For the Syrian Jews who visited Damascus with the Syrian Emergency Situation Job Force, the see restored memories of growing Jewish life and wish for a much better future
For the very first time in almost thirty years, a group of American Jews initially from Damascus went back to Syria recently. Thanks to the fall of the Assad program, the group, led by Rabbi Yosef Hamra, had the ability to explore popular historic Jewish websites in the Syrian capital and see household homes.
The four-day journey was arranged by the Syrian Emergency Situation Job Force, a US-based not-for-profit developed in 2011 in action to the war in Syria. Individuals in the delegation consisted of a number of Syrian Jews along with Rabbi Asher Lopatin, a substantial Modern Orthodox rabbi who does not have Syrian roots.
Much of Syria’s Jewish neighborhood ran away the nation in the 1990s following limitations enforced by previous Syrian President Hafez Assad, whose boy, Bashar Assad, was ousted late in 2015. The Syrian Jewish neighborhood, which, according to custom, goes back countless years, has actually now diminished from 300,000 members at the start of the 20th century down to single digits.
After showing up in Damascus, the group went to a previous Jewish school, a number of synagogues, a contemporary Jewish cemetery, and non-Jewish websites. Amongst the websites went to was the damaged Jobar Synagogue, a location of praise thought to be countless years of ages however damaged throughout the Civil War.
For several years, cumulative Jewish prayers had actually stopped in Syria as the neighborhood diminished to simply 8 individuals following the current death of a senior female. However with the return of going to Jews, the couple of staying in Damascus were lastly able to hold a common prayer service.
The Jews hoped in the synagogue after several years of deprivation, specifically given that the little number of Jews staying in Syria is inadequate to hold prayers routinely.
” The Jews hoped in the synagogue after several years of deprivation, specifically given that the little number of Jews staying in Syria is inadequate to hold prayers routinely,” Rabbi Hamra informed The Media Line.
The journey was Hamra’s very first check out to his home nation in 33 years. He attempted to go to Syria a year and a half earlier, however the Assad program did not permit him in.
Hamra’s pleasure at going back to the location where he as soon as lived was combined with unhappiness at not acknowledging his old home, which he developed himself. “The nation has actually altered a lot,” he informed The Media Line.
A leader in Syria’s Jewish neighborhood before being required to leave, Hamra stated that “the heat of the Syrian individuals” had actually not altered given that his last time in the nation.
” Individuals of Damascus are kind and enjoy one another,” he stated. “As Jews, we were oppressed by the previous Assad program, which pushed us to emigrate and took our residential or commercial properties.”
He was specifically pleased to reunite with old Syrian buddies. “It’s a terrific sensation to see individuals you believed you may never ever see once again. We resided in this city for several years before emigrating, and we have many memories here,” he stated. “We shared bread and water with individuals for centuries,” he stated.
David Shalhouh, who resides in America, revealed his joy at seeing his dad’s tailor store, Abu Meiro Shalhouh, in the Al-Amin community of Damascus.
From inside a Jewish synagogue in the Al-Amin community in Damascus (Rizik Alabi/The Media Line)
Hamra remembered the store from his youth in the community, where he had both Jewish and Muslim next-door neighbors.
Damascus was gorgeous in those days. We utilized to purchase sweet from the little community stores, and the tailor Abu Meiro was well-known in the location. Now, the landmarks of the location have actually altered.
” Damascus was gorgeous in those days,” Hamra stated. “We utilized to purchase sweet from the little community stores, and the tailor Abu Meiro was well-known in the location. Now, the landmarks of the location have actually altered.”
Bakhour Chamntoub, among the couple of members of Syria’s Jewish neighborhood who did not leave, likewise painted an image of uniformity in between Jews and Muslims in Syria. Simply days earlier, Syria’s Jewish population dropped from 8 to 7 when a senior Jewish female called Mrs. Firdous died. Chamntoub stated that Firdous’ next-door neighbor, a Palestinian-Syrian Muslim female, took care of her up until her death which the whole community grieved her death.
Chamntoub contacted Syrian Jews to go back to their nation and recover their residential or commercial property.
I am extremely pleased to see Jews going back to Damascus. This is our land, and we and the Muslims of Damascus are one individuals. However the ousted Assad program triggered departments amongst Syrians. Today, Jews need to go back to their homes.
” I am extremely pleased to see Jews going back to Damascus,” he informed The Media Line. “This is our land, and we and the Muslims of Damascus are one individuals. However the ousted Assad program triggered departments amongst Syrians. Today, Jews need to go back to their homes.”
Numerous Jews who ran away Syria are now looking for lost or taken products, consisting of an important Torah scroll supposedly drawn from Damascus. The fate of residential or commercial properties owned by the Jewish neighborhood or by private Jews stays a delicate concern, though the brand-new federal government has actually supposedly guaranteed to bring back ownership to the rightful successors.
Chamntoub stated that many Jewish residential or commercial properties are still signed up under their initial owners which Syria’s brand-new administration has actually assured the Jewish neighborhood that they will preserve ownership.
Hamra likewise got in touch with Syrian Jews all over the world to go back to Syria. “Pertain to Syria and see for yourselves,” he stated. Perhaps your viewpoint will alter, and perhaps you’ll wish to return.”
Hamra stated Syrian Jews have actually examined all the residential or commercial properties owned by Jewish people or the Jewish neighborhood, keeping in mind that such residential or commercial property should be gone back to its owners and brought back.
Henry Hamra, a Damascene Jew checks out a synagogue in the Amin community. (Henry’s Facebook account)
The brand-new Syrian president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, has actually preserved routine contact with the Jewish neighborhood, Chamntoub stated.
A Syrian Foreign Ministry source informed The Media Line that the Jewish delegation convened with Syrian federal government authorities, consisting of the deputy foreign minister. The source validated that Syria’s administration thinks that “all sects will contribute in the nation’s future.”
Rabbi Hamra’s boy, 48-year-old Henry Hamra, kept in mind that the Syrian Foreign Ministry vowed to secure Jewish heritage in Syria, stressing the requirement for federal government assistance and security to help with the neighborhood’s return.
One young Syrian-American Jew who asked to pass the name Alan stated he was drawn to the journey due to the fact that he wished to see his dad’s home town.
My dad utilized to yap about Damascus and his days there before he left and settled in the United States, where he later on died. My dad informed us stories about the consistency and love in Damascus, where individuals were easy. He informed me how individuals, when they required bread during the night, would knock on their next-door neighbors’ doors to obtain some.
” My dad utilized to yap about Damascus and his days there before he left and settled in the United States, where he later on died,” Alan, who resides in Brooklyn, informed The Media Line. “My dad informed us stories about the consistency and love in Damascus, where individuals were easy. He informed me how individuals, when they required bread during the night, would knock on their next-door neighbors’ doors to obtain some.”
Alan enjoyed to visit his dad’s home, which initially came from his grandpa, and to see regional synagogues. He revealed the intent to bring back the household home, the walls of which have actually collapsed.