Syrian Government Aids Jews Most, Says Community Head

Bikur Siman Tov, the head of the Jewish community in Syria, stated in a recent interview that Syrian Jews are not experiencing harassment and that the Syrian government is their "greatest helper." He noted that nearly two years after the fall of the Assad regime, the community numbers only six individuals, but described their situation as good and stable, with the government not interfering in their affairs. Siman Tov contrasted the current situation favorably with the Assad era, recalling that he could not host even one foreign guest then. He explained that when American Jews visit Syria, the government provides security and facilitates their visits to the Joubar neighborhood and the Jewish cemetery. He also addressed protests surrounding the ancient synagogue in the Joubar neighborhood, which remains unrepaired due to the community's lack of funds for the extensive renovation required. Siman Tov clarified that the community has no connection to the Joubar residents and that the delay in the neighborhood's reconstruction is a governmental issue. Regarding public opinion, he dismissed extremist anti-Israel sentiments as a small, televised group, asserting that in reality, people are welcoming and express a desire for peace and the opportunity to work in Israel. The article also mentions that dozens to over a hundred homes belonging to Jews who left Syria were transferred to Syrian citizens after the Assad regime's fall, a situation that concerns the remaining Jewish residents. It also recalls a visit by a senior Jewish delegation last year that met with ministers and held prayer services in Damascus, an event not seen in Syria for decades.