The Media Line: Another Jewish Group Visits Syria, Seeks Preservation of Ancestral Sites as Some Struggle To Recover Property

Another Jewish Group Visits Syria, Seeks Preservation of Ancestral Sites as Some Struggle To Recover Property

Tours of synagogues and meetings with religious leaders highlight renewed interest in Jewish history and unresolved questions over historic sites, property, and diaspora ties

By Rizik Alabi / The Media Line

[DAMASCUS] A visit by American Rabbi David Saperstein to Damascus has drawn attention to work to preserve Syria’s Jewish sites and rebuild ties with members of the Syrian Jewish diaspora after decades of emigration, conflict, and official restrictions.

Saperstein, who served as US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom during the Obama administration, arrived in the Syrian capital as part of an American delegation that toured historic Jewish sites and met with religious and civic figures. The visit comes as some Jews of Syrian origin living abroad have begun returning to the country for short visits, property inquiries, and work to document and protect communal landmarks following the fall of the Assad government.

The delegation visited some of Damascus’ most prominent Jewish landmarks, including the historic Jobar Synagogue, considered one of the oldest synagogues in the region, as well as the Al- Franj Synagogue and the city’s Jewish cemetery. Delegates were briefed on the condition of the sites, including damage sustained during years of war. They also received presentations on the history of Jewish life in Syria and the role the community played in the country’s economic, social, and cultural development.

The visit included meetings with Syrian figures and representatives of organizations involved in interfaith and cultural dialogue. Talks focused on preserving the religious and historical legacy of Syria’s various communities and promoting understanding among different faiths and cultures at a time when the country is undergoing major political and social changes.

Syrian-Australian journalist Johnny Abo told The Media Line that the visit carried particular significance because of the participants and the meetings held with Syrian officials and religious leaders.

“The meetings were positive, productive, and focused on Syria’s rich religious and cultural diversity,” Abo said. “The delegation received a warm welcome from religious authorities, including Christian patriarchs and clergy, who engaged in open discussions with the rabbi and other members of the group.”

According to Abo, participants emphasized the historical presence of the Jewish community in Syria and its place within the country’s social fabric. They also discussed the preservation of Jewish religious and cultural sites, including historic synagogues and communal properties.

“Syria has historically been a land of civilizations, diversity, and coexistence,” he said. “The Jewish community was once an active part of public life, including parliamentary representation and a prominent role in commerce and trade.”

While describing the visit as primarily religious and cultural, Abo said it also carried broader symbolic messages. He said the participation of a rabbi with previous diplomatic experience reflected an effort to foster dialogue among Syrians, members of the Syrian Jewish diaspora, and American circles interested in Syria’s future.

“The visit ultimately conveys a message of coexistence and peace,” Abo said. “For centuries, the peoples of this region lived side by side despite their differences, and that legacy remains an important foundation for building a more stable future.”

Joseph Jajati, a Syrian American Jewish activist originally from Damascus, played a key role in organizing the visit. Jajati has been involved in several initiatives aimed at strengthening ties between Syrians inside the country and those living abroad.

Speaking to The Media Line, Jajati said the visit carries significance beyond its religious dimension, reflecting a growing desire to open new channels of communication with Syrian communities worldwide and to rebuild trust after years of separation.

“The delegation received full cooperation throughout its visit to Damascus,” Jajati said. “Members were able to access Jewish religious and historical sites, observe their condition firsthand, and meet with individuals from different backgrounds.”

Jajati said the visit gave participants a firsthand view of conditions in Damascus and of changes underway in Syria. He said the level of cooperation reflected what he saw as a commitment to preserving the country’s religious and cultural legacy.

“The most important message of this visit,” he said, “is that Syria is more than a geographic space or political borders. It is a long history of coexistence and diversity among the communities that have lived here and contributed to its civilization.”

Jajati added that many members of the Syrian Jewish diaspora in the United States and elsewhere maintain strong emotional and cultural ties to their country of origin and that visits such as this can help reconnect younger generations with their Syrian roots.

The focus on historic Jewish sites also reflects a broader attempt to recognize Syria’s pluralistic past and the contributions of communities that helped shape the country’s identity. Syria’s Jewish community, once concentrated mainly in Damascus, Aleppo, and Qamishli, declined sharply over the second half of the 20th century.

Unofficial estimates place Syria’s Jewish population in the 1950s at between 30,000 and 35,000 people. Waves of emigration later followed, driven by rising Arab nationalism, growing insecurity, and clandestine networks that helped Syrian Jews leave for the United States, Latin America, and Israel.

Jajati was born in Damascus and is the grandson of Yusuf Jajati, who headed Syria’s Jewish community during the presidency of Hafez Assad. He left Syria with his family for the United States after restrictions on Jewish travel were lifted in April 1992, following the launch of the Madrid Peace Conference.

Approximately 4,000 Jews left Syria during that period, leaving only a small community behind. Following the outbreak of the Syrian uprising and the escalation of violence, most of the remaining community departed. Today, only a handful of elderly Jews are believed to remain in Damascus.

Saperstein is a prominent Jewish religious leader in the United States. In addition to serving as US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom from 2015 to 2017, he has long been active in interfaith dialogue, religious freedom advocacy, and minority rights initiatives. Over several decades, he has participated in international efforts to promote understanding among religious communities and has become a respected figure in Jewish, academic, and interfaith circles.

Since the fall of the Assad government, Jajati has organized several visits by American delegations, including Jewish groups, to Syria. He has also worked to secure licensing for the Syrian Mosaic Foundation, an organization that promotes Syria’s multicultural history, interfaith engagement, and cultural diplomacy, and coordinated with the management of Damascus’ Semiramis Hotel to open what is currently the country’s only kosher restaurant.

Under Syria’s new authorities, some Jews of Syrian origin living abroad have been able to visit the country and return to former neighborhoods, homes, and places of worship. Some have begun pursuing claims to recover property or launch investment projects, particularly in the textile and garment sectors.

Others continue to face legal and administrative challenges related to properties belonging to Syrian Jews who emigrated abroad, including cases handled through Syria’s Office of Absentee Jewish Property.

Researchers and community activists say preserving Jewish sites in Syria is not only a matter for one religious group, but part of the country’s broader historical memory after years in which war, authoritarian rule, official restrictions, and emigration nearly erased one of the Middle East’s oldest Jewish communities.

Ms. Susan Al-Akhras, one of the organizers of the visit, said that the visit reflected openness and cooperation by the Syrian authorities toward efforts to preserve Syrian Jewish heritage and strengthen communication with members of the Syrian Jewish community abroad.

She explained in an interview with The Media Line that the visit was conducted in an official and organized manner, with the delegation receiving facilitation that enabled it to access several Jewish religious and historical sites in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and to assess their condition firsthand. The delegation also held meetings with religious and civil figures, as well as representatives of institutions concerned with dialogue and cultural diversity.

She added that during the tour, the delegation visited several prominent Jewish historical landmarks, including the Jobar Synagogue, the Franj Synagogue, and the Jewish cemetery in Damascus. The visit showed that these sites are an important part of Syria’s historical memory, although some still require restoration, maintenance, and protection after many years of war and neglect. Participants stressed that preserving these landmarks is not merely a Jewish matter but rather part of broader efforts to safeguard Syria’s national heritage across its religious and cultural components.

Members of the delegation and representatives of the Syrian Jewish community abroad also expressed their willingness to support projects to document, maintain, and restore Jewish historical sites, in coordination with the relevant Syrian authorities, to preserve this heritage for future generations.

They also emphasized the importance of reconnecting younger generations of Syrian Jews with their cultural and historical roots in Syria and encouraging more visits to help build bridges of trust and communication.

At the same time, Bikhor Shemtov, a representative of the Jewish community in Syria, told The Media Line that the visit reflected a positive atmosphere of welcome and engagement among many Syrians, who viewed it as a step that reflects Syria’s history of diversity and coexistence among its various communities. Participants affirmed that the country’s future should be based on respect for religious and cultural pluralism and on the preservation of the heritage of all communities that have contributed to the building of Syrian civilization throughout the centuries.