Rabbi Binyamin Hamra, son of the late Rabbi Avraham Hamra, a renowned leader of Syria’s Jewish community, has made an appeal to Syria’s new leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani.
According to a report by KAN, Hamra sent a letter in three languages—Arabic, English, and Hebrew—urging al-Julani to preserve the heritage of Syria’s Jewish community.
In his letter, Hamra, who now resides in Holon, Israel, and serves as the chief rabbi of Syrian Jews in Israel, emphasized the need to safeguard the country’s remaining Jewish population and historical sites. “As the successor of my father, a native of Syria, and the chief rabbi of the Syrian Jewish community in Israel, I appeal to Your Excellency to protect the precious Jews who remain in Syria and ensure the preservation of these historic Jewish sites,” he wrote, as cited by KAN.
Syria’s tiny Jewish community—now just nine members strong—revisits the 2,700-year-old synagogue in Jobar, Damascus, heavily damaged by the Assad regime.It’s great to see Syrian Jews returning to Syria. pic.twitter.com/rqmXkdCkpl
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Hamra highlighted the significance of these sites not only as religious landmarks but also as symbols of Syria’s diverse cultural heritage. “Preserving these sites is not only a religious duty but also a gesture of respect for the history and culture of the entire Syrian people,” he wrote, calling for the protection of Jewish-owned properties abandoned under duress.
The appeal includes a request to restore the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Jobar, an ancient site that has fallen into ruins. Hamra described such a restoration as “an act of great kindness” that could symbolize unity and mutual respect among Syria’s communities. “It would signify the shared heritage and honor among all Syrians,” he added, as reported by KAN.
Hamra also expressed hope for the possibility of Syrian Jews being able to visit their homeland freely in the future.
Rabbi Avraham Hamra, who immigrated to Israel in 1994 and became a rabbi in Holon, passed away in 2021 at the age of 78. He was remembered as a central figure in the preservation of Syrian Jewish heritage during a time of persecution and displacement.
History of Damascus’ Jews
Syria’s historic Jobar Synagogue, one of the oldest synagogues in the world, is now accessible to the country’s few remaining Jews after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The synagogue, partially destroyed during the Syrian Civil War, was previously inaccessible due to heavy restrictions by Assad’s forces.
Bakhour Chamntoub, the head of Syria’s Jewish community, recently visited the synagogue for the first time in 15 years, expressing both pride in its significance and dismay at its looted and damaged state. Built around 720 BCE atop a cave linked to the prophet Elijah, the synagogue holds deep historical and spiritual value.
Chamntoub, one of only nine Jews left in Syria, noted that much of the community emigrated following Israel’s establishment in 1948. While the new government under HTS has promised religious freedom, concerns remain, especially after documented attacks on Alawites, Assad’s ethnoreligious group.
Chamntoub expressed hope for broader freedoms in post-Assad Syria, recalling his inability to speak openly during the regime. “I am a Jew, and I am proud of it,” he told reporters, emphasizing the synagogue’s significance as a symbol of cultural preservation and resilience.
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