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Nicknamed La Ghriba (“the strange” in Arabic), the synagogue of Djerba is located 11 km south of Houmt-Souk, the capital of the island. It is an essential tourist attraction in Djerba, although unfortunately, tourists who stay in club hotels hardly suspect its existence. It must be said that it is isolated in the open countryside, far from the beaches, in the center of the island, 1 kilometer from the village of Erriadh, one of the two Jewish villages of Djerba. The interior decorated with painted wood, mosaics and stained glass is quite remarkable. You have to take off your shoes and put on a yarmulke. It would be the oldest synagogue in the world, dating from 586 BC! It was founded by priests of Solomon's temple after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar the same year. The remains of the Temple are said to still be visible in some places, but there is no proof of their veracity. It was damaged by an Islamist attack in 2002. We see rabbis there reading passages from the Torah. A place steeped in history and full of emotion, also testifying to the tolerance of Tunisians. The synagogue of La Ghriba is the subject of an annual pilgrimage, on the occasion of the Jewish holiday of Lag Ba'omer (33rd day of Passover) which brings together several thousand pilgrims each year.
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