Enab Baladi – Jana al-Issa

This is the first Eid that Jumana Hasan spends with her family since 2012, as she left Syria in March 2014, having spent the last two Eids of 2013 inside the previous regime’s prisons.

According to what Hasan told Enab Baladi, she chose to return to Syria specifically in March, as there are multiple occasions that hold significance for her. On the tenth of the month, she was released from prison, on the 26th she left Syria with little hope of returning anytime soon, and on the 18th, it marks the anniversary of the Syrian revolution. This year, March coincided with two Islamic occasions: the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, where their customs differ completely when celebrated with family. This drove the young woman to choose this timing to celebrate all these occasions.

Syrians consider Eid an opportunity to reunite with relatives, something they have been deprived of for multiple reasons, most notably the exclusion of those who lived abroad as refugees or migrants from returning to their homeland. However, the fall of the regime has opened wide doors for them, allowing families that were separated for years to reunite, and grandparents met their grandchildren for the first time after years of wishing greetings through screens.

Although the economic and living conditions for families residing in Syria have not improved, they see in the first Eid holiday without al-Assad a great joy that helps them forget the hardships of life; however, at the same time, this joy is overshadowed by the overwhelming needs that surround them.

A family Eid for the first time

This Eid is not the first that Juhaina (30 years old) spends with her family in Damascus after leaving for Istanbul years ago, but it is the first time she could travel to Idlib, where her husband’s family resides, to see their grandchild for the first time, who is now nearly two years old.

Juhaina’s family will be able to gather in full, as her husband was previously unable to enter the country because he was wanted by the previous regime for security reasons. This alone is a cause for celebration and an opportunity to practice Eid traditions by visiting relatives and friends without any hindrance.

Juhaina, who arrived in Damascus a few days ago, described to Enab Baladi the immense feeling of comfort and the different reception of Eid this year after the liberation. She pointed out the crowds in the city’s markets like never before due to freedom of movement between all Syrian provinces and the ability of those residing abroad to visit their country after years away. Even those who are unable to purchase due to their financial situation frequent the market to see the ceremonies and customs that precede the holidays.

What distinguishes the first Eid after the fall of al-Assad is the possibility of meeting many relatives who had not seen each other in years for various reasons, most notably being prevented from visiting their homeland for security reasons.

Many of Juhaina’s relatives and friends have chosen to return to Syria either for a temporary visit or to settle during the holiday period and the days leading up to it. This has brought back the joy of crowds and the reunions with loved ones to her family home, after years of being deprived of such traditions.

Even before Eid arrived, Juhaina mentioned that Damascus experienced unprecedented beautiful rituals during Ramadan this year, as it was the first time in years that mosques were filled during Taraweeh prayers, with numbers stretching beyond the mosque into the streets. She considered this a liberation from the fear of attending mosques that Syrians previously faced.

Enjoyable noise

Maria Shaaban, a young woman who has lived between Saudi Arabia and Turkey for 12 years, returned to Syria for the first time after the liberation to spend the holiday. She considers that choosing to return during Eid is “the most enticing option for any Syrian,” as it revives memories of family gatherings during these occasions, filled with their uniqueness and the delightful noise of celebrations, after nearly forgetting the feelings of these moments.

Shaaban explains that the desire for some to return to witness the Eid celebrations is either for reminiscing about past memories they experienced years ago but were deprived of in exile or returning to explore Eid customs, especially for those youth who left as children and remember only the swings in the alleys and the simple Eid gifts.

Through her interactions with several Syrian families, Shaaban said that the segment most joyful about the arrival of the first Eid without the Assad family is the elderly, who have spent their entire lives under the rule of al-Assad, both father and son.

Market activity

Syrian markets in most provinces are witnessing activity in the lead-up to Eid al-Fitr, enhanced by a slight decrease in prices on one hand and the arrival of Syrians from abroad who invigorate the markets with their spending.

Diaa Mazyan, a clothing shop owner in rural Damascus, confirmed to Enab Baladi that market activity has improved due to the price drop compared to previous holiday periods.

Mazyan explained that what boosts sales is the influx of Syrians from neighboring countries or abroad, especially during this time, as they revive the markets due to their high purchasing power compared to the spending capacity of those residing within the country.

Joy damped by need

Despite the overwhelming sense of joy at the first Eid without al-Assad, the living and economic conditions of Syrian families overshadow this happiness, as most cannot even provide for their families, amid hopes for a promising improvement after the liberation.

Some citizens, including employees and retirees, received a financial grant for the Eid holiday equivalent to 100% of their salary, but this is not sufficient for any family.

Mohammed al-Saleh, an employee in the judicial palace in Homs, stood in a long line at the Commercial Bank of Syria to receive the government-mandated grant, which does not cover more than one child’s Eid clothing with his monthly salary of 350,000 Syrian pounds.

The value of the grant he receives can be spent in half an hour if he wishes, as reported to Enab Baladi.

Al-Saleh pays 400,000 Syrian pounds per month for transportation to his job, as he resides in Talbiseh and travels daily to the judicial palace in central Homs. These costs force him to work as a taxi driver for the remaining hours of the day to ensure his family’s basic needs.

According to recent figures published by the United Nations, more than half of the Syrian population are still displaced within and outside the country, 90% of the population lives below the poverty line, and 16.7 million people, or three out of four people in Syria, will depend on humanitarian aid by 2024.