Tourist Attractions, Damascus Old City
Synagogues
One of eight other synagogues in Damascus, Al-Faranj Synagogue still receives wht is left of the very small Jewish congregation in Damascus. The synagogue was originally built by the Sephardi Jewish community who fled persecution of the Spanish inquisition after the fall of Al-Andalus in the late 15th century. The existing structure of the synagogue, however, dates back to the second half of the 19th century during the Ottoman Period. Prior to the establishment of Israel in Palestine and the subsequent Syrian – Israeli Conflict, there were many thousands of Syrian Jews living in their capital city Damascus. Unfortunately and since its establishment in 1948, Israel has done its best to encourage this indigenous community to leave Syria. Today, the remaining few Syrian Jews that still live in Damascus come to pray in this Synagogue....