Haret Al-Yahud (The Jewish Quarter): Why Is It Called That?

The current Amin neighborhood, or the Jewish Quarter (Haret Al-Yahud) in Old Damascus, was a place where the homes of the Levantine Jews existed for hundreds of years. Its location next to the Bab Sharqi gate within the old city wall. It features narrow streets and traditional houses. The neighborhood features houses and palaces of Levantine Jewish families. It has several temples, and religious schools, serving as a hub for the Jewish community’s commercial and social activities.

Currently, only 12 elderly Jews reside in the neighborhood, all over 70 years old.

Historically, this area in Old Damascus was called various names, including “Al-Thallaj” and “Mahalla Al-Kharab,” but the most famous name is “Haret Al-Yahud.” This neighborhood intertwined with the “Al-Kharab” area, which housed a mix of Christians, Jews, Sunni, and Shia Muslims. Locals called it “Al-Kharab” due to the damage from severe earthquakes. In 1937, they renamed it “Al-Amin Quarter” in honor of Sheikh Mohsen Al-Amin.

Haret Al-Yahud in Damascus resembled other old Damascene neighborhoods with its narrow passageways and alleys. The houses had traditional Damascene features, including grand mansions and beautiful decorations. The Jews’ celebrations and festivities were in the courtyards, similar to the customs in Muslim and Christian homes in Damascus. What distinguished the houses in this quarter was the extravagant luxury, making them artistic masterpieces. For example, workers moved one of the marble halls from Shamayya Palace entirely to Nasib Hanbali’s palace in Lebanon.

Most of these houses stand abandoned, while some undergo renovation, particularly the palaces that are being transformed into tourist attractions and hotels. For example, The Farhi House and the “Talisman” Hotel, which was originally a palace for Al Istanbuli family, and the palace of the Damascene Jewish Lizbona family.