(JTA) — Unidentified assailants hurled a firebomb at the Ghriba synagogue in the Tunisian island of Djerba, causing minor damage and no injuries. The incident occurred on Tuesday night amid protests over economic condition in several Tunisian cities, though not in Djerba itself, Reuters reported. In 2002, terrorists blew up a vehicle near the synagogue,…
DJERBA, Tunisia (JTA) — Anticipating the sun’s rapid ascent in the African skies, six barefoot men align themselves early in the morning in a drafty corridor of the still-cool interior of Africa’s oldest synagogue. Casually humming a biblical hymn in Hebrew, they and an Israeli journalist hold off on holiday prayers in the hope of…
(JTA) — Tunisia will seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the island of Djerba, the site of an annual Jewish pilgrimage. Tunisia’s culture minister, Mohamed Zine El-Abidine, made the announcement on Sunday, the last day of the traditional Lag b’Omer pilgrimage near the Ghriba synagogue on Djerba, an island off the coast of Tunisia. He…
Tunisia has increased security for a traditional Lag b’Omer procession on the island of Djerba. Additional police and military officers were assigned to the area and roadblocks were installed at entrances to the island and near hotels for the events on Wednesday and Thursday. About 500 foreign visitors are expected for the celebration, down from…
For an old Moscow hand who had the privilege to cover the last days of the Soviet Union for the Forward 25 years ago, Tunis feels a bit like perestroika. From every restaurant and hotel lobby, television screens blare commentators of all persuasions arguing passionately about politics with raised voices and rapid-fire gesticulations as the…
A Jewish Tunisian man was stabbed in the chest after a fight at the Jewish market in Djerba. Tunisia’s chief rabbi, Chaim Bitan, was quoted as telling the news site AfricanManager.com that the unnamed victim sustained wounds that are not life threatening in the stabbing Thursday and is currently in hospital. The report did not…
Tunisia’s tourism minister has been summoned to appear before the country’s parliament to explain her decision to allow Israelis to enter the country on their passports for a religious festival. Tunisia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel; the lawmakers say that allowing the religious pilgrims to use their Israeli passports is tantamount to recognizing…
Police in Tunisia arrested a man they believe stabbed a local middle-aged Jew on the island of Djerba. The suspected aggressor, 38-year-old Lasaad Tounsi, is believed to have caused minor injuries to Morris Bachiri, a Jewish merchant from El Hara El Kabira, on Monday by assaulting him with a sharp object, the French-language news website…
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