Selichot, Saturday, September 24th, 8:00 p.m.

Explore the rich culture of Syrian Jews and learn about the influence they have had in today’s Jewish communities through liturgy, customs, legacy, heritage, and cuisine. Rabbi Rosenthal will be joined by TIS member Marlene Recht and other members of San Diego’s Syrian Jewish community to guide us through this fascinating history and culture.

Jews have lived in Syria since ancient times: according to legend, since the time of King David and certainly since early Roman times. For centuries, large communities could be found in Aleppo and Damascus, and a smaller community in Qamishli on the Turkish border. A large percentage of Syrian Jews immigrated to the United States, Central and South America, and Israel in the first half of the 20th century. Today, the largest Syrian Jewish community is located in Brooklyn, New York, with smaller communities throughout the United States and in Latin America.

Beginning on the Passover Holiday of 1992, the 4,000 remaining Jews in the Damascus Jewish community, as well as the Aleppo community and the Jews of Qamishli, were permitted under the regime of Hafez al-Assad to leave Syria provided they did not immigrate to Israel. Within months, thousands of Syrian Jews made their way to Brooklyn, with a few families choosing to go to France and Turkey. Currently, the few remaining Jews in Syria live in Damascus.

Our traditional Selichot service will begin immediately following the program at 11:00 p.m.

During the service, worshipers begin to examine their deeds of the past year, seeking forgiveness from God, and promising to improve their behavior in the New Year. Selichot, which literally means forgiveness, contains a series of penitential prayers recited in preparation for the High Holy Days.