Where did Syrian Jews come from?
Syrian Jews had predominantly two origins: those who inhabited Syria from early times and the Sephardim who fled to Syria after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 CE. There were large Jewish communities in Aleppo, Damascus, and Qamishli for centuries.
Who lives in Deal NJ?
Inset: Location of Monmouth County in New Jersey. Deal boasts a significant population of Orthodox Sephardi Jews, mainly of Syrian extraction. As much as 80% of Deal’s population are Sephardi Jews, and the year-round population jumps ten-fold to over 6,000 during the summer, many of them Syrian Jews.
Is Deal NJ rich?
Deal has one of the largest population of Syrian Jewish communities in the country. That the wealthy town of Deal has a Syrian Jewish community at all owes to its place as a summer favorite for Syrian Jews from Brooklyn, more than 10,000 of whom visit each June through September.
How many Jews are in Deal NJ?
During the summer, the population in Deal swells from 1,000 to about 6,000 people, and about 80 percent of the summer community is Syrian Jewish, says Jim Foley, the borough historian.
Who are Syrians descended from?
Syrians emerged from various origins; the main influence came from ancient Semitic peoples, populations from Arabia and Mesopotamia, while Greco-Roman influence is marginal.
What is the history of Syrian Jews?
While some Syrian Jewish families posses ancient roots, others have a history of arriving in Syria following the 15th century Inquisitions, although these latter Jews would soon lose their Spanish tongue and assimilate into the greater society.
When did Syrian Jews migrate to America?
Jews continued to emigrate from Syria into the early 20th century. From around 1908, many Syrian Jews migrated to New York City, where the Brooklyn community is now the world’s largest single Syrian Jewish community.
How many Syrian Jews are there in the US?
Outside Israel, the largest Syrian Jewish community is in Brooklyn, New York and is estimated at 75,000 strong. There are smaller communities elsewhere in the United States and in Latin America. In 2011, there had been about 250 Jews still living within Syria, mostly in Damascus.
Where did the Syrian Jews settle in New York?
Syrian Jews first immigrated to New York in 1892. The first Syrian Jew to arrive was Jacob Abraham Dwek, along with Ezra Abraham Sitt. They initially lived on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Later settlements were in Bensonhurst, Midwood, Flatbush, and along Ocean Parkway in Gravesend, Brooklyn.