Congregation Heichal Moshe is located at 303 West 91st Street between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive (Google Maps)
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The beloved custodian of an Upper West Side synagogue was fatally stabbed while vacationing in Turkey, leaving his community mourning and pleading for answers.
Yitzhak “Igor” Alishayiv, 46, had worked at Congregation Heichal Moshe (at 303 West 91st Street)—also known as the Vorhand Shteibel—for years. Known for his quiet dedication and passion for wildlife photography, Alishayiv had taken a solo trip to a remote part of southern Turkey to photograph birds in the wild.
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The incident is believed to have taken place on or around May 3, though friends and colleagues say the last time they heard from Alishayiv was nearly a week earlier.
Sara Shulevitz Vorhand, co-head of the synagogue, told the Post that efforts to retrieve Alishayiv’s body have been delayed by red tape and confusion over the timeline of events. “He deserves a proper Jewish burial,” she said.
Adding to the distress, some in the community suspect foul play beyond what has been reported. Friends told the Post that Alishayiv was carrying up to $40,000 in camera equipment, none of which has been recovered. While Turkish authorities have ruled out antisemitism as a motive, according to Turkiye Today, some close to Alishayiv remain unconvinced.
Radio host Rabbi Zev Brenner, a longtime friend, called the story “deeply troubling” and is urging U.S. officials to intervene. “It doesn’t make any sense,” he told the Post. “Something’s not kosher about this story.”
Back on the Upper West Side, the community is reeling. Alishayiv wasn’t just a custodian—he was a fixture of the synagogue, a man who showed up early, stayed late, and quietly cared for the space and the people inside it.
As friends and community leaders continue working to bring his body home, they are also seeking justice and closure.
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