Personal Stories
Syrian Jews and their descendants share memories of Aleppo and Damascus, life under the emigration ban, and the communities they built in Brooklyn, Latin America, Israel, and beyond.
Written Narratives
Mimi Cohen
Mimi Cohen recalls her childhood in the vibrant Jewish communities of Aleppo and Beirut, the antisemitic violence and displacement that led her family to leave the Middle East, and her efforts to maintain Sephardic traditions after settling in Chicago.
Denise Amon
Denise Amon recalls her Jewish upbringing in Aleppo and Beirut, her family's migration through Turkey and Italy, and her experiences building a new life in Chicago while maintaining her Lebanese Jewish heritage.
Watch JIMENA's video interview with Denise Amnon.
Isaac Hasbani
Isaac Hasbani is a Chicago based Engineer. He was born in November 1947 to a Syrian Jewish family in Beirut. Both of Isaac’s parents came from Damascus and fled Anti-Semitic riots before he was born. His mother was on vacation in Lebanon when her father called and told her “Don’t come back,” he had decided to abandon his clinic and follow her to Lebanon which was considered much safer for Jews at the time.
