Jewish Bubba: SYRIA: That Neighbor Next Door to Israel and Their Long Long Relationship Part I

Saturday, July 26, 2025

SYRIA: That Neighbor Next Door to Israel and Their Long Long Relationship Part I

Nadene Goldfoot

The area roughly corresponds to the Levant, with biblical Syria generally referring to the northern Levant, including the region of Aram and its principal city, Damascus. Biblical Israel, in turn, would be shown in the southern Levant, including the area of Canaan.

Syria and Israel go back to the Bible Days of the Old Testament. Then, Syria's name was Aram. There's a significant connection between King David and ancient Syria, particularly evident in the Tel Dan Stele. Discovered in 1993, this stone inscription, believed to be from an Aramean king, refers to the "House of David", suggesting the existence of a Davidic dynasty recognized beyond Israel. This is notable because: The stele dates to around 140 years after David's death, indicating his legacy persisted. It provides independent, extra-biblical evidence for the historical existence of King David and his royal line.

Ruling Aram were kings who never did succeed to create a homogeneous state, probably because their coastal strip was settled by the Phoenicians, since Jews and Greeks also lived there, too, with other people. Listed in both I and II Kings, there was constant friction with the kingdoms of Israel and then when only Judah was left of the 12 tribes until the 8th century BCE when Syria was overrun by the Assyrians who also took as slaves 27,290 Israelites to Assyria and Media and Syria in 721 BCE. Some of the Israelites from the northern kingdom were relocated to areas that were part of the Assyrian provinces in what is now modern-day Syria.

Its Jewish population, especially at Antioch, was of special importance in the Seleucid Era, a dynasty that lasted for two centuries, during which time Hellenistic art, a fusion of Greek and Near Eastern artistic traditions, developed and flourished. Antioch, established in 300 BCE, is the name of several locations, most notably an ancient city in Turkey (historically Syria).

(The Seleucid Era began in 312 BCE. This era was established by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, to mark his victory and consolidation of power in Babylonia after Alexander's death, according to historical records. The Seleucid Empire, founded in this era, lasted until 63 BCE.)

Jews suffered from the hostility of the Greeks. A few Jews lived there during the TALMUDIC PERIOD and under Theodosius II (408-50), their religious freedom was restricted, with many synagogues being converted to churches.

The situation in Syria improved with the Arab conquest (634-7) when Jews were allowed to maintain their faith but were forced to pay poll-tax. The largest communities in the 12th century according to Benjamin of Tudela, researcher/traveler were at Aleppo with 5,000, Damascus with 3,000 and Palmyra with 2,000. Even in 1980 in Damascus there is a Jew Street. In fact, the Jewish population increased after (1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue) by refugees from Spain and Sicily and was important in the transit trade between Europe and Asia.

Then there was the Damascus Blood Libel in 1840 which evoked worldwide reaction. The Superior of the Franciscan Convent and his servant had disappeared and this led to a search of the Jewish Quarter on the instigation of the local Catholics who were supported by the French Consul.

The burning of heretics at stakes (auto-da-fé) in a marketplace during the Spanish Inquisition (1492)-after heretics in Mexico later.

The torture of leading Jews with one dying under the ordeal elicited a confession of murder. This led to a campaign of incitement against all Jews. The public outcry in the western world and the personal intervention of Sir Moses Montefiore and Adolphe Cremieus, who went to Alexandria to interview Mehemet Ali, ruler of Syria, led to the quashing of the charges and the release of the survivors. Montefiore then visited the Sultan in Constantinople and procured a firman

condemning the Ritual Murder libel and confirming Jewish rights. The episode had important consequences in stimulating the political consciousness and organization of Western European Jewry.

In 1920, following the collapse of the short-lived Arab Kingdom of Syria with the French mandate in 1920, Jews obtained equal rights.

Chaim Weizmann and Faisal bin Hussein, who for a short period was king of Syria; picture of both who became friends in Paris meeting.

King Faisal bin Hussein

As a kingdom the state existed a little over four months, from 8 March to 25 July 1920. During its brief existence, the kingdom was led by Sharif Hussein bin Ali's son Faisal bin Hussein. Despite its claims to the territory of the region of Syria, Faisal's government controlled a limited area and was dependent on Britain which, along with France, generally opposed the idea of a Greater Syria and refused to recognize the kingdom. After a four month-long war, the kingdom surrendered to French forces on 25 July 1920.

France established its mandate over Syria, as authorized by the League of Nations. This mandate, formalized in 1923, included the territories of modern-day Syria and Lebanon. The French administration implemented a system of governance that involved dividing the region into smaller states, including Damascus, Aleppo, the Alawite State, and the Jabal Druze State, as well as Greater Lebanon. This division was partly based on sectarian demographics, but also aimed to weaken nationalist movements by fostering localized identities, according to a Wikipedia article.