Syrian gov't licenses group working to restore Jewish property confiscated under Assad regime

Syria issued a permit for a Jewish-Syrian organization that plans to create a list of former Jewish property that had been confiscated by previous Syrian regimes and work to restore it, as the regime of President Ahmad al-Sharaa continues to signal its intent to reach arrangements with the country’s Jewish community, as well as with Israel.

The new regime has engaged with local remnants and diaspora representatives of Syria’s ancient Jewish community, even allowing Henry Hamra, son of the last Jewish rabbi to flee the country, to run in the legislative elections in October.

Hamra is also the president of the Jewish Heritage in Syria Foundation, which he said will “work on making an inventory of Jewish properties and returning those confiscated during the previous regime, as well as protecting, caring for and restoring holy sites so that they are accessible to all Jews in the world.”

“This is a strong message from the Syrian state that we do not discriminate between one religion and another… Syria helps all Syrian men and women of every religion and sect who want to build our new state,” Syria’s Social Affairs and Labor Minister Hind Kabawat told the news outlet AFP.

Henry Hamra the president of @JHS_Foundation meeting with the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in Damascus (one of my dearest friends and one of my favorite Ministers on earth) thank you to the @syrianetf for continuing to do incredible work for a peaceful, prosperous,… pic.twitter.com/dItRoOMlgd

— Mouaz Moustafa (@SoccerMouaz) December 10, 2025

The report was published around the same time that the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, reiterated his conviction that the new Syrian regime is trying to turn a fresh page in relations with the Jewish community and Israel.

Granting an interview on the sidelines of the The Jerusalem Post Washington conference on Wednesday, Barrack portrayed the new Syria as “fundamentally disinterested in aggression toward Israel,” according to the Post.

He argued that Sharaa’s government is much more concerned with combating threats posed by ISIS, remaining foreign Islamist fighters, and Iranian proxy groups like Hezbollah.

“Every day, Syria is taking out ISIS and IRGC assets,” said Barrack, “This is the single best opportunity for Israel to show the world a stabilizing hand while choking Iran financially.”

He also revealed that Syria and the U.S. military, with the help of Turkish intelligence, eliminated nine Hezbollah cells and several ISIS cells in recent weeks.

“After October 7, Israel doesn’t trust anyone,” Barrack acknowledged. “That’s why we’ve offered to serve as a peacekeeping force. Verification replaces trust.”

The envoy asserted that getting Damascus and Jerusalem to agree to a new variation of the 1974 disengagement agreement with modern mechanisms remains possible.

Since Sharaa’s Islamist rebel alliance overthrew the Assad regime, the U.S. has been leading the international camp advocating outreach and inclusion for Syria’s new leadership, while Israel has expressed deep suspicion, repeatedly labeling Sharaa a “terrorist in a suit.”

Proponents of reaching an arrangement with Syria’s new strong man have pointed to the charm offensive toward the diaspora community of Syrian Jews as a sign that Sharaa genuinely wants to turn a new page.

In February, an American delegation of Syrian Jews visited Damascus, receiving a warm reception. The U.S.-based nonprofit organization “Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF)” organized the trip that was led by Hamra.

Another Jewish group visited Damascus in September, including The Times of Israel Editor David Horovitz.

Syria’s ancient Jewish community was oppressed under the Assad regime but not allowed to leave the country until 1992. Once the regime allowed it, nearly all of the remaining 5,000 Syrian Jews fled, and remaining property was often confiscated.

“We have counted dozens of Jewish-owned houses that were confiscated by the Bashar al-Assad regime,” said Mouaz Moustafa, head of the former Syrian opposition group Syrian Emergency Task Force.

Moustafa posted pictures showing Hamra meeting Labor Minister Hind Kabawat in Damascus on Wednesday.

The AFP also reported that Hamra and his son prayed at the historic al-Franj Synagogue, which had been established in the 15th Century and had been last led by Hamra’s father.

🇮🇱🇸🇾 — FOOTAGE: An unusual video from Syria showed a Jewish organization visiting a long shut down shul and Jewish school in Aleppo’s al-Jamiliya neighborhood during a religious-cultural event, with two rabbis from Israel taking part, according to footage released by the Syrian… pic.twitter.com/ErdDgCWy6P

— Belaaz News (@TheBelaaz) December 10, 2025

The former opposition group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also reported that a Jewish group, including two unnamed Israeli rabbis, visited two synagogues in the northern town of Aleppo under heavy security provided by the government.

The visit “aimed to inspect the assets of Syrian-Jewish people,” according to SOHR, adding that the new governor of Aleppo, a former Islamist rebel named Azzam al-Gharib, vowed to help restore stolen Jewish property to its owners.

“Syria has no alternative path” said Barrack, “and neither does Israel, if it wants to avoid perpetual military confrontation on every border.”

“This is the moment,” he concluded. “If we don’t capitalize on it, we may not get another one.”