The History of Jews in Tunisia:
The Jewish community in Tunisia is an integral part of Tunisian society, as Jews arrived in Tunisia over a thousand years ago and established their first settlement on the island of Djerba. They lived in harmony and safety alongside the other island inhabitants. According to the Jewish heritage researcher Bernard Allali, the history of Jews in Tunisia dates back to the second century BC, while the Jewish history specialist Claire Rubenchatin asserts that the presence of Jews began with the formation of Tunisia. This was followed by the migration of the Andalusian Jews who were expelled along with the Moriscos from Spain in 1609 AD and settled in Testour, founded on a Roman site called “Tchila” in northeastern Tunisia. The place where the Jews settled in Testour has maintained its name “Hara al-Yahoud” (Jewish Quarter) to this day.
In the 17th century, Tunisia witnessed new waves of Jewish immigrants coming specifically from the Italian city of Livorno, known as the “Grana” or Granadan Jews, as they had lived in Granada in Andalusia before settling in Italy. The Grana Jews were distinct from the Tunisian Jews due to an agreement with the Ottoman ruler of Tunisia at the time, and they enjoyed French protection and had considerable wealth. This created a social rift between them and the impoverished Tunisian Jews who worked in labor-intensive jobs.
The Grana Jews in Tunisia initiated a cultural revolution, establishing private schools that taught Hebrew and followed European curricula. The diplomat and businessman Giacomo di Castellano Fu was among the first to embark on this endeavor. The Grana community embraced these schools, while the Jews of Djerba did not respond to them as they did not respect the cultural specificity that distinguished Tunisian Jews from other newcomers.
The Jewish community in Tunisia, despite a significant decline in their numbers over the years, is still one of the largest Jewish communities in the Arab region. According to estimates, the current Jewish population in the country ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 individuals, whereas they numbered around 100,000 before Tunisia’s independence from France in 1956. Most of them reside on the island of Djerba in the southeast of Tunisia, which houses 11 Jewish synagogues in two neighborhoods known as “Hara al-Kubra” (Big Quarter) and “Hara al-Sughra” (Small Quarter), among more than 20 Jewish synagogues and temples across the country. Some Jewish homes are distinguished by Hebrew inscriptions on their walls.
When the Jews arrived on the island of Djerba, they built the El Ghriba Synagogue, their first synagogue in Africa, believed to have been constructed around 2500 years ago. El Ghriba Synagogue is one of the most significant Jewish religious sites globally, characterized by its traditional Tunisian architectural style, golden and blue decorations covering its walls, and a rare copy of the Torah. To this day, thousands of Jewish visitors and tourists visit it annually to perform pilgrimage rituals and participate in the Tabot al-Ahd (Ark of the covenant) procession. The annual pilgrimage, known as the “Hajj al-Ghriba,” takes place on the 33rd day of the Jewish Passover and is one of the oldest traditions of Tunisian Jews.
Jews in Tunisia are known for their contribution to the culinary and cultural heritage of the country. Dr. Emad Soula, an expert in non-material heritage, notes that the Jewish non-material heritage has influenced Tunisian customs, particularly within the culinary sphere. Jews had popular restaurants in some alleys and streets of the old city of Tunis and Halq al-Wadi, where they served a variety of dishes rooted in Jewish heritage.
Even after a significant number of Jews left, their impact continued to thrive within Tunisian society, including in areas such as Jewish art, Malouf music, Habiba Messika’s songs, Sheikh al-Afrit, and more. Additionally, their traditional dishes are still prepared in many households. In addition to their cultural heritage, Dr. Soula mentions that Jews also had saints and temples, such as the Rabbi Fraiji mausoleum in Testour, which was visited by both Jews and Muslim Arabs together. There was also a temple for a Jewish saint named Rabbi Joseph in Hama, Gabes.
Dr. Fawzi Al-Badawi emphasizes that during the Middle Ages, Tunisia was a major center of Judaism, not only in North Africa but in the entire Jewish world. He pointed out that Jewish communities in Iraq and Egypt sought religious rulings from the Jews of Kairouan. After the Islamic conquest, there were no longer any Jews in the capital of the Aghlabids.
The legacy of Tunisian Jews, both material and non-material, remains a vibrant and integral part of Tunisian society and culture.
