Rabbi seeks Syrian parliament seat after 58-year Jewish absence

DAMASCUS, Syria (MNTV) — Rabbi Henry Yosef Hamra, a Syrian-American Jewish leader, has officially entered the race for Syria’s People’s Assembly in Damascus, marking the first time in nearly six decades that a Jewish candidate has sought parliamentary representation. 

His move comes after the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad last year, opening political space for marginalized groups.

Hamra, 48, is the son of Rabbi Yosef Hamra, once the chief rabbi of Syria’s Jewish community, who left Damascus in 1992 after restrictions on Jewish travel were lifted. 

By then, the capital’s Jewish population had dwindled to fewer than ten, down from an estimated 5,000 in earlier decades.

The candidate’s campaign is anchored by the slogan “Towards a Flourishing, Tolerant, and Just Syria,” centered on three themes: justice and citizenship, heritage preservation, and economic revitalization. 

He has pledged to promote a modern constitution that guarantees equal rights, ensure protection of Islamic, Christian, and Jewish traditions, and push for the repeal of the Caesar Act sanctions to attract investment and reconstruction funding.

Hamra told supporters that his vision emphasizes unity across Syria’s regions and sects, declaring his belief in “a united Syria for all Syrians, from Al-Hasakah to Latakia.” He also vowed to strengthen cooperation with the Syrian diaspora, particularly Jewish business leaders, to channel investment toward reconstruction and job creation.

Local observers say Hamra’s candidacy could signal a renewed recognition of Syria’s pluralist identity. Historian Sami Moubayed noted that the last Jewish representative in parliament was elected in 1947, before the Arab-Israeli conflict curtailed Jewish political life in the country.

Community leader Bakhour Shmantob welcomed the move, calling it “a positive step for national belonging” and highlighting the program’s promise of youth employment through support for small and medium-sized enterprises. 

He said Hamra’s platform integrates heritage preservation with socioeconomic development, offering a path for reconciliation and inclusion.

In February, Hamra and his father visited Damascus with a U.S.-based Jewish delegation, holding prayers at the historic Faranj synagogue for the first time in more than three decades. 

The trip included meetings with Syrian officials, who pledged to safeguard Jewish heritage and ensure a role for all sects in shaping Syria’s future.

Separately, Rabbi Yosef Hamra sent a letter to the U.S. Congress urging repeal of the Caesar Act, warning that sanctions hinder heritage restoration projects and deter investment. 

He stressed that synagogues, cemeteries, and cultural artifacts require protection under stable conditions to encourage the return of refugees and reintegration of diaspora communities.

The electoral commission confirmed Henry Hamra’s candidacy, saying he had presented his program like any other contender. 

The Syrian legislature, composed of 210 seats, will be partly chosen by local committees and partly nominated by President Ahmed al-Sharaa — a process critics argue remains undemocratic despite political changes.

Hamra’s nomination has rekindled debate over the future of Syria’s identity, with many seeing it as both symbolic and practical — a rare chance to reintegrate a long-marginalized community into national politics while advancing reconciliation, economic revival, and cultural preservation.