Postcards from Tunisia
by Fyllis Hockman, Offbeat Travel

Hi Again - Okay, this is going to be a different kind of postcard 'cause I was in a different kind of place.

Picture this -- Young boys studying Hebrew in preparation for their Bar Mitzvah. A Jewish goldsmith designing jewelry in his shop. A Rabbi reading from the Torah in the synagogue. All very common experiences in Jewish neighborhoods around the world, right? But now imagine them taking place in an Arab country in the Middle East.

Welcome to Tunisia, a modern, moderate Muslim country at the tip of North Africa where more than 2000 Jews thrive in the midst of their Muslim neighbors. And they've been doing so for over 2000 years. Not something you often hear about in today's world.

The scene is the island of Djerba, just off the southeastern coast, where one of the holiest sites in Judaism, outside the Wailing Wall, is home to an annual pilgrimage of thousands of Jews. The Tunisian government not only welcomes the migration but protects the communities at the center and contributes to the upkeep of the Synagogue at its heart.

That would be El Ghriba, itself not yet a century old but more importantly, built upon the location of the first synagogue erected after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar. Legend has it that those fleeing the temple's demise found haven in Djerba and rebuilt the synagogue using a piece of the original temple in its foundation.

On April 11, 2002, a 22-year-old suicide-bomber killed 20 people at the site, ironically none of them Jews, and damaged a small part of the synagogue. Although Tunisians ascribed the attack to a lone embittered Frenchman of Tunisian origin in order to minimize a tourism backlash, others reported an Al Qaeda connection.

Immediately, Muslim and Jewish residents marched in solidarity to denounce the bombing and to rebuild the synagogue. When I asked why, I was repeatedly told that both Jews and Arabs think of themselves as Tunisians first, and that bond of citizenship overrides the influence of outside political forces and provides the secret to Djerba's inter-related community.

I had a chance to ask the Grand Rabbi of Tunisia what he thought was the biggest concern of Jews in Tunisia. Okay, so he gave me what I consider a somewhat Pollyannaish approach to the reality of world politics, but he replied, "We have nothing to worry about and we hope it will stay like this for all time."

That optimism was echoed by Nessim Bittan, owner of one of the oldest and most respected jewelry shops in Djerba. He also claims there has been no change in relations between the Arabs and Jews in Djerba in light of the current events of the past few years. Keep in mind, this was before the recent Lebanese debacle so I don't know if attitudes have changed since. On the other hand, they hadn't for the past 2000 years...

When asked the secret to these good relations, he responded, "We have been living together for so long and we know each other so well. We interact as friends and people regardless of the political situation. Our children play together. We have no problems between us. The only difference between us is where we pray."
Symbolizing the Jewish/Arab harmony, displays at Bittan's jewelry store contain a Star of David next to a brooch adorned with the Hand of Fatima. Ten Commandment earrings sit alongside silver Berber (indigenous peoples who later converted to Islam) necklaces. Adjacent to a Chai, a Hebrew letter designating good luck, hangs an Arab image protecting against evil.

You couldn't find a better metaphor for the island of Djerba. Now, if only such philosophic jewels were more prevalent throughout the Middle East.