Archive

Slat Ribi Eliezer and Cemetery, Djerba (Jerba, Jarbah, جربة), Tunisia

Description

Description of the Synagogue

Slat Ribi Eliezer is often considered to be the most beautiful synagogue in Hara Kebira, [1] and it is not difficult to see why. Although it may seem modest from the outside, inside it is gleaming with spiraling marble columns, lovely mosaic decals on the walls, and polished tile floors. The synagogue is lit naturally via a thatched roof on top, making it feel quite warm and calm. The mosaics are intricate and warmly colored, with alternating tones of dark green, ochre, and deep blue, and the patterns vary expertly. [3] It is an intensely charming and lovely synagogue. In one corner is a beth midrash (“house of study”), with the wall mosaics warm shades of ochre and teal, and a bench along two windows that stream in warm light. Old leather volumes sit upon a table in front of the benches, comically situated next to a plastic lounge chair that somehow manages to blend in. Then there is the main sanctuary of the synagogue, which is truly something to behold: it stands tall and high, supported by marvelous marble columns with scarlet decals along their edges, and from the roof hang gorgeous glassblown lamps of varying colors. The roof itself is painted in a deep, ocean blue, as well as middle panels of brown and beige, and each slab of roof is characterized by icons that look like large, complex suns. The same mosaic patterns line the walls in their entirety and are expertly matched by lovely stained-glass windows of similar colors. Finally, The Torak Ark rests safely behind a wonderful parochet, dark black with golden trim and featuring simple, yet lovely flower decals along its sides. A gold-outlined crown rests above a passage in Hebrew. [3] The synagogue is known locally for its mosaics and creative geometric patterns, yet what has stood out the most is its beautiful painted woodwork. [1] No other synagogue in Hara Kebira demonstrates such a dedication to aesthetics as Slat Ribi Eliezer, which only endears it more to the locals who come to it.

Description of the Cemetery

The cemetery is not as vibrant and flashy as the synagogue, yet it still holds up as a lovely and peaceful place of worship and reverence. Verdant trees loom over one corner of the cemetery like peaceful protectors, with leaves and tendrils reaching down upon the tops of tombstones. The tombstones themselves are divided between those that were damaged in the aftermath of their abandonment, and those that have withstood the test of time. Some are crumbled and broken, nothing more than a pile of stone and debris; others are gleaming with obvious care and proudly display their Hebrew script to all who visit. In one of the farther ends of the cemetery rests a stone wall, shaped almost like a column, beneath which a few lovely patches of daisies grow. They bring about a sense of brightness and joy to the cemetery, as if they are there to reassure visitors that this cemetery is well-loved and looked after. [3]

But who was Rabbi Eliezer?

Truthfully, nobody knows. Hara Kebira is home to a few synagogues, yet Slat Ribi Eliezer is somewhat isolated from the rest of them. Therefore, that history is lost, even to the locals. [1]

History of the Village

There are two Jewish villages on the island of Djerba, with Hara Seghira being the smaller and Hara Kebira being the larger. It is unknown when exactly Hara Kebira was founded, but its earliest instance can be found on an Italian map dating back to 1587. [2]
Being that it was the larger village, Hara Kebira enjoyed its status as the most educated and prosperous of the two on the island. It continued to flourish under the French Protectorate, established in 1881, wherein the villagers were given more resources to work with. Naturally, what followed was a rivalry between Hara Kebira and Hara Seghira, yet interestingly enough, the women from the former were often married to the men of the latter. In this sense, despite their differences, there was always a sense of connectedness between the villages. [2]
Hara Kebira only continued to grow over the years, totaling to a maximum of about 3400 Jewish residents by 1946. Unfortunately, what followed was a dramatic decrease wherein the Jews of Hara Kebira left en masse for France and Israel in the 40s and 50s. During their absence, the population of the village became mostly comprised by Muslims who eventually renamed the town al-Sawani, the “irrigated gardens.” The name may be poetic, but it fails to acknowledge the staggering cultural loss of the remaining Jews who still reside there. [2]

Djerba, Tunisia

© Mapbox, © OpenStreetMap

Gallery

‹ › ×