JOBAR, Syria (AP) — In this Damascus suburb, the handful of remaining Jews in Syria can again make pilgrimages to one of the world’s oldest synagogues where people from throughout the region once came to pray. Syria’s 13-year civil war left the synagogue partially destroyed. Walls and roofs have collapsed.
Some artifacts are missing . A marble sign in Arabic at the gate says it was first built 720 years before Christ. Since insurgents overthrew President Bashar Assad in early December, people have been able to safely visit the widely destroyed Jobar suburb that was pounded for years by government forces while in the hands of opposition fighters.
Syria was once home to one of the world's largest Jewish communities. Those numbers have shrunk dramatically, especially after the state of Israel was created in 1948. Today, only nine Jews live in Syria, according to the head of the community, almost all older men and women.
The community believes that no Syrian Jews will remain in the country in a few years. One of the people visiting the Jobar Synagogue, also known as Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue, on Thursday was gray-haired Bakhour Chamntoub, the head of the community in Syria. “This synagogue means a lot to us,” the 74-year-old told The Associated Press during his first visit in 15 years.
Chamntoub had heard the synagogue was damaged, but he did not expect to see that part of it had been reduced to a pile of debris. “I am frankly disturbed,” he said. Chamntoub said Jewi.
