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The dominant religion in Syria is Sunni Muslim. Muslims are monotheistic they pray to one god called Allah. Their holy book is called the Qu'ran. Muslims pray and worship in Mosques. The architecture of Mosques vary but they have some things in common.
The central area for prayer is called musalla and is kept very bare with a wide open space with no furniture for worshippers to sit, kneel, and bow at prayer. The mihrab is a semicircular indentation in the wall that is decorated and points toward the direction of Mecca. The minbar is a raised platform where sermons are given from. There are also small Jewish and Christian communities in Syria but they are a small minority.

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Typical foods are recipes with vegetables that are grown there like eggplant, zucchini, onions, lentils, and chickpeas. Meat and poultry have to be butchered according to Muslim laws. Food prepared this way is called halal.  A common recipe is Syrian Kufta

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Typical foods are recipes with vegetables that are grown there like eggplant, zucchini, onions, lentils, and chickpeas. Meat and poultry have to be butchered according to Muslim laws. Food prepared this way is called halal.  A common recipe is Syrian Kufta

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Ingredients

½ kg (1 lb) ground meat (I use a combination of lamb and veal for a tender texture)

¼ cup pine nuts (optional)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ Tbsp ground all spice

2 cans diced tomatoes (4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced)

1 large onion, cubed

2 green bell pepper, thickly sliced

3 Tbsp vegetable oil; divided

2 medium potatoes, peeled, thickly sliced

Additional salt and pepper

½ cup water

Instructions

1. Mix meat with salt, pepper, and pine nuts (optional).

2. Add half of the cinnamon and all spice and 1 Tb spoon of oil.

3. Make meat into small balls or mini logs.

4. Place on a baking sheet, and cook in the oven at 180 degrees (350 F) till they take a bit of color (about 12 min).

5. Remove from oven and set aside.

6. In the meantime, cook onions in 1 Tb of oil until it becomes translucent.

7. Remove off heat.

8. Mix potatoes with the remaining Tb of oil and roast half way in the oven till lightly golden.

9. To Assemble Kawaj:

10. Line a baking casserole with the onions.

11. Start to alternate a piece of meat, a slice of potatoes then a slice of green pepper followed by another piece of meat and so on till the whole amount is done and the casserole is full.

12. Mix diced tomatoes with the rest of spices (cinnamon and all spice), season with salt and pepper and arrange over the dish.

13. Pour half cup seasoned water (with salt and pepper) in the dish, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 min uncovering the dish in the last 5 min.

14. Serve with white rice, bread and a nice green salad.

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The Main language of Syria is Arabic. But there are some smaller minority groups that speak different languages such as Kurdish, Aramic, and Armenian.

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The Main language of Syria is Arabic. But there are some smaller minority groups that speak different languages such as Kurdish, Aramic, and Armenian.

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Syrian life revolves around a persons extended family. Loyalty to family is considered very important and put above everything else including jobs or friends.  In most Muslim communities men and women live very separate lives outside of the home.  Most employment is given to men with the exception of a few jobs held by educated women in urban areas. Women are often treated as inferiors and their place was considered as a wife and mother only.  Marriages are often arranged. Women are slowly gaining more freedom.

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Syrian life revolves around a persons extended family. Loyalty to family is considered very important and put above everything else including jobs or friends.  In most Muslim communities men and women live very separate lives outside of the home.  Most employment is given to men with the exception of a few jobs held by educated women in urban areas. Women are often treated as inferiors and their place was considered as a wife and mother only.  Marriages are often arranged. Women are slowly gaining more freedom.

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A persons social status is based off the family they were born into. For a long time social classes very rarely interacted and moving up in social classes was not done. Lighter skinned people were given preference over darker skinned people. For a long time power was held by a few wealthy families but now there are beginning to be more middle class people.  Many people are farmers but some of the other industries are oil, petrochemicals, tobacco, cement, and soap.

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Different tribes and villages have their own colors, patterns, and designs on their clothes.  Men normally wear kaftans which are long gowns and they wear head wraps.  Women wear long gowns with only their hands and feet showing as well as head wraps called hijabs.  Some women wear head wraps that leave only their eyes showing and these are called niqabs. Some educated wealthy people in the cities wear western clothing like slacks, shirts, and brightly colored dresses. This is becoming more common in young people.  It is still considered a show of wealth and status for the women in a family to be completely covered including face veils. This is a sign you are wealthy enough that the women do not have to work in the fields.  

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Different tribes and villages have their own colors, patterns, and designs on their clothes.  Men normally wear kaftans which are long gowns and they wear head wraps.  Women wear long gowns with only their hands and feet showing as well as head wraps called hijabs.  Some women wear head wraps that leave only their eyes showing and these are called niqabs. Some educated wealthy people in the cities wear western clothing like slacks, shirts, and brightly colored dresses. This is becoming more common in young people.  It is still considered a show of wealth and status for the women in a family to be completely covered including face veils. This is a sign you are wealthy enough that the women do not have to work in the fields.  

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https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=traditional+syrian+dance&view=detail&mid=5188DFFF59384760D8495188DFFF59384760D849&FORM=VIRE

In the first video the refugees find comfort in music from their home.
In the second video you see a traditional Syrian dance.
Arabic music is tied into storytelling and traditions. The music often tells a story of love, family, or honor. Common instruments are the oud a stringed instrument, small drums, and flutes.

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Syria has had an authoritarian government since 1971. The country has been run by the Assad regime. First by Bashar Al- Assad and then his son Haffiz Al-Assad. Syria officially is supposed to be a parliamentary republic but because the executive branch or president can choose which political parties can participate in politics the Arab Socialist Baath Party has control of the government. The president can also change the constitution at will and has broad powers. In 2011 opposition militias against the ruling government began to form and in 2012 a full civil war broke out.  The minority Alawite Muslims run the government while the majority of the Muslims in Syria are Sunis. So there is religious and political divides.

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Syria has had an authoritarian government since 1971. The country has been run by the Assad regime. First by Bashar Al- Assad and then his son Haffiz Al-Assad. Syria officially is supposed to be a parliamentary republic but because the executive branch or president can choose which political parties can participate in politics the Arab Socialist Baath Party has control of the government. The president can also change the constitution at will and has broad powers. In 2011 opposition militias against the ruling government began to form and in 2012 a full civil war broke out.  The minority Alawite Muslims run the government while the majority of the Muslims in Syria are Sunis. So there is religious and political divides.

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Economic troubles and lack of freedom led people to revolt. The war has killed more than 400,000 people and more than half of Syria's 20 million population has been displaced. This led to a refugee crises in Europe as people fled the war.

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Islam forbids any artistic depiction of animals or humans so for a very long time Syrian Art was mostly geometric designs and Calligraphy.

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Islam forbids any artistic depiction of animals or humans so for a very long time Syrian Art was mostly geometric designs and Calligraphy.

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Some people have begun to create art in a more western way. This painting represents a Syrian Refugee women looking over the sea towards home. It also shows her mouth covered with the water which looks like a scarf. This could represent some of the people who drowned trying to flee Syria.

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Syrians have lots of traditions that surround their Muslim faith. These customs and traditions are very important to their culture from their clothing like hijabs to their food preparation like halal. Family is an important part of their culture. It is customary to live with extended family and to have arranged marriages. Women are traditionally segregated from men outside of the home. Large families are normal and it is considered a blessing to have a lot of children. Some of the most aTraditoins are their foods festivals and dances some of the festivals they celebrate are the Bosra festival which takes place in September.

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Syrians have a long history of story telling and poetry.  Poets such as al-Mutanabbi and al-Maarri date back to the 900s. Memorizing and reciting parts of the Koran and performing them is a popular form of entertainment. The government
censors a lot of what is written and published and if you wrote something they don't like you could be put in prison or fined. Short stories and poetry are very popular and some Syrian authors are Nizar Quabbani and Shaqwhi Baghdadi.

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Most Syrian holidays center around the Muslim belief.  Ramadan is a month of fasting followed by Eid al Fitr which is a joyful feast and people visit family and exchange gifts. Eid al Adha is another Muslim holy day. Some secular holidays are New Years on January 1, Revolution day on March 8, and Martyrs Day in memory of the nations hero's on April 6.

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Most Syrian holidays center around the Muslim belief.  Ramadan is a month of fasting followed by Eid al Fitr which is a joyful feast and people visit family and exchange gifts. Eid al Adha is another Muslim holy day. Some secular holidays are New Years on January 1, Revolution day on March 8, and Martyrs Day in memory of the nations hero's on April 6.

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Syria has a command economy.  Their economy isn't very strong because of the government control so their isn't enough investment and enterprise. Syria has a GDP of 4,800 per capita which makes it one of the poorer countries in the world. Syria's  main commodities are agriculture and oil with some heavy industry.  The literacy rate is 86.4 percent. The life expectancy is 74 years. The current civil war has caused a lot of damage to the economy. Many people have lost their homes and jobs. 

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Syria has a command economy.  Their economy isn't very strong because of the government control so their isn't enough investment and enterprise. Syria has a GDP of 4,800 per capita which makes it one of the poorer countries in the world. Syria's  main commodities are agriculture and oil with some heavy industry.  The literacy rate is 86.4 percent. The life expectancy is 74 years. The current civil war has caused a lot of damage to the economy. Many people have lost their homes and jobs. 

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Eid al Fitr