New footage aired Monday evening on Israel’s Kan public broadcaster showed a freshly dug pit beside the tomb, evidence of an apparent effort to remove the 16th-century rabbi’s bones. Syrian gunmen were seen standing near the site, though their exact role was unclear.
Rabbi Chaim Vital (1542–1620) was one of the most influential figures in Jewish mysticism. Born in Safed, he became the foremost disciple of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the founder of modern Kabbalah. Vital’s writings, including Etz Chaim ("Tree of Life") and Shaar HaGilgulim ("The Gate of Reincarnations"), helped preserve and spread Luria’s teachings, shaping centuries of Jewish thought.
In his later years, Vital relocated to Damascus, where he lived until his death in 1620. His burial site has long been revered as a Jewish holy site, although today almost no Jews remain in Syria following decades of persecution and war.
Rabbi Hamra’s office confirmed that after he appealed to Syrian authorities, local security teams were dispatched to protect the site. A special international emergency task force was also reportedly established to monitor developments.
"The pain is immense, and the desecration of this sacred site is extremely serious," Hamra said in a statement.
הרב שגרם לשיתוף פעולה אזורי חריג, יותר מ-400 שנה אחרי מותו: בעקבות חילול קברו של הרב חיים ויטאל בסוריה, הודיע רבה הראשי של יהדות סוריה בישראל כי בעקבות בקשתו, הוצבו צוותי אבטחה סוריים בבית הקברות בדמשק@kaisos1987 #חדשותהערב pic.twitter.com/Yfvod1pwR0
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) April 28, 2025
The incident led to a public call urging Syria to protect Jewish sites
The incident at Vital’s tomb drew international attention after the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic Countries issued a public call on Saturday urging Syria to safeguard Jewish heritage sites, synagogues, and cemeteries.
"This act of desecration is not just an offense against Jewish heritage," the Alliance said in a statement, "but an affront to the broader principle of protecting religious and cultural diversity in the Middle East."
The desecration of Jewish heritage sites has been an ongoing concern in Syria, where war and instability have endangered numerous historic synagogues, cemeteries, and monuments. Jewish leaders emphasized that preserving Rabbi Vital’s tomb is not only important for the Jewish people but also vital for protecting the multicultural history of the region.