The Deep History of Syrian Jews

Nadene Goldfoot                                         

Syrian Jews, referred to as Mizrachi Jews,  formed one of the world's oldest continuous Jewish communities, with roots in Syria dating back over 2,500 years to biblical and Greco-Roman times. Comprising ancient Musta'arabi (Mizrahi) locals and Sephardic refugees who arrived after the 1492 Spanish expulsion, the community flourished in major urban centers like Aleppo and Damascus before nearly vanishing through mid-to-late 20th-century emigration.

Biblical Era: Jewish presence in the region of Aram and Damascus (Syria)  traces back to early biblical narratives involving the patriarchs and King David, who tradition holds erected the initial sanctuary of the Great Synagogue of Aleppo. 

Hellenistic and Roman Periods: Under Seleucid, Greek, and Roman rule, communities expanded dramatically. Sages in the Mishnah held Syrian Jewish centers in such high religious regard that agricultural laws of the Land of Israel were applied to the region. 

Byzantine Hardship: The Christian Byzantine period brought legal degradation, high taxation, and strict prohibitions against building new houses of worship.

Early Conquests: Following the 7th-century Arab conquests, Jews became dhimmis (protected second-class citizens), paying the jizya tax in exchange for religious autonomy. 

Sephardic Influx: The arrival of Spanish and Portuguese exiles following the 1492 Alhambra Decree revitalized intellectual, economic, and religious life, particularly in Aleppo.

Trade Dominance: Centered on the silk route and caravan networks, Syrian Jewish merchants established vast international trade networks connecting the Ottoman Empire to Europe, India, and Egypt, safeguarding treasures like the medieval Hebrew manuscript, the Aleppo Codex. which  is a 10th-century medieval manuscript of the Hebrew Bible. Written around 930 CE in Tiberias, it is widely considered the most authoritative, accurate, and sacred text for biblical tradition, though a significant portion—including much of the Torah—however, went missing after anti-Jewish riots in Syria in 1947. Hopefully, somebody took it to preserve it, and it wasn't destroyed.                                 

19th-Century Shifts: The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 disrupted traditional overland caravan routes, prompting early economic migration to Egypt, Lebanon, and U.S. hubs.

Mid-20th Century Persecution: Following the establishment of Israel in 1948 and Syrian independence, remaining Jews faced severe legal restrictions, pogroms, economic marginalization, and travel bans enforced by the Mukhabarat secret police.                             

     His mother was one taken to Brooklyn, while he has escaped to another country.  He is Omran Al Halabi, which means:  Al Halabi (Arabic: الحَلَبِي) is an Arabic surname that translates to "from Aleppo" or "the Aleppan." It functions as a nisba—an adjective indicating a person's or family's geographic origin, connection, or trade ties to the historic city of Aleppo (known in Arabic as Halab) in Syria.  He is my very good friend.  I wrote a book about him:  Messages From A Syrian Jew Trapped In Egypt...

The 1990s Emigration: Under intense international and U.S. pressure, President Hafez al-Assad's government lifted exit restrictions in 1992 and 1994, allowing thousands of remaining Syrian Jews to emigrate. Most relocated to Brooklyn, New York, or Israel, leaving the ancient domestic communities all but extinct today fearing the then President Bashar al-Assad ruled until December 2024 and was a brutal leader putting many into prison who shouldn't have been..  A few, now escaping from Syria's terrorist President,Ahmed al-Sharaa AKA Jolani, who is worse, who took office as the transitional president on January 29, 2025, following the fall of the previous regime which he probably caused.                                      

An estimated 3.2 million Mizrahi Jews live in Israel, making up roughly 40% to 50% of the country's Jewish population.Mizrahi Jews trace their ancestry to ancient Jewish communities across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Central Asia. Alongside Syria, primary countries of origin include Iraq, Iran, and Yemen.

 Because the Israeli government does not officially categorize citizens by sub-ethnic Jewish groupings on census data, exact figures are based on demographic studies and estimates tracking ancestral roots from the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.