Israel and Syria agree to ceasefire, says U.S. ambassador to Türkiye
The U.S. ambassador to Türkiye says Israel and Syria have reached a ceasefire deal supported by Türkiye, Jordan, and regional actors after cross-bor...
Not long ago, the idea of an openly religious gathering in a Damascus synagogue would have seemed unimaginable. Yet, with the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime late last year, the impossible has become reality.
Among those stepping back onto the worn stones of Damascus’s Old City was Rabbi Joseph Hamra, once a leading figure in Syria’s dwindling Jewish community. Accompanied by his son Henry, Hamra returned home after more than three decades in exile. With the help of the Syrian Emergency Task Force—a Washington-based advocacy group supporting Syria’s democratic transition—the father and son made their way to the Elfrange (Faranj) Synagogue, where history was made.
For the first time since the 1990s, Hebrew prayers echoed within the synagogue’s ancient walls.
"The last time I prayed here was before I left for America," said the 77-year-old rabbi, his voice thick with emotion. "Now, after 34 years, I stand here again."
Hamra was the last rabbi to leave Syria in the 1990s, part of a mass exodus that saw the country’s Jewish population plummet. Once numbering around 5,000, only a handful remained after the Syrian government eased travel restrictions in 1992. Today, just seven elderly Jews are believed to live in Damascus.
The visit, however, was more than just a personal homecoming. Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, expressed hope that the delegation’s presence would encourage more Syrian Jews to return and help make the case for Washington to lift the sanctions imposed during Assad’s rule.
Moustafa also pointed to a broader objective: signalling that Syria’s new authorities were serious about their pledges to protect minorities.
For decades, Syria’s Jewish community had lived under heavy restrictions. While Hafez al-Assad allowed religious practice, he barred most Jews from leaving the country, fearing they harboured sympathies for Israel. Bashar al-Assad maintained an image of protecting minorities, but the outbreak of civil war in 2011 effectively erased Jewish life from public view. Synagogues across the country shut down, and the historic Jobar Synagogue—a site of pilgrimage for Jews worldwide—was looted and left in ruins.
Now, as the Assad’s grip has been broken, Syria faces an uncertain future. The new authorities have vowed to build an inclusive Syria, but deep scepticism remains.
For community elder Bakhour Chamntoub, however, Hamra’s return offered a moment of joy.
"I need Jews with me in the neighborhood," Chamntoub said in the Jewish quarter. "For nearly 40 years, I haven’t prayed with others. The feeling is indescribable."
As the prayers concluded, a quiet optimism lingered in the air. Whether Syria’s Jewish community can truly be reborn remains uncertain. But for now, in a synagogue that had stood silent for years, faith has found its voice once more.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Germany's export slump since 2021 is largely driven by deep-rooted competitiveness issues, the Bundesbank warned in its latest report, calling for urgent structural reforms.
Israeli researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence tool that can determine a person’s true biological age from tiny DNA samples with remarkable precision.
Two Harry Potter actresses, Emma Watson and Zoe Wanamaker, have each received a six-month driving ban after separate speeding offences, both sentenced on the same day at a Buckinghamshire court.
The total value of foreign currency transactions between banks and individuals in Uzbekistan reached 14.5 billion U.S. dollars in the first six months of 2025, reflecting a 24% increase year on year.
Syrian security forces are preparing to redeploy to the Druze-majority city of Sweida in the south of the country after a brief ceasefire collapsed, reigniting clashes with Bedouin tribes, according to the Syrian Interior Ministry.
Pope Leo said on Thursday he hopes to travel to Türkiye later this year for the 1,700th anniversary of a major Christian Church summit, in what would be the first foreign trip of his papacy.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Thursday that the latest discussions on Cyprus were "constructive" and that progress had been made on several initiatives.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan has called Israel 'a terrorist state', stating that its aggression poses a threat to the entire region.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment