... Nice interior view of North Africa's oldest active Jewish synagogue... the synagogue’s exterior is modest but inside it is built with the intricate details and colorful designs of the Tunisian and Moorish styles... the walls are lined with tiles and adorned with hand painted blue ornaments... the eastern end of the prayer hall serves as the spiritual epicenter of the sanctuary... it houses the Hechal (or the Holy Ark), which holds some of the most ancient and venerated Torah scrolls in the Jewish diaspora... every year thousands Jews from all over the world make a pilgrimage to the synagogue during a multi-day festival centered on the holiday of Lag BaOmer... the Jews and Muslims of Djerba have lived here together peacefully for centuries... they stand as a shining example of peace and brotherhood that the rest of the world should strive for... it is a place of history, celebration, faith and joy... Heel Erg Bedankt Veerle!ヽ(•‿•)ノ
El Ghriba is located in what was once the Jewish village of Hara Seghira and is now known as er-Riadh. The Jewish community has deep roots in Djerba. It is said Jews have lived there for over 2,500 years.
There are several stories of how the synagogue was founded in the 500s BCE. The exact details have been lost to history and a variety of legends surround the temple.
There are several other synagogues and prayer houses on Djerba, but only El Ghriba holds the Torah. This was purposely done to preserve the synagogue’s place as the center of Jewish life on the island.
El Ghriba means “the marvelous” or “the strange” in Arabic, a moniker that refers to the synagogue’s storied origins.
In 2023, Djerba was officially designated a World Heritage Site.
Stamps:
2X Tunisian Handicrafts
(Issued 10-06-2025)
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