Hara Seghira Synagogue

Hara Seghira Synagogue
Arabic: كنيس حارة صغيرة
The former synagogue exterior, in 2007
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism (former)
Rite	Nusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue and yeshiva (????–1970s)
Status	Abandoned
Location
Location	Moktar Attia Street, Er Riadh, Djerba
Country	Tunisia
Location of the former synagogue in Tunisia
Geographic coordinates	33°48′50″N 10°51′34″E
Architecture
Type	Synagogue architecture

The Hara Seghira Synagogue (Arabic: كنيس حارة صغيرة) is a former Orthodox Jewish congregation, synagogue, and yeshiva, located on Moktar Attia Street, just north of Place L’Independence, in the town of Er Riadh on the island of Djerba, Tunisia.[1] The synagogue and yeshiva ceased to operate in the 1970s.

Er Riadh is the modern name for the ancient Jewish village of Djirt, which became known as “Hara Seghira” or the “Small Ghetto”.[2] As the Jewish community of the village declined, the synagogue and yeshiva were abandoned and the building fell into a state of dilapidation. The Jewish community of Er Riadh, numbering around 80, is centered on the El Ghriba synagogue, located on the southern outskirts of the village.

In 2023 Djerba was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3]

Gallery

• 
  The dilapidated courtyard of the former synagogue

See also

• History of the Jews in Djerba
• List of synagogues in Tunisia

References

1. Bowman, Glenn (July 18, 2012). Sharing the Sacra: The Politics and Pragmatics of Intercommunal Relations Around Holy Places. Berghahn Books. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-85745-486-7 – via Google Books.
2. The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization (Lucerne, Switzerland). Vol. 5: The Early Modern Period, 1500–1750. Yale University Press. March 21, 2023. p. 596. ISBN 978-0-300-13551-0 – via Google Books.
3. "Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved September 24, 2023.

External links

Media related to Yeshiva Dighet at Wikimedia Commons

• Elshamy, Mosa'ab (November 25, 2015). "Ancient Jewish community endures on Tunisian island" (Blog and images). Spotlight: AP Images. Associated Press. Retrieved September 13, 2024.