The Last Synagogue in Damascus

As the Syrian civil war is entering its sixth year and topping the half-million casualty mark, the Sha’ar Binyamin Institute, dedicated to preserving the past and present of the great Jewish community of Damascus, posted a YouTube video documenting the state of the Elfrange synagogue in the Jewish quarter of Damascus — an oasis of tranquility in the middle of a hellish war. According to the Institute, Elfrange is the only one of Damascus’ 17 synagogues that has not been shut down and robbed. It serves a membership of 16 men, ages 60 to 90.