The Syrian government has approved the first formal registration of the Jewish Heritage in Syria Foundation (JHS), allowing it to operate openly, protect Jewish sites, and coordinate property restitution. Hind Kabawat, Syria's minister of social affairs and labor and the first woman in the transitional cabinet, completed the registration. JHS president Henry Hamra said teams will begin assessing synagogues in Damascus and Aleppo, many of which were damaged during years of conflict. The decision occurs amid broader political shifts and reported moves to roll back U.S. sanctions on Syria.
Syria Registers First Official Jewish Organization, Clearing Path To Restore Heritage Sites
Henry Hamra, right, reads the Torah next to his son Joseph Hamra inside the Faranj synagogue in Damascus Dec. 10, 2025, as a newly licensed Jewish-Syrian organization begins work to reclaim previously confiscated properties.
Syria's minister of social affairs and labor has approved the formal registration of the Jewish Heritage in Syria Foundation (JHS), the first officially recognized Jewish organization in the country's history. The decision allows JHS to open an office, work directly with government and local communities, oversee the protection of Jewish sites and coordinate the restitution of Jewish property.
Hind Kabawat, the first woman appointed to Syria's transitional government cabinet, completed the registration. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Kabawat said the move is intended to restore the rights of Syrian Jews and support a more inclusive society.
Rabbi Henry Hamra, right, and Syrian Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Kabawat receive the charter of the newly formed Jewish Heritage Association in Damascus Dec. 10, 2025.
“Judaism and Syrian Jews have long been part of Syria's religious and cultural landscape. Restoring their right to belong, to visit and to live back in their homeland is a natural step toward a more just, tolerant and inclusive society,” Kabawat said.
Henry Hamra, a Syrian-American and president of JHS, and his son Joseph spoke from the Jewish quarter of Damascus about plans to assess and restore synagogues and other heritage sites. Hamra said teams are ready to begin work in Damascus and Aleppo and to welcome visiting delegations.
Hamra reported that Damascus has about 22 synagogues, though many were damaged or destroyed during years of conflict. He described seeing the rubble of the Jobar (Eliyahu Hanavi) Synagogue, one of the oldest in the world, and noted that the Faranj Synagogue remains largely intact and still contains books and Torah scrolls.
A Syrian Jewish man looks over the ruins of the Eliyahu Hanavi (Jobar) Synagogue outside Damascus on Feb. 18, 2025, during a visit from the United States.
The registration comes amid significant political change in Syria. The article notes that the former Assad government fell last year and that the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, a major U.S. sanctions package on Syria, may be rolled back: a full repeal is reported to have been written into the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House and is returning to the Senate.
What Comes Next
With formal recognition, JHS can more easily coordinate restoration and preservation projects, arrange regular delegations of Jewish visitors, and pursue claims or restitution of property. Syrian and international preservation experts and community leaders will likely play central roles in assessing damage, cataloguing artifacts, and planning restorations.
Observers say the move is a notable step toward cultural reconciliation and heritage preservation in Syria, though practical and political challenges remain — including security, funding, and the physical scale of damage across the country's Jewish historical sites.
