Jewish Community Pushes for Sanction Relief Amid Syria's New Leadership

A group of Syrian Jews, led by Henry Hamra, is lobbying the U.S. government to lift sanctions on Syria's new leadership under President Ahmed al-Shara. Their aim is to facilitate the restoration of Syria's Jewish cultural heritage, which has suffered during years of civil war.

Henry Hamra left his hometown of Damascus more than three decades ago, yet he has always held a torch for his homeland. Last February, following the recent fall of the Assad regime, he alongside his father, Rabbi Yosef Hamra, and other Syrian Jews, embarked on a trip back to their ancestral roots, facilitated by President Ahmed al-Shara's newly established government, steeped in history and fraught with controversy.

As they stood before the remnants of what was once a thriving Jewish cultural hub in Syria, Hamra’s heart sank with the realization of the devastating impact that fourteen years of civil war and stringent international sanctions have wrought on his homeland. The destruction was all too evident—buildings, synagogues, and cemeteries that bore witness to the centuries of Jewish life in Syria now lay in ruin, including the historic Jobar synagogue and a cherished cemetery of a celebrated 16th-century mystic.

In recent months, the Hamra family, which plays an influential role in Brooklyn's Syrian Jewish community, has aligned with Syrian American advocacy groups that once opposed the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Their objective is to lobby for the lifting of economic sanctions on the recently established government, tied to hopes for a cultural rejuvenation in the war-torn nation. Hamra believes that the crippling sanctions are a major barrier to restoring the vestiges of their past.

However, some groups remain cautious. Marshall Whittman, spokesperson for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, emphasized that any adjustment in U.S. policy should depend on observed positive actions from Syria's new leaders.

Balancing hope with the grim reality of his homeland, Hamra's journey epitomizes the complexities of rebuilding trust and cultural identity in a nation that has seen its foundation shattered. He urges collective support for Syria’s rejuvenation, underscoring that the path to recovery must begin with lifting the existing sanctions that hinder progress.