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Damascus Chef Embraces Kosher Cuisine Amid Cultural Shift

2/10/2026

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Summary

Story summary

In Damascus, Abd Alrahman Qahwahji, a hotel chef, prepares kosher dishes, signaling a cultural shift after the late-2024 ouster of Bashar al-Assad.
The move reflects changes in a country that once had about 30,000 Jews.
Many Jews left during conflicts after Israel's establishment, with most departing in the early 1990s.
Abd Alrahman Qahwahji, who fled Syria during the civil war, notes this is his first experience with kosher cuisine.

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Story summary

In Damascus, Abd Alrahman Qahwahji, a hotel chef, prepares kosher dishes, signaling a cultural shift after the late-2024 ouster of Bashar al-Assad.
The move reflects changes in a country that once had about 30,000 Jews.
Many Jews left during conflicts after Israel's establishment, with most departing in the early 1990s.
Abd Alrahman Qahwahji, who fled Syria during the civil war, notes this is his first experience with kosher cuisine.