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Synagogue, Ghar Al Milh (غارالملح), Tunisia
Approximate location of the synagogue in Ghar Al Milh (غارالملح), Tunisia.
An archived photograph captures a horse pulling a cart, casually passing by a former synagogue site in Ghar al-Milh, Tunisia. The discolored and peeling paint that covers the exterior of the structure suggests that the building has been abandoned, however, the interior proves otherwise.[1]
Description
Site Description
An arched doorway and double metal doors guard the entrance of the former site of the synagogue of Ghar al-Milh in Tunisia. The metalic blue doors have ornate work at the top, similar architectural motifs found in other Jewish sites in Tunisia. The overall blueprint of the site reveals a network of doors and pathways that direct the individual throughout the various rooms within the structure. Opened doors are covered by blue striped textiles; these fabric partitions allow for the wind to enter while maintaining privacy at the same time. A web of strings decorates the top sections of the pathways, strings purposed for drying clothes. What does this say about the town? This may hint at the high temperatures and strong winds of the region. The interior paint of the structure appears to be well-maintained, a visible difference from the deteriorating state of the outside walls. In the courtyard, a lime tree grows, providing the tenants with limes and shelter from the sun’s rays. [2]
The site no longer functions as a synagogue. Instead, it appears to be a residential area, a probable reason why the outside facade is unkept while the interior has been remodeled. The room in which the former synagogue was located has been transformed into a living space, however, the architectural form is evidence of what it used to be. A high-arched ceiling stretched from the doorway in the tunnel-like room. [2] At the end of the room is an arched frame and wall where an armoire has been placed, concealing possible traces of the former site behind it. Decorative sheets, embellished furniture and carpets cover the ceramic floor. Re-painted blue walls and white ceilings give the room a beautiful style. [2]
Jews of Ghar al-Milhp
Ghar al-Milh, a coastal town once known as Porto Farina, is located in the north of Tunisia. This small town was once a naval base and network center for pirates during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. [3] Historical records document seemingly contradictory population reports for the Jewish community of Porta Farina. Some documented archives dating half a century before document publication (1869) note that the port town’s Jewish inhabitants numbered 25 individuals. Other accounts document up to 1,500 Jews. [4] [5] Looking at the remains of the once short-lived-sacred Jewish site, we can assume that the Jewish population has ceased to exist in Ghar al-Milh, Tunisia.
Sources
Notes
[1] Chyrstie Sherman, “Exterior 4, Synagogue, Ghar Al Milh, Tunisia,” Diarna, Tunisia Trip Summer 2016, accessed August 2018, http://archive.diarna.org/site/detail/public/1665/.
[2] Chyrstie Sherman, Tunisia Trip Summer 2016, accessed August, 2018.
[3] Julia Ann. Clancy-Smith, “Mediterraneans : North Africa and Europe in an age of migration, c. 1800-1900,” Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011, accessed Augusst, 2018, ebrary.
[4] Amos Perry, Carthage and Tunis: past and present: in two parts, Providence Press Company, Printers, 1869. GooglePlay/Books, accessed August 2018, 483, https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=v2eCAAAAIAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA483.
[5] Isidore Singer and Cyrus Adler, The Jewish encyclopedia ; a descriptive record of the history, religion, literature, and customs of the Jewish people from the earliest times, prepared...under the direction of...Cyrus Adler [and others] Isidore Singer, managing editor, (1907) Googleplay/Books, accessed August 2018, 276, https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=VDwyAQAAMAAJ.
Bibliography
Burnett, Stephen G., Urbani, Rossana, Zazzu, Guido Nathan, Mcburney, Anamaria Biavasco, and Mcburney, James. “The Jews in Genoa.” Sixteenth Century Journal, 2001.
Clancy-Smith, Julia A.. Mediterraneans : North Africa and Europe in an Age of Migration, C. 1800-1900. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010. Accessed August 31, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Perry, Amos. Carthage and Tunis: past and present: in two parts. Providence Press Company, Printers. 1869. Accessed August 2018. GooglePlay/Books.
Singer, Isidore, and Adler, Cyrus. The Jewish encyclopedia ; a descriptive record of the history, religion, literature, and customs of the Jewish people from the earliest times, prepared...under the direction of...Cyrus Adler [and others] Isidore Singer, managing editor. New York: KTAV, n.d. Accessed August 2018. GooglePlay/Books.
Tunisia Trip Summer 2016
Photos Courtesy of Chyrstie Sherman
Write-up prepared by Jessica Ramon August 2018.