A Jewish community in the Arab world
In Djerba there is a Jewish community that exists peacefully in the middle of an Arab world of Muslims. And that for over 2.000 years.
It is said that the first Jews in 586 B.C. Fled to Djerba. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem, destroyed Solomon's temple and evacuated the Jewish people. To escape captivity, they started looking for a new home, which they found in Meninx, today's Djerba. It is more likely, however, that they did not come to North Africa until 600 years later, after Titus' temple was destroyed. They settled in El Kantara. However, there are only meager remains of a former synagogue.
At that time the place Hara Sghira was founded, which is now called Erriadh. The Jews built a synagogue there with the name La Ghriba, which means “the wonderful one”, but also means “the foreigner”.
There are many legends about this synagogue: One says that a meteorite is said to have struck that very rock - a holy stone from the destroyed temple in Jerusalem.
The synagogue is open to visitors at all times, except on Jewish holidays, and houses the oldest Torah in the world. The caravanserai across the street accepts pilgrims and offers shelter to learned thinkers. This natural, peaceful coexistence of Arab and Jewish worlds speaks for Djerba and its inhabitants.
Even today, Jewish culture is still present on the island. The number of Jews is slowly decreasing, however, as many return to their homeland of Israel. The settlements inhabited by the Jews, which are located south of Houmt Souk, are called Hara Kbira and Hara Sghira (the large and small ghetto).
