In Syria, many of the Circassian lived in five villages in the Golan Heights. After the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, these Circassian withdrew further into Syria, specifically to the slum districts of Damascus. Finding their settlement unsatisfactory, they petitioned the United States in the mid-1970's to be granted asylum. The U.S. allowed many of them to immigrate to America, where they settled in New Jersey and New York City.

What are their lives like?
Despite recent difficulties, the Circassian who remained in Syria have done fairly well economically. Many now work in various levels of government, civil service, or the military. They have managed to preserve their lifestyle from Palestinian influence and have avoided persecution for their somewhat conservative religious views.

Most Circassian are multi- lingual. They learn Arabic in school, speak Adygey (their native language) among themselves, and study English. Students in junior high school often study written Circassian, a language that uses the Cyrillic script but is not related to Russian. However, there are no Circassian newspapers and very few Circassian books printed in Syria.

Cultural events play an important role in maintaining the ethnic identity of the Circassian. Traditionally, a Circassian was never without his dagger, and few things were more important to him than his weapons. During holidays and weddings, they perform folk dances and songs in their traditional dress. The men wear long coats to their knees and black wool hats, and the women wear embroidered silk dresses. The dancing is in a squatting Cossack style, and the main musical instrument is the accordion.

Historically, the Circassian were organized into four castes: pshi (princes), warq (nobles), tlfaquat'l (freemen), and pshit'l (slaves). The princes organized the overall wealth and external relations of the villages. The freemen were farmers, herdsmen, or worked in plants. The slaves served the princes and nobles as servants and laborers. Today, this system survives merely as a tradition of origin for Circassian families.

In the family, the wife has authority over many of the household matters, but the husband has the ultimate decision in cases of dispute. The extended family unit is set in the context of the tlapq, or the clan, which consists of male relatives who descended from a particular ancestor. Members of a tlapq all share the same family name.

Marriages are traditionally based on love or an interest on the part of both man and woman. The Circassian generally marry late; usually in their early thirties.

What are their beliefs?
Christianity was introduced to the Circassian between the sixth and twelfth centuries by Byzantine missionaries. However, they have been Sunni Muslims for the past three or four hundred years. Nevertheless, many pagan relics and some forms of Eastern Orthodox Christianity still exist in their oral traditions and religious practices. They are viewed by many of the orthodox Middle Eastern Muslims as being very liberal.

What are their needs?
Currently, the Circassian of Syria have only one missions agency working among them. Although the New Testament and the Jesus film are available in their language, the number of Circassian believers is extremely small. Much prayer and intercession are needed to tear down the spiritual strongholds that have kept the Circassian bound and in darkness for so many years.

Prayer Points

• Ask the Lord of the harvest to open the doors of Syria to Christian missionaries.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to grant wisdom and favor to the missions agency that is targeting the Circassian of Syria.
• Pray for effectiveness of the Jesus film among the Circassian.
• Pray that God will give the few Circassian believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
• Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the spiritual soil of Syria through worship and intercession.
• Ask the Lord to save key Circassian leaders in Syria who will boldly declare the Gospel.
• Pray that the Circassian will hunger to know Jesus and that God will reveal Himself to them through dreams and visions.
• Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Circassian of Syria.

THE PEOPLE

• People name: Circassian
• Country: Syria
• Their language: Adygey (Cherkess)
• Population: (1990) 28,500
  (1995) 33,800
  (2000) 40,000
• Largest religion: Muslim (Sunni) 99.8%
• Christians: <1%
• Church members: 68
• Scriptures in their own language: New Testament
• Jesus Film in their own language: Available
• Christian broadcasts in their own language: None
• Mission agencies working among this people: 1
• Persons who have heard the Gospel: 13,600 (41%) Those evangelized by local Christians: 1,800 (6%)
  Those evangelized from the outside: 11,800 (35%)
• Persons who have never heard the Gospel: 20,200 (59%)

• Country: Syria
• Population: (1990) 12,348,100
  (1995) 14,661,500
  (2000) 17,328,900
• Major peoples in size order: Syrian Arab 74.8%
  Bedouin Arab 7.4%
  Western Kurd 7.3%
  Palestinian Arab 3.9%
• Major religions: Muslims 89.7%
  Christians 8.1%
  Nonreligious 2%
• Number of denominations: 21