In a rare and symbolic moment, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was blessed by Rabbi Yosef Hamra, the renowned leader of Brooklyn’s Syrian-Jewish community, during a meeting in Washington amid renewed efforts to protect Syria’s Jewish heritage and foster interfaith understanding.
Rabbi Yosef Hamra, who fled Syria in the early 1990s and now leads the Syrian-Jewish community in New York, is recognized for his lifelong work in preserving Jewish heritage and advocating the rights of Jews from Syria.
The encounter took place on the sidelines of diplomatic meetings, where al-Sharaa and Hamra discussed communal property protection, the restoration of ancient synagogues, and strategies for greater reconciliation between religious minorities within Syria. Community leaders have praised the event as a meaningful step toward integrating Syria’s pluralist identity and strengthening ties between diaspora communities and the new government.
Rabbi Hamra’s blessing is viewed not only as a personal gesture but also as a signal of growing confidence among Jews and other minorities regarding Syria’s future under President al-Sharaa, whose administration has pledged to safeguard all sects and promote coexistence.
