The Safra family is a prominent Brazilian family of Syrian Jewish descent.
[1][2][3] The Safras were bankers and gold traders originally from Aleppo.
[4][5] During the time of the Ottoman Empire they were engaged in the financing of caravan trade between Beirut, Aleppo, Istanbul and Alexandria.
[6][7] In 1914, Jacob Safra settled in Beirut, and he opened his first Bank, Banque Jacob E. Safra, in 1920.
It quickly prospered, benefiting from a massive influx of Syrian businessmen and merchants who became Jacob's customer base.