Tunisia: Ghriba Jewish pilgrimage sees increased turnout after years of restrictions

Tunisia: Ghriba Jewish pilgrimage sees increased turnout after years of restrictions Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:17 Religious event on the island of Djerba once attracted thousands of Jews from around the world but faced restrictions after a 2023 gun attack on worshippers French Jewish pilgrims light candles at the Ghriba synagogue, on Tunisia's southern island of Djerba, on 4 May 2026, during the annual pilgrimage to the Jewish holy site (Fethi Belaid/AFP) Off The pilgrimage to the Ghriba Synagogue in Tunisia, one of the oldest Jewish gatherings in Africa, is experiencing increased participation this year after years of restrictions. Tunisian authorities imposed limits on attendance following a deadly attack on the site in 2023. The annual event, held on the island of Djerba, once attracted thousands of Jews from around the world, particularly from Europe and the United States. After two years of scaled-down participation due to safety concerns, authorities have facilitated the arrival of organised groups for the current year while implementing enhanced security measures. "This year, there has been a marked return of pilgrims to the island. We estimate that around 200 have come from abroad," former Tunisian Tourism Minister Rene Trabelsi, one of the event's organisers, told AFP. "Confidence is starting to return to this pilgrimage," he added, thanking the Tunisian state for having "put in place extraordinary security". During the 2023 season, approximately 7,000 people participated in the pilgrimage. But on its final day, on 9 May, a National Guard officer, Wissam Khazri, killed a colleague, took his ammunition and went to the synagogue, where he shot worshippers and security forces. Khazri's attack left six dead in total, including two pilgrims and three officers, and nine wounded, before the assailant was killed by security forces. Tunisia detains seven Gaza flotilla activists Read More » The trial for the attack concluded in February, sentencing the defendants, presented as his accomplices, to prison terms ranging from one to 15 years. Both defence and civil party lawyers denounced a botched investigation, while Tunisian authorities never characterised the attack as antisemitic. In May 2024, the rituals were reduced to prayers and candle-lighting without a procession. And last year again, the rites were limited to the bare minimum, with hardly 50 pilgrims attending. A week earlier, a Jewish jeweller had been attacked in his shop by a man armed with a butcher's knife. The site was also targeted in 2002 by a suicide truck bombing that killed 21 people. Ghriba, Africa's oldest synagogue, whose construction dates to the 6th century BC, is considered a symbol of Tunisia's diversity. About 1,500 Jews live in the North African country, mainly on the island of Djerba, compared to approximately 100,000 before its independence in 1956, when many left for Israel and France. Inside Tunisia News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0