Maghreb news- Lamine Ghanmi
Djerba-Nearly 3 ,000Jewish pilgrims crowded ed Africa’s oldest synagogue on the Island of Djerba in southern Tunisia, the unique Jewish gathering in the Middle East and North Africa.
Braving searing heat and Israeli warning about Jihadist attack , the pilgrims dansed and chanted to celebrate the Lag BaOmer festival on May 25-26 amid heavy security deployment to ward off potential Jihadist assaults.
« The way Tunisia treats its Jewish citizens and all its minorities serves as strong positive model for the rest of the world, » said U.S. State Department’s special advisor for religious minorities Knox Thames who took part in some actions of the piligrimage ritual.
The Jewish community on Djerba dates back around 2.600 years when Jewish priests arrived from the old Land of Israel shortly after the destruction of the First Temple in 587 BCE.
They carried with them stones form the destroyed Temple to build the foundation of the synagogue built in Djerba, according to local Jewish lore.
The synagogue eventually became the site of an annual pilgrimage of Jews from Tunisia and abroad. Known as the Hiloula which translates as celebration.The event takes place on the holiday of Lag BaOmer in commemoration of the death of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai, a legal scholar, reputed as a worker of miracles.
According to oral tradition, on the day of his death, daylight was miraculously extended until he had completed his final teaching and died.
The pilgrims light candles, do processions, and make donations. Women appeared to outnumber men in the piligrimage.
The daunting blanket of security provided by the Tunisian government for the event was designed to display for the world its commitment to defending Tunisian Jews’ rights to operate as a community.
« Piligrims from outside the country were escorted from their hotels to the synagogue like of heads of state. That shows the determination of the authorities to make Tunisia safe for every one living or visiting here, » said Rene Trabelsi, an organiser of the festival.
The pilgrims, meanwhile, proudly displayed their Tunisian patriotism, waving Tunisian flags and singing the national anthem with three ministers, the parliament’s deputy-speaker.
Ahead of the event, Israel warned against a “concrete threat” of anti-Jewish or anti-Israeli attacks in Tunisia, according to a statement from the counterterrorism office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
« With that context, we hesitated to go ahead with the event this year but we got guaranties from President Beji Caid Essebsi when he met Perez Trabelsi, the head of the community in Djerba about the security of the festival, » added Rene.
«Some 600 piligrims came from abroad including from Israel this year. That compares to less than 150 in the previous year. The Israeli warning halved the expected arrivals from abroad, » he added.
Tunisian parliament’s deputy speaker Abdelfattah Moro was greeted with applause and thank you when he told the piligrims : »Jews in Tunisia are part of ourselves. The people love them and their Tunisian state protects them. »
Faced with bigotry in the region, it is « our duty to tell everyone that we have to pass on a message of love, peace and respect for others, » said religious affairs minister Mohamed Khalil in Djerba.
Tourism Minister Selma Elloumi Rekik said : »You came here for this festive occasion and you confirm that Tunisia will remain a land of friendship and joy despite the challenges of violence and hatred. »
Culture Minister Sonia M’barek said : »It is important to be here to share ths moment of joy, togetherness and tolerance. »
« Things are getting better year after year because security is improving. We are happy to see the festival thriving again .When the piligrimage succeeds, it gives an indication about the tourism season in Tunisia, » said Khoudir Haniya, a manager of the synagogue, speaking as an army helicopter hovers over the gathering..
Traditionally participants in the festival come from Europe, the United States and Israel, but the number of foreigners attending has diminished considerably the ouster of former president Zine al Abidine Ben ALI in January 2011.
Tunisia’s tourism industry is also reeling from attacks last year claimed by the Islamic State group on the National Bardo Museum in Tunis and a beach resort that killed a total of 60 people, all but one of them foreigners.
« I discovered that the Jewish community in Djerba is unique in many was from other diaspora communities, » said Seas Forman, U.S. State Department for monitoring anti-semtism.
Asked about the survival of the festival despite upheaveals in Tunisia’s environment and political tumults, Forman said : »Those of us of some leadership in the world, recognise the achievements of Tunisia’s democracy. »
« It is something very imprtant that we recognise back in the State Department, »added Forman who took part in actions of the ritual with Thames.
Around 1,500 Jews live in Tunisia, down sharply from an estimated 100,000 before the country won independence from France in 1956, mostly because of the repercussions of the Middle East conflict .
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