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Inside the Middle East
May 20, 2011
Posted: 1128 GMT
A rabbi drinks a glass of fig alcohol at the 2010 pilgrimage to Derba, a Tunisian island
A rabbi drinks a glass of fig alcohol at the 2010 pilgrimage to Derba, a Tunisian island

By Joe Sterling, CNN

(CNN) – The political tension bubbling across Tunisia, Libya and the rest of North Africa has forced the cancellation of an annual Jewish pilgrimage to a historic synagogue on the Tunisian island of Djerba.

Roger Bismuth, a leader in the Tunisian Jewish community, said the community is concerned about the possibility of disruptions amid the ferment in Tunisia and the warfare in nearby Libya.

"We are scared people will take the opportunity to do something," said Bismuth, leader of a community that endured a deadly 2002 al Qaeda truck bombing in Djerba. "It's irresponsible to do it."

The annual pilgrimage is always held around the Jewish holiday of Lag B'Omer, which comes this weekend, and it is centered on La Ghriba, a revered and iconic synagogue in the heart of the island. It was targeted in the 2002 attack, which killed 21 people, including German tourists.

According to legend, Jews came to Djerba after the destruction of the first temple in Jerusalem, destroyed in 586 BCE, and the synagogue has foundation stones from that edifice.

read the rest of the story here on CNN's Belief Blog

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Filed under: General •Judaism •Religion •Tunisia


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miriam   May 20th, 2011 12:54 pm ET

In one of the last North African/ Middle Eastern countries where Jews have been able to remain and practise their religion, that freedom is now being prohibited.

Unfortunately, such restriction of freedoms is not limited to NA and the ME.
It is common in Europe and elsewhere in the world for Jews to have to hide their religion and symbols of their religious identity for fear of attack.

The re-establishment of the Jewish state should provide an environment where Jews do not have to repeatedly suffer such discrimination, however, there are those who refuse them that opportunity as well.

Hopefully this event will be celebrated again next year in a free and more stable Tunisia for all its population including the Jewish community.

RB   May 21st, 2011 4:09 pm ET

I HOPE THIS IS THE GOAL OF THE RIOUT IN THE ARAB STATE, SO THAT U WILL GIVE WAY TO ALCOHOLISM, ALDOTRY, MURDER, AND ALL THAT WILL LET PEOPLE TO FORGET ABOURT THERE MORAL LIFE TO EMBRAZE DE MO CRAZY! AMERICA WILL NEVER SUCCEED THE WORLD AS NOW WE KNOW.
REM BOB MARLEY SAID NOW WE SEE THE LIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO STOP YOUR CONTROL..
WHY DO YOU WANT US TO SOFFER?
WHAT IS DEMOCRACY AS YOU PEOPLE CALL IT, AND HOW MANY TIME IS IT APPLY TO THE MORAL LIFE?

Dave Arlington   May 21st, 2011 6:45 pm ET

Who cares, really? Its a bunch of mythology. Get over it.

Joshua   May 21st, 2011 10:39 pm ET

You can go anywhere in the world, and you won't find an uneducated Jew.

Everyone knows: where there's Jews, there's morality and freedom of expression.

jest joking   May 22nd, 2011 11:57 am ET

Whoooooooooooooo cares?

Jerkinp   May 22nd, 2011 6:48 pm ET

These Jews should consider moving and living in the land of milk and honey the modern state of Israel. If they continue to lounge around in a Muslim country they'll end up dead.

ElK   May 29th, 2011 8:10 am ET

You guys open your mind, it should not be do what I tell you and do not do what I do, piece will come when every body get just their wright no more than than. As long as there is no fairness you will never have piece. That is the nature low.

Alone in the world   May 30th, 2011 1:35 pm ET

Everyone knows: where there's Jews, there's morality and freedom of expression.
<<<< so funny !!!!
This is the best joke I ever heard. Freedom of expression ? Or freedom of killing innocents and "ideas" ?

proud zionist   June 4th, 2011 10:40 am ET

No wonder you are Alone in the world with these opinions. and you will stay alone, ignorant nitwit

olumide moses   June 5th, 2011 11:48 pm ET

I think the arab spring affected the jewish pilgrimage so the state of israel provides more oppourtunity to practise their faith


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