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Slat Rabbi Bezalel, Djerba (Jerba, Jarbah, جربة), Tunisia
Set in the town of Hara Kabira, or the Big Neighborhood, Slat Rabbi Bezalel stands as one of eleven synagogues in the area, a testament to the thriving Jewish population on the island of Djerba (1).
Description
The Slat Rabbi Bezalel
The entrance to Slat Rabbi Bezalel sits off of a tight alleyway filled with potholes. The narrow blue door opens inward to a corridor leading to a large courtyard (2). With its red and white-checkered floor and built in benches along the entirety of its perimeter, this courtyard is clearly made for relaxation. A blue arched door at the far end of the courtyard leads to the synagogue’s grand interior (2). In the center of main prayer space sits a large wooden bimah (pulpit) (2). Tall ceilings, ringed on all sides by arched windows give the room an elegant and airy feel.
The main sanctuary is lined with arches adorned with decorative blue and white painted columns (2). A painted Star of David sits at the pinnacle of every arch (2). Adjacent to the main sanctuary is a small, secondary space used as a place of study. This room is also lined with built-in-benches that are topped with cushions (3). The walls are adorned with a small bookshelf, posters in Hebrew bearing Torah portions, and old pictures of past rabbis (3) . There are two large tables in the room: one is uncovered and pushed up toward the benches, while the other is sheathed in a tablecloth and adorned with plastic chairs (3). It is clear that first table is made for study, while the second is for food and celebration.
This synagogue dates back to the mid 18th century, named after the rabbi who established it (1). At its peak population during the 1950s, the island of Djerba had 20 synagogues serving 4,500 Jews (1). Many of Djerba’s Jews emigrated to Israel in the late 50s and early 60s as tensions with local Muslims began to rise. In the summer of 1979, an arsonist set Slat Rabbi Bezalel on fire, causing significant damage (1). After renovation, the synagogue reopened for Chanukah in December of 1980 (4). Yet today, the Slat, though small, remains in use. It stands with the help of the remaining 1,100 Jews of Djerba, who collectively work to ensure the survival of the island’s rich past (5).
Sources
Notes:
1) Abraham L. Udovitch, Lucette Valensi, and Jacques Pérez. The Last Arab Jews: The Communities of Jerba, Tunisia. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016, accessed July 30, 2018.
2) Jono David, “Tunisia, Djerba, Hara Kebira. Synagogue Rabbi Bisal El,”HaChayim HaYehudim Jewish Photo Library, March 2016, accessed August 3, 2018 https://jewishphotolibrary.smugmug.com/AFRICA/AFRICANorth/TUNISIA/DJERBAHaraKebira/TNHaraKebiraSynRabbiBisalEl/n-j2rMSw/i-32NxjNb
3) Chrystie Sherman, “Slat Rabbi Bezalel in Djerba, Tunisia,” 2016. Diarna archive, accessed July 30, 2018.
4) Colette Bismuth-Jarrassé and Dominique Jarrassé. Synagogues de Tunisie: Monuments d’une Histoire et d’une Identité. Paris: Éditions Esthétiques du Divers, 2010. Accessed July 25, 2018.
5) Daniella Cheslow , “Tunisia's last Jewish community dreams of a move to Israel 'en masse',” The Guardian, June 23, 2016, accessed July 30, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/23/tunisia-last-jewish-community-djerba-israel
Bibliography:
Bismuth-Jarrassé, Colette and Dominique Jarrassé. Synagogues de Tunisie: Monuments d’une Histoire et d’une Identité. Paris: Éditions Esthétiques du Divers, 2010. Accessed July 25, 2018.
Cheslow, Daniella. , “Tunisia's last Jewish community dreams of a move to Israel 'en masse',” The Guardian, June 23, 2016. Accessed July 30, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/23/tunisia-last-jewish-community-djerba-israel
David, Jono. “Tunisia, Djerba, Hara Kebira. Synagogue Rabbi Bisal El,”HaChayim HaYehudim Jewish Photo Library, March 2016. Accessed August 3, 2018 https://jewishphotolibrary.smugmug.com/AFRICA/AFRICANorth/TUNISIA/DJERBAHaraKebira/TNHaraKebiraSynRabbiBisalEl/n-j2rMSw/i-32NxjNb
Sherman, Chrystie. “Slat Rabbi Bezalel in Djerba, Tunisia,” 2016. Diarna archive, accessed July 30, 2018
Udovitch, Abraham L., Lucette Valensi, and Jacques Pérez. The Last Arab Jews: The Communities of Jerba, Tunisia. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016. Accessed July 30, 2018.
Tunisia Trip Summer 2016
Photos Courtesy of Chyrstie Sherman
Write-up prepared by Sarah Lord, 3 August 2018.