Tunisian Jews tone down festivities amid security fears
Wary of the safety concerns, the Jewish community in Tunisia are already preparing a toned-down event to celebrate Lag Ba’Omer in late May. the Associated Press (AP) reported on April 22.
Lag Ba’Omer is a minor holiday that will start at the sundown of May 25 and end at the sundown of the day after this year and takes place between the Passover and Shavuot.
Jews in the country have said that the heightened tensions between Israel and Palestine over the past six months as well as a synagogue rampage in May last year have made them more vigilant of attacks.
Every May, thousands head to Djerba (the largest island in North Africa and situated in Tunisia’s southeast), where many Jews in the country live, to celebrate the Jewish holiday however the community has decided to limit festivities to the El-Ghriba synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the country, as opposed to major celebrations all around the island as well as nationwide.
On May 9, 2023, a police officer gunned down two of his colleagues before killing two worshippers and injuring ten more at the El-Ghriba synagogue. The attacker was then shot by security officers.
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The motive was not revealed however there were speculations that the shooter had Islamist extremist beliefs given that those with said views have previously targeted the Jewish faithful in Djerba.
The Djerba-based synagogue has seen an increase in security presence since Al-Qaeda gunmen attacked the place of worship in 2002 with a truck bomb which killed just over 20 people, most of whom were European tourists.
Perez Trabelsi, the head of the island’s Jewish community noted: “Those who come to visit are welcome and they can hold religious rituals, light a candle, inside the synagogue,” and added that “Tunisia and Djerba will remain lands of tolerance, coexistence and peace.”
Although Tunisia is home to North Africa’s largest Jewish community, around 1,800 Jews live in the country as many left to resettle in Israel in 1948 – when the state was created.
Similarly in neighbouring Morocco, The International Federation of Moroccan Jews has called for the cancellation of collective celebrations of the Mimouna holiday (taking place between April 30 and May 1) and avoiding major festivities in public places.
AP/ ABC News
