Syria approves first Jewish organization registration in country’s history
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Syria’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor on Wednesday approved the registration of a Jewish organization for the first time in the country’s history.
Hind Kabawat, the first woman appointed to Syria’s interim government cabinet, registered the Jewish Heritage Foundation (JHS) in Syria, marking a turning point for the Jewish community in the country.
This move allows JHS to operate fully in Syria, including establishing an office there, officially working with the government and local communities, and serving as the recognized organization responsible for protecting Jewish sites.
Registration also allows the foundation to coordinate the return of Jewish property and regularly bring Jewish delegations to the country.
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Henry Hamra (right) reads the Torah next to his son Joseph Hamra at the Faranj synagogue in Damascus on December 10, 2025, as a newly licensed Jewish-Syrian organization begins working to reclaim previously confiscated properties. (Louai Beshara/AFP via Getty Images)
“Judaism and Syrian Jews have long been part of Syria’s religious and cultural landscape. Restoring the rights to belong, to visit, and to return to their homeland is a natural step toward a more just, tolerant, and inclusive society,” Kabawat said in a statement to Fox News Digital. he said.
“For decades, Syrian Jews have been denied the right to celebrate their cultural and religious heritage, and today we take a step towards long-term peace, security and stability. We wish the organization success in its efforts to preserve the Jewish heritage in Syria and look forward to deeper cooperation and stronger relationships moving forward.”
Syria’s Jewish community, which once numbered in the tens of thousands, declined dramatically after 1948 as restrictions and regional tensions pushed many families to emigrate.
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Rabbi Henry Hamra (right) and Syrian Minister of Family and Social Affairs Hind Kabavat (left) receive the charter of the newly established Jewish Heritage Association in Damascus on December 10, 2025. (Bekir Al Kasem/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Today, only a handful of synagogues remain in the country, and most were destroyed after 14 years of civil war.
Syrian American Jew and JHS president Henry Hamra and his son Joseph spoke with Fox News Digital from the Jewish neighborhood in Damascus about this milestone.
“We’re ready to start working on the synagogues and let all people see what we have here, a beautiful place. And we’re ready for everyone to come,” he said.
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“It gives me great pleasure to be able to travel regularly to Damascus and Aleppo. Syria was closed to us for so long. The Assad regime would arrest anyone who met or hosted a Jew. Today, Syria is finally back to its people, regardless of their religious and ethnic background.”
Rabbi Henry Hamra prays as he receives the charter of the newly formed Jewish Heritage Association in Damascus on December 10, 2025. (Bekir Al Kasem/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Hamra told Fox News Digital that she has returned to Syria four times since former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s government was ousted by a blitzkrieg last year that ended five decades of family rule.
Monday marked the first anniversary of the overthrow of the Assad regime, and tens of thousands of Syrians took to the streets of Damascus to celebrate this momentous occasion.
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The long-standing Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, seen as the most restrictive U.S. sanctions on Syria since they took effect in 2019, is on the verge of being rolled back by full repeal in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The NDAA passed the House on Wednesday and now returns to the Senate for final approval before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature.
A Syrian Jew looks at the ruins of the Eliyahu Hanavi (Jobar) Synagogue outside Damascus during a visit from the United States on February 18, 2025. (Louai Beshara/AFP via Getty Images)
Hamra told Fox News Digital that there were 22 synagogues in Damascus, but most of them were destroyed.
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During a recent visit, he and his team saw the ruins of the Jobar Synagogue, also known as Eliyahu Hanavi, one of the oldest synagogues in the world.
He added that Faranj Synagogue is the only synagogue that is largely intact. “Still [has] their books [and] “Torah scrolls,” Hamra said. “This is truly a work of art.”
