The Jewish Roots of Fiq: Is Syria's New Leader Descended from Jews?

The Jewish Roots of Fiq: Is Syria's New Leader Descended from Jews?

Little is known about the past of the Islamist, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Still, his dramatic rise to Syria’s presidency has brought unexpected attention to a long-abandoned village in the Golan Heights with deep biblical and Jewish connections. His former name, al-Julani, hints at his family’s history in the Golan. A little bit of digging reveals that his family’s ancestral home is a village with deep Jewish and Christian roots connecting the city to th…