A group of Syrian Jews, some of whom recently returned to Damascus to inspect their ancestral properties, have called on the U.S. administration to ease sanctions on Syria, arguing that these restrictions hinder their efforts to restore some of the world’s oldest Jewish synagogues.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December, several Syrian Jews have visited the capital for the first time in decades, hoping to reclaim properties left behind when they fled the country. Among them is Henry Hamra, who escaped to New York with his family in the 1990s. Last month, he returned to Syria alongside his 77-year-old father, Rabbi Yosef Hamra, accompanied by a small group of Jewish visitors.
During their visit, the delegation toured Damascus, particularly the historic Jewish quarter of Jobar, where they visited the Al-Faranj Synagogue, once served by Rabbi Hamra. They also inspected the ancient Jewish cemetery, reflecting on their community’s deep-rooted history in the region.
Lobbying for Sanctions Relief
Following their return to the United States, the group engaged in discussions with officials at the U.S. State Department and the White House, advocating for a reconsideration of economic sanctions against Syria. According to the Associated Press, the delegation argued that these sanctions impede efforts to restore Jewish heritage sites, which hold immense historical and cultural significance.
Their campaign has found an unlikely ally in Mouaz Moustafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, who was previously a vocal proponent of sanctions against the Assad regime due to its extensive human rights violations.
Moustafa, once a key figure in mobilizing U.S. support for punitive measures against the former government, has now urged Washington to reassess its broad-based sanctions. He emphasized that “a stable and secure Syria requires rebuilding what war has destroyed,” adding, “If you want stability, even in a symbolic way—such as restoring the world’s oldest synagogue—then Trump is the only one who can make that happen.”
A History of Displacement and Decline
Hamra and Moustafa first connected during the Syrian war, when Hamra sought assistance in rescuing valuable artifacts from the Jobar Synagogue, which was at risk as fighting raged nearby.
The 1990s saw a mass exodus of Syrian Jews, primarily to the United States and Israel, leaving behind a dwindling community. Today, only seven elderly Jews remain in Damascus.
For decades, successive U.S. administrations imposed stringent sanctions on Syria, citing widespread human rights abuses, including political repression, torture, extrajudicial killings, and the use of chemical weapons.
With the post-Assad transition underway, calls for a reassessment of these sanctions have grown, particularly among groups advocating for Syria’s reconstruction—whether for economic, cultural, or historical reasons.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
