The synagogue of La Ghriba

The synagogue of La Ghriba (arabic : كنست الغريبة) is a Tunisian synagogue which is one of the main identity markers of the Jews of Djerba, one of the last living Jewish communities in the Arab world.

It is the subject of an annual pilgrimage, on the occasion of the Jewish holiday of Lag Ba'omer, bringing together several thousand pilgrims. It is also one of the main tourist attractions of the island of Djerba.

Its fame is based on the many traditions and beliefs that emphasize its antiquity and the fact that it contains remains of the Temple of Solomon. Historically, the pilgrimage brought together members of local communities and more broadly the Jews of Tunisia and neighboring Libya. With the departure of Jews from Arab countries, visitors come mainly from France and Israel.

Like the six other ghriba scattered across the Maghreb, it stands alone in the open countryside, one kilometer from the village of Erriadh (Hara Sghira), one of the two Jewish villages on the island which was inhabited until the XXth century only by Cohanim, which, according to local legends, corroborates the fact that the Ghriba was founded by priests from Jerusalem. There are five synagogues there but, in order to maintain the pre-eminence of the Ghriba, tradition dictates that the scrolls of the Torah which are used there are kept in the Ghriba where they are brought in procession.