Yitzhak "Igor" Alishayiv, a 46-year-old wildlife photographer and member of a tight-knit Orthodox Jewish community, was allegedly murdered by the owner of a bed and breakfast in Turkey over a dispute. Friends and family, shocked by the incident, are working to repatriate his body for a proper Jewish burial, which is traditionally conducted quickly. The investigation has experienced bureaucratic delays, adding to the distress of those seeking clarity and closure following his untimely death.
"We're all in shock - no one could have imagined this would happen," said Sara Shulevitz Vorhand, a criminal defense attorney who co-heads the Congregation Heichal Moshe synagogue on West 91st Street, where Alishayiv worked as a custodian. "We're desperately trying to get the body back so we could properly say goodbye to him," she said, noting that Jewish law calls for immediate burial.
Alishayiv hoped to see Uçansu Waterfall, known locally as the flying waterfall. "He was a mountaineer - not a city guy," said a longtime city friend, adding he had a soft spot for animals. "He always called them 'sin-free.'"
As the squabble escalated, an enraged Kara stabbed Alishayiv in the chest with a knife, Turkish media reported. It's unclear what the two were arguing about.
Dealing with delays and bureaucracy has been "frustrating," added Vorhand, noting that friends are "not getting straight answers about the status of the investigation" as the body remains in an Antalya forensic lab.
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