Marking the first communal Jewish prayer in over three decades, a small group of Jews residing in Damascus, along with visitors from the US, gathered at the Elfranj Synagogue to perform the Mincha prayer. The attendees expressed "indescribable joy" at the long-awaited reunion, as their travel to Syria became possible after the end of the war that erupted in 2011 and the arrival of a new authority in Damascus, according to France 24.
Leading the prayer was Rabbi Jusuf Hamra, a 77-year-old Syrian-American who returned to Damascus after a 34-year absence. "I am the last rabbi who left Syria; I lived in America for 34 years. We love this country; we ate and drank in it," he said, according to Alhurra. Standing in the Elfranj Synagogue, located in the Jewish Quarter of Damascus, Hamra reflected on his return to the sacred space after decades abroad.
His son, Henry, accompanied him on this journey. "This synagogue was the house of all the Jews; it was the first station for Jews abroad when they visit Syria," Henry said, expressing his happiness at visiting Syria for the first time since 1992, according to Al-Arab.
The head of the Jewish community in Syria, Bakour Shamntoub, also participated in the prayer. "I am happy with the arrival of the delegation from the US. I need Jews to be with me in the neighborhood," he said, expressing "an indescribable feeling" after participating in "praying in congregation," according to Al-Arab. Shamntoub, a sixty-year-old tailor with a pure Damascene accent, added, "I am the youngest; the others are elderly in their homes," according to France 24.
Over the past decades, the number of Jews in Syria decreased from about five thousand to seven elderly individuals [According to N-TV [https://www.n-tv.de/der_tag/juden-beten-erstmals-seit-jahrzehnten-in-synagoge-in-damaskus-article25575131.html]. After 1992, the Jewish population dwindled significantly, and the few remaining individuals are cared for by Shamntoub. "After the death of Mrs. Firdous, may God have mercy on her, we became seven," he said, according to Al-Arab.
According to Alhurra, with the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, all synagogues in Syria were closed. The Elijah the Prophet Synagogue, an ancient synagogue in the Jobar neighborhood, was looted and suffered great destruction during the years of war after having been a pilgrimage site for Jews from around the world, according to France 24.
Members of the Jewish community are now endeavoring to rebuild communication bridges to revive their religious heritage in the country. Shamntoub hopes to establish a museum to commemorate the Syrian Jews in their homeland. "If they do not return and marry and have children here, we will end soon," he added, expressing concern for the future of the community, according to France 24.
Historically, Jews in Syria enjoyed freedom to practice their religious rituals during the rule of the Assad family, according to Al-Arab. However, Hafez al-Assad's regime restricted their movement within the country and prevented them from traveling until 1992, according to Alhurra.
Despite the difficulties, Shamntoub remains committed to preserving Jewish heritage in Syria. According to Al-Arab, on his Facebook page, he publishes photos and videos taken in the Jewish Quarter and the synagogues of Damascus, in addition to news of the community that is almost limited to deaths. His posts receive many comments from Syrian Jews residing abroad who recall the alleys of their neighborhood and the neighboring districts.
"After the prayer inside the synagogue, we felt a sense of unity and hope," Shamntoub said, according to France 24.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq
