Syrian Jew living in the US announces candidacy for Syria’s parliamentary elections

Nurit Yohanan is The Times of Israel's Palestinian and Arab world correspondent

Henry Hamra, a Jew of Syrian origin who resides in the United States, is running for a seat in the Syrian parliament representing the Damascus district. The elections are scheduled for October 5.

In his campaign announcement, Hamra pledges to work with the Syrian community in the United States to abolish the “Caesar Act,” which imposes economic sanctions on Syria without conditions.

Hamra fled Damascus with his father, Rabbi Yusuf Hamra, in 1992 at the age of 15. They returned on a visit in February.

At its peak, the Jewish community in Syria numbered some 100,000 Jews, but today, only a handful remain.

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