Dubai journalist's viral thread shows the heartwarming generosity in war-torn Syria

Jenan Moussa has spent the past month in northern Syria and has shared her stories of families who have helped her

The family cooks mostly Syrian food at home, not least for Ramadan. The ingredients are a bit different here, but most things are possible to cook, says Wafaa Shabbat.

Karim Mostafa for The National
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Dozens of people have been sharing heart-warming tales of the generosity and hospitality they have received from Syrian families.

Jenan Moussa, a journalist in Dubai, has spent the past month in northern Syria and in that time, has been invited into the homes of families who have insisted on feeding her.

Moussa has been documenting the meals she has been served, and on Wednesday decided to start a thread on Twitter to share with her followers.

“Despite the poverty and the threat of war, the people here (Kurds & Arabs) have been so generous to me. It’s beyond what you imagine,” she said.

From freshly made Kibbeh and hand-picked grape leaves to “the best chicken and rice” Moussa has ever eaten, the thread shows the feasts prepared for her by Syrian families throughout her stay.

Since posting the images on Wednesday evening, the thread has been retweeted more than 1,100 times, and received more than 3,000 likes.

It has prompted dozens of others to share images and tales of similar hospitality they have received in the war-torn country and wider Middle East.

“I remember working inside refugees camps on the border and Kurds would offer me portions of the food portions they were receiving from the UN. Their hospitality changed me,” said one Twitter user.

Another added: “EXACTLY what I experienced in Syria many years ago. And Lebanon too. Abundant hospitality and succour and for a ‘stranger’ and a ‘foreigner’ I will NEVER forget. Syria & Lebanon gave me so much benevolence. I have never encountered that here in the west.”

Moussa signed off her thread by saying: “The war has done a lot of harm to the country but it didn't affect the hospitality and friendliness of the people. All of this was offered to me as a guest without asking for anything in return.”