft of his expensive equipment. “He was perceived as affluent in that poor region,” remarked a friend.
Notably, his last communication was a request for money, relayed through text.
Rabbi Zev Brenner, who has been in contact with both the mayor’s office and the State Department for help in retrieving Alishayiv’s body, stated, “It’s a tragic situation, and the community is more troubled by the lack of closure.” He knew Alishayiv for a decade, expressing confusion over the violent altercation that led to his death, noting, “Igor wasn’t a drinker. Something feels off about this whole narrative.”
