In a moving ceremony at the National Library in Jerusalem, the public was granted a rare glimpse of the ancient “Damascus Crowns” — Torah manuscripts smuggled from Syria in a daring operation led by Rabbi Avraham Hamra.
A moving ceremony was held this week at the National Library in Jerusalem, where the public was granted a first-ever open viewing of the “Damascus Crowns” – ancient biblical manuscripts that were smuggled out of Syria to Israel at great personal risk.
The event also served as a memorial for Rabbi Avraham Hamra, the former Chief Rabbi of Syrian Jewry, who led the daring rescue operation to recover the treasured Jewish heritage.
Rabbi Binyamin Hamra, his son and the current Chief Rabbi of Syrian Jews, led the ceremony, which was attended by hundreds, including researchers and historians.
In a special gesture marking Rabbi Hamra’s memorial day, the National Library allowed an unprecedented display of the rare manuscripts.
The “Damascus Crowns” are some of the oldest Torah manuscripts in existence, featuring cantillation marks, vowel notation, and intricate masoretic commentary. They were preserved for generations in Damascus synagogues and were smuggled out using creative and covert methods.
One member of the Syrian Jewish community involved in the operation recounted: “I didn’t know what to do. I placed the crown in a suitcase and covered it with clothes. My grandmother saw what I was planning and told me, ‘Scatter candies on top so that customs officials will only see sweets.’ When I arrived, they opened the suitcase, tasted the candies, smiled — and let me through.”
Rabbi Avraham Hamra was born in Damascus in 1943. At the age of 16, he began teaching in the Jewish school and became its principal by age 19. He was later appointed Chief Rabbi of all Syrian Jews. Despite being under constant surveillance by Syrian intelligence, Rabbi Hamra openly advocated for Jewish emigration and secretly assisted young Jews in fleeing the country.
Former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy described Rabbi Hamra as “one of the heroes of the Jewish people in this generation.”
Halevy recalled an incident where two Jewish teenagers were arrested while attempting to flee across the Turkish border: “Rabbi Hamra didn’t ask for permission. He set a meeting with Hafez al-Assad and requested the boys’ release. Assad agreed.”
Halevy also revealed a rare detail about their covert collaboration: “I first met Rabbi Hamra in a safe house in New York, and from then on, we met almost every year to coordinate efforts.”
Rabbi Binyamin Hamra concluded the emotional event with a declaration: “From generation to generation, we are united. Am Yisrael Chai!” He also included a prayer for the return of the hostages.
