A 13-member Jewish delegation from the United States visited Damascus this week, meeting with Syrian government ministers and senior officials in what is described as a larger delegation than previous visits. The delegation's activities, which included a prayer service not held in decades and a visit to the grave of Rabbi Chaim Vital, occurred in the lead-up to the Tishrei holidays and amidst ongoing discussions for an agreement between Israel and Syria, according to a social media post. The delegation included prominent figures such as Larry Shipman of NYU University, Professor of Hebrew and Jewish Studies, Dr. Jill Johnovitz of the Heinz Center for History in Pittsburgh, and Steve Doshler of the Chicago Jewish Federation, as well as the Chairman of the Syrian Mosaica Organization. They met with the Syrian Minister of Economy and the Deputy Foreign Minister, among other high-ranking officials, as stated in the provided source. The delegation also participated in a historical prayer service featuring Torah reading within a Damascus synagogue, an event that had not taken place in Syria for decades. This visit follows Syria's rejection of a roadmap agreement with the United States and Jordan concerning the future of Suwayda province, as confirmed yesterday. That previous agreement was opposed by the Supreme Legal Committee, backed by local leader Hikmat al-Hijri, amid deepening political polarization within Suwayda. The Syrian government intends to rehabilitate areas under its control, contrasting with the anticipated situation in territories influenced by Hijri's committee.
