Ancient Damascus Synagogue reopens with Assad gone

The Joba Synagogue in Damascus has been a pilgrimage site since before the time of the Talmud.

With the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the few Jews still living in the country can once again visit an ancient synagogue that had been off-limits, for some anti-Semitic reason, since the Syrian civil war started thirteen years ago.

Bakhour Chamntoub, who is 74 and leads the nine remaining members of the Jewish community in Syria, spoke to the AP about this. He said, "This synagogue means a lot to us," describing its former beauty with its marble columns, chandeliers, tapestries, and carpets. The community was once tens of thousands strong before the creation of Israel in 1948, but it dwindled due to persecution by the Arab regime.
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Chamntoub mentioned that he never faced antisemitic discrimination personally, although he was open about his Jewish identity, saying he was proud of it. Before the war in 2011, he and other elderly Jews would often visit the Joba Synagogue, which a marble slab at its gate declared was built "720 years before Christ," making it one of the oldest Jewish places of worship in the world.

Now, the synagogue is mostly in ruins, with only a few walls standing and all its beautiful decorations looted. There was heavy fighting in this area during the war, and according to a 2013 report by Diarna.org, it was largely destroyed that year. The neighborhood was under rebel control until 2018 when the regime forces retook it, but access was still restricted until now.

Despite their Jihadist philosophy, the new rulers of Syria aim to appear moderate to the West, promising to protect minorities and allow religious freedom. Chamntoub noted that Jews from around the world have been contacting him, wanting to help rebuild the synagogue.

The synagogue, also known as the Eliyahu Hanavi (Elijah the Prophet) Synagogue, is legendary for being built where Elijah anointed Elisha as his successor during the Kingdom of Israel's era, when its borders included parts of modern-day Syria. It's said that Elijah hid from King Ahab in a cave here, and the synagogue was built over that spot.

Diarna’s report mentions, “A marble headstone” in the main sanctuary with inscriptions in Hebrew, Arabic, and French, affirming this story. Historical records also suggest that Roman King Titus, who destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem, also razed this synagogue. It was reconstructed in the first century and is mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud, compiled around 500 AD. It was destroyed again in the 1500s but rebuilt, always serving as a pilgrimage site due to its connection to the prophet Elijah.

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