Ladino Song on the Conversion of Shabbetai Tzvi

This song was found in manuscripts preserved by members of the highly secretive Dönme sect (from the Turkish word for “convert,” with negative connotations), who were largely found in Salonika. They were followers of Shabbetai Tzvi who converted to Islam yet secretly maintained Jewish and kabbalistic beliefs and customs. Following the population exchange between Turkey and Greece in 1923, the Dönme left their homes in Salonika and scattered throughout Turkey, and many of their traditions disappeared without a trace. However, several collections of songs and poems used by members of the sect have survived, some of them taken to Turkey by the refugees. The largest of these manuscripts is found in the library of Harvard University. In addition to songs in praise of Shabbetai Tzvi, the manuscript contains liturgical poems for festivals. Most of the songs are anonymous and written in Judeo-Spanish replete with Hebrew and Aramaic terms. The influence of Sufism and dervish customs is also evident. The songs likewise indicate to which Turkish tunes to they should be sung. This historical song, concerning Shabbetai Tzvi’s conversion to Islam, appears in more than one of these collections.