Syrian Policies
Explore policies, laws, and decrees impacting Jewish communities in Syria.
Laws and decrees
Policies that Shaped Jewish Life in Syria
For more than forty years, Syria's Jews were not allowed to leave, and lived under rules that controlled where they went, what they owned, and how they worked.
| 1947 to 1948 | After the UN partition vote, Jewish bank accounts are frozen, Jews are dismissed from government jobs, and Jewish schools are closed. |
| 1948 to 1992 | Jews are forbidden to emigrate. Those who try to escape can be imprisoned. Travel abroad is allowed only in exceptional cases, with a large bond and family members left behind. |
| 1948 to 1992 | Jews are barred from government and banking jobs, cannot buy property, and often cannot obtain telephones or driver's licenses. |
| Until 1992 | Jews are the only community whose identity cards and passports list their religion, and they live under constant secret police surveillance. |
| 1992 | After U.S. pressure, Syria lifts restrictions on travel and on buying and selling property, and nearly all Jews leave. |
The impact
What these laws meant
Syria's Jews left behind homes, schools, and ancient synagogues, including the Great Synagogue of Aleppo and the synagogue of Jobar, destroyed in the civil war.
Explore further
Keep exploring
Key dates in the history of the Jews of Syria, at a glance. |
The story of the Jews of Syria, from ancient times to today. |
Watch Syrian Jews tell their own stories. |
Histories, memoirs, novels, and children's books in JIMENA's library. |
For the classroom
Think about it
- Choose one of these laws. How would it have changed daily life for a Jewish family: their work, their schooling, their home, or their freedom to travel?
Sources: Jews in Islamic Countries: Syria (Jewish Virtual Library); Syrian Jews.
Timeline of Jewish Presence
