What Happened to Syria?

Milad majid! Did you know that Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7th? This episode examines the millennia-long history of Christianity in Syria, the ways that Christians have participated in both the Syrian Revolution and Syrian Civil War, and ending with an overview of the country's Christmas traditions. This one's got everything from empires and caliphates to revolutionaries protesting against a dictator and even an immortal camel who brings presents to children once a year.  Sources / Quotes: https://www.worldofchristmas.net/christmas-world/syria.html [https://www.worldofchristmas.net/christmas-world/syria.html] https://countrystudies.us/syria/34.htm [https://countrystudies.us/syria/34.htm] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-22270455 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-22270455] https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/syrias-christians-personal-story-stolen-legacy [https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/syrias-christians-personal-story-stolen-legacy] https://minorityrights.org/minorities/christians-armenians-and-assyrians/ [https://minorityrights.org/minorities/christians-armenians-and-assyrians/] https://international.la-croix.com/news/politics/christian-communities-in-iraq-and-syria-are-still-very-fragile/17807 [https://international.la-croix.com/news/politics/christian-communities-in-iraq-and-syria-are-still-very-fragile/17807] https://www.hart-uk.org/blog/the-religious-landscape-in-syria-part-1/ [https://www.hart-uk.org/blog/the-religious-landscape-in-syria-part-1/] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-war-anniversary-christians-assad-manipulation [https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-war-anniversary-christians-assad-manipulation] https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/why-christian-communities-in-northeastern-syria-may-soon-be-gone/ [https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/why-christian-communities-in-northeastern-syria-may-soon-be-gone/] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/we-must-defend-ourselves-christian-fighters-warpath-raqqa [https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/we-must-defend-ourselves-christian-fighters-warpath-raqqa] https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-christmas-syria-homs-20211223-fec7pqar7jde7myh3qv77dsxny-story.html [https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-christmas-syria-homs-20211223-fec7pqar7jde7myh3qv77dsxny-story.html] https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/christmas-middle-east-traditions [https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/christmas-middle-east-traditions] https://www.damascena.co.uk/posts/how-christmas-is-celebrated-in-damascus [https://www.damascena.co.uk/posts/how-christmas-is-celebrated-in-damascus] https://www.newarab.com/news/youth-exodus-takes-joy-out-syria-christmas-celebrations [https://www.newarab.com/news/youth-exodus-takes-joy-out-syria-christmas-celebrations] https://syriacpress.com/blog/2020/12/27/first-ever-erected-christmas-tree-in-kobani-deliberately-burnt/ [https://syriacpress.com/blog/2020/12/27/first-ever-erected-christmas-tree-in-kobani-deliberately-burnt/] https://time.com/4617957/aleppo-christians-christmas-syria/ [https://time.com/4617957/aleppo-christians-christmas-syria/] https://csi-usa.org/there-were-about-1300-christians-in-idlib-but-now-only-two-remain/ [https://csi-usa.org/there-were-about-1300-christians-in-idlib-but-now-only-two-remain/] https://npasyria.com/en/89664/ [https://npasyria.com/en/89664/] https://syriafreedomforever.wordpress.com/2013/12/25/christmas-in-liberated-saraqeb-idlib-provence-syria/ [https://syriafreedomforever.wordpress.com/2013/12/25/christmas-in-liberated-saraqeb-idlib-provence-syria/] https://syriadirect.org/hts-looks-to-idlibs-christians-and-druze-to-whitewash-violations/ [https://syriadirect.org/hts-looks-to-idlibs-christians-and-druze-to-whitewash-violations/] https://www.newarab.com/news/syrian-christians-reopen-church-hts-dominated-idlib [https://www.newarab.com/news/syrian-christians-reopen-church-hts-dominated-idlib] https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/16181 [https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/16181] https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/early-christian [https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/early-christian] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7nfOGsuo2I [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7nfOGsuo2I] https://syriadirect.org/syrian-christians-exploited-or-protected-minority/ [https://syriadirect.org/syrian-christians-exploited-or-protected-minority/] https://www.ncronline.org/news/christian-activists-say-militias-target-religious-minorities-syria [https://www.ncronline.org/news/christian-activists-say-militias-target-religious-minorities-syria] https://www.newarab.com/news/syrian-christians-reopen-church-hts-dominated-idlib [https://www.newarab.com/news/syrian-christians-reopen-church-hts-dominated-idlib] https://npasyria.com/en/89664/ [https://npasyria.com/en/89664/] https://syriadirect.org/hts-looks-to-idlibs-christians-and-druze-to-whitewash-violations/ [https://syriadirect.org/hts-looks-to-idlibs-christians-and-druze-to-whitewash-violations/] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/christmas-middle-east-santa-sahlab-dabke-photos [https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/christmas-middle-east-santa-sahlab-dabke-photos] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/03/03/muslim-syrian-refugees-converting-christianity/98685852/ [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/03/03/muslim-syrian-refugees-converting-christianity/98685852/] https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1RS19E/ [https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1RS19E/] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/30/muslim-refugees-converting-christianity-find-safety/ [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/30/muslim-refugees-converting-christianity-find-safety/] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/life-under-isis-led-these-muslims-christ-n963281 [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/life-under-isis-led-these-muslims-christ-n963281] https://www.newsweek.com/evangelical-christian-church-muslim-converts-syria-isis-1398210 [https://www.newsweek.com/evangelical-christian-church-muslim-converts-syria-isis-1398210] https://syriacpress.com/blog/2020/07/19/christianity-in-syria-a-policy-of-persecution-or-deliberate-attempts-to-eliminate-it-once-and-for-all-part-2/ [https://syriacpress.com/blog/2020/07/19/christianity-in-syria-a-policy-of-persecution-or-deliberate-attempts-to-eliminate-it-once-and-for-all-part-2/] https://syrianobserver.com/features/51332/kurds-embrace-christianity-and-kobani-celebrates-inauguration-of-church.html [https://syrianobserver.com/features/51332/kurds-embrace-christianity-and-kobani-celebrates-inauguration-of-church.html]

Merry Christmas! Sadly, the World Food Program has had their funding cut by 60 percent. Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/ [https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/]). Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot.  Sources / Quotes:   https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-scale-down-operations-syria-donors-gather-brussels-ahead-major-conference [https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-scale-down-operations-syria-donors-gather-brussels-ahead-major-conference]   https://www.wfp.org/news/tight-funding-forces-wfp-reduce-food-assistance-syrian-refugees-jordan-including-camps [https://www.wfp.org/news/tight-funding-forces-wfp-reduce-food-assistance-syrian-refugees-jordan-including-camps]   https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/venezuela-situation [https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/venezuela-situation]   https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/dr-congo-emergency [https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/dr-congo-emergency]   https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/a-record-6-9-million-people-have-been-displaced-in-congos-growing-conflict-the-u-n-says [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/a-record-6-9-million-people-have-been-displaced-in-congos-growing-conflict-the-u-n-says]   https://www.iom.int/news/record-high-displacement-drc-nearly-7-million [https://www.iom.int/news/record-high-displacement-drc-nearly-7-million]   https://www.cfr.org/blog/catastrophic-displacement-democratic-republic-congo [https://www.cfr.org/blog/catastrophic-displacement-democratic-republic-congo]   https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/syria-emergency [https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/syria-emergency]   https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/ukraine-emergency [https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/ukraine-emergency]   https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/rohingya-emergency [https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/rohingya-emergency]    https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/afghanistan-emergency [https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/afghanistan-emergency]    https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/how-many-refugees/2/ [https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/how-many-refugees/2/]    https://www.kiva.org/blog/where-do-refugees-come-from-and-where-do-they-go [https://www.kiva.org/blog/where-do-refugees-come-from-and-where-do-they-go]    https://www.statista.com/statistics/272999/refugees-by-source-country/ [https://www.statista.com/statistics/272999/refugees-by-source-country/]    https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/forced-to-flee-top-countries-refugees-coming-from [https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/forced-to-flee-top-countries-refugees-coming-from]   https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/ [https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/]   https://concernusa.org/news/largest-refugee-crises/ [https://concernusa.org/news/largest-refugee-crises/]   https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230620-key-figures-record-high-numbers-of-refugees-and-displaced-people-worldwide [https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230620-key-figures-record-high-numbers-of-refugees-and-displaced-people-worldwide]    https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-44-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-Jerusalem?__cf_chl_tk=jT9ELr.V5lDgrzvo7UkBg1AN_dvJ8Gin0VBYa_LtOR4-1703204552-0-gaNycGzNIVA [https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-44-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-Jerusalem?__cf_chl_tk=jT9ELr.V5lDgrzvo7UkBg1AN_dvJ8Gin0VBYa_LtOR4-1703204552-0-gaNycGzNIVA]   https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-tent-city-rafah-bombardment-sheets-buckets-rcna129543 [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-tent-city-rafah-bombardment-sheets-buckets-rcna129543]   https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-facts [https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-facts]   https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/rohingya-emergency [https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/rohingya-emergency]    https://www.wfp.org/news/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-face-grim-choices-more-cuts-food-assistance-imminent [https://www.wfp.org/news/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-face-grim-choices-more-cuts-food-assistance-imminent]

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades. This prompts Bashar al-Assad to authorize a campaign of repression across Syria, among the earliest of his crimes against humanity. Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/ [https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/]). Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot.  Sources / Quotes: Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek Syria by Dr. David Lesch Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio “Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html [http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html] Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI] “Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765] “Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762] “At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk [https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk]

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing. The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades. Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/. Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot.  Sources / Quotes: Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek Syria by Dr. David Lesch Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio “Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html [http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html] Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI] “Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765] “Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762] “At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk [https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk]

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing. The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades. Sources / Quotes: Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek Syria by Dr. David Lesch Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio “Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html [http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html] Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI] “Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765] “Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762] “At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk [https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk]